eBay glossary
eBay acronyms
A-Z index
Before listing your item, make sure it's allowed on eBay and find out if it's subject to certain restrictions. This helps avoid potential issues with your listing. Check out our list of policies below and click the product category to get more details. As an eBay seller, you also need to make sure that the sale of your item complies with the law.
Violations of these policies may result in a range of actions, including:
Listing cancellation
Limits on account privileges
Account suspension
Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
Loss of PowerSeller status.
When a policy violation occurs, we email the seller and the bidders to let them know that the listing was removed from the site. You can report violations by clicking the Report item link in the listing, or by clicking the Report or Contact Us link located on most of our help pages.
Understanding the rules about prohibited and restricted items
Policies about listing items are often based on country and state laws. However, many restrictions may involve the sale of dangerous or sensitive items and are not necessarily prohibited by law. These limitations are often based on input from people who use eBay. For example, see our offensive material policy.
When selling internationally, be sure to review our guidelines on international trading and import restrictions. Keep in mind that although certain items may be legal to sell in your country, they might be illegal elsewhere.
Just because a particular type of item is listed below, it doesn't mean it's completely prohibited. In the medical devices policy, for example, while many items are prohibited (such as contact lenses), others are allowed under certain conditions (including certain types of medical instruments). It's important that you read and understand our policies before listing items. And remember to check out the Some examples and Additional information sections on the policy web page.
Note: Examples are designed to help explain the policy – they're not an exhaustive list of what you can and can't sell on eBay.
It is also important to review the rules for listings and the rules about intellectual property to check if your item has additional restrictions that would affect your listing.
Adult Only category
alcohol (see also wine)
animals and wildlife products – examples include live animals, mounted specimens, and ivory
art
artifacts – examples include Native American crafts, cave formations, and grave-related items
catalytic converters and test pipes
cell phone (wireless) service contracts
charity or fundraising listings
clothing, used
coins
contracts
cosmetics, used
counterfeit currency and stamps
credit cards
drugs and drug paraphernalia
drugs, describing drugs or drug-like substances
electronics equipment – examples include cable TV de-scramblers, radar scanners, and traffic signal control devices
electronic surveillance equipment – examples include wiretapping devices and telephone bugging devices
embargoed goods and prohibited countries – examples include items from Cuba
event tickets
firearms, weapons, and knives – examples include pepper spray, replicas, and stun guns (see also military items)
food and healthcare items
gift cards
government and transit documents
government and transit uniforms
government IDs and licenses
hazardous, restricted, and perishable items – examples include batteries, fireworks, and Freon
human parts and remains
importation of goods into the United States – examples include CDs that were intended only for distribution in a certain country
international trading
items encouraging illegal activity – examples include an eBook describing how to create methamphetamine
lockpicking devices
lottery tickets
mailing lists and personal information
manufacturers' coupons
medical devices – examples include contact lenses, pacemakers, and surgical instruments
military items (see also firearms, weapons, and knives)
multi-level marketing, pyramid, and matrix programs
offensive material – examples include ethnically or racially offensive material and Nazi memorabilia
pesticides
plants (see weeds and seeds)
police-related items
political memorabilia (reproduction)
postage meters
prescription drugs
prohibited services
real estate
recalled items
slot machines
stamps
stocks and other securities
stolen property and property with removed serial numbers
surveillance equipment
teacher's edition textbooks
tobacco
transit and shipping-related items – examples include blueprints of transit facilities, airplane operations manuals, and flight attendants' uniforms
travel
weeds and seeds
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Rules for sellers – overview
Rules for listing – overview
Rules about intellectual property – overview
Item description and picture theft