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Vehicle, Vehicle Equipment and Device Listings Policy

eBay expects that members will do everything possible to ensure that both sellers and potential buyers of vehicles on eBay will have a positive trading experience. eBay encourages members to educate themselves on the state laws regarding the sale of vehicles prior to the purchase or sale of a vehicle. Additional information and state links have been provided in the additional information section.

Note: Members are responsible for the calculation and remittance of any taxes owed to any governmental entity based on their eBay activities.

Airbags
Due to legal restrictions and consumer safety concerns, eBay prohibits all sales of deployed or rebuilt airbags. In addition, some states have even more restrictive laws, prohibiting all sales of used airbags, whether deployed or not.

Imported Vehicles
Under federal law, it is illegal to import (or sell previously imported) motor vehicles and equipment that have not received advance certification from the United States Department of Transportation.

Emission Non-Compliant Vehicles
Prior to making an interstate purchase, buyers should verify that the vehicle meets emissions requirements in their state. Many states, such as California, have strict emission standards.

Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:

  • Listing cancellation
  • Limits on account privileges
  • Account suspension
Some Examples  

Misrepresentation - Listings where the seller has misrepresented the title, odometer or VIN all violate state laws and are not permitted on eBay.

Odometer Modification Devices - Because it is unlawful in many jurisdictions to reset odometers to read less than the true actual mileage on a motor vehicle, sales of odometer modification and calibration devices (whether manual or electronic) are prohibited on eBay.

Additional Information  

Below are specific tips to ensure a positive eBay Motors trading experience:

All members (sellers and buyers):

Members should read the following:

All members should review eBay's Prohibited and Restricted Items policy. Particular items of concern on eBay Motors include:

Before buying or selling a vehicle on eBay Motors, please review the applicable laws provided by each state government. Topics members may wish to review include seller licensing rules, title requirements, emissions standards and registration policies. Here is a list of links to helpful state government automotive Web sites:

State Link for Sellers or Buyers
Alabama AL link for sellers and buyers
Alaska AK link for sellers and buyers
Arizona AZ link for sellers and buyers
Arkansas AR seller link AR buyer link
California CA seller link CA buyer link
Colorado CO seller link CO buyer link
Connecticut CT link for sellers and buyers
Delaware DE link for sellers and buyers
D.C. DC link for sellers and buyers
Florida FL seller link FL buyer link
Georgia GA link for sellers and buyers
Hawaii HI link for sellers and buyers
Idaho ID link for sellers and buyers
Illinois IL seller link IL buyer link
Indiana IN seller link IN buyer link
Iowa IA seller link IA buyer link
Kansas KS link for sellers and buyers
Kentucky KY link for sellers and buyers
Louisiana LA link for sellers and buyers
Maryland MD link for sellers and buyers
Massachusetts MA link for sellers and buyers
Michigan MI seller link MI buyer link
Minnesota MN seller link MN buyer link
Mississippi MS seller link MS buyer link
Missouri MO link for sellers and buyers
Montana MT link for sellers and buyers
Nebraska NE link for sellers and buyers
Nevada NV link for sellers and buyers
New Hampshire NH link for sellers and buyers
New Jersey NJ link for sellers and buyers
New Mexico NM link for sellers and buyers
New York NY link for sellers and buyers
North Carolina NC link for sellers and buyers
North Dakota ND link for sellers and buyers
Ohio OH link for sellers and buyers
Oklahoma OK link for sellers and buyers
Oregon OR link for sellers and buyers
Pennsylvania PA link for sellers and buyers
Rhode Island RI link for sellers and buyers
South Carolina SC link for sellers and buyers
South Dakota SD seller link SD buyer link
Tennessee TN link for sellers and buyers
Texas TX link for sellers and buyers
Utah UT link for sellers and buyers
Vermont VT link for sellers and buyers
Virginia VA link for sellers and buyers
Washington WA ink for sellers and buyers
West Virginia WV link for sellers and buyers
Wisconsin WI link for sellers and buyers
Wyoming WY link for sellers and buyers

Members may take advantage of the Aon Warranty Group coverage if the vehicle is eligible.

To determine whether a vehicle is subject to an import restriction, members may consult the federal government's guidelines on import restrictions.

New and used gasoline-powered vehicles registered in California must pass the California Smog Check. To learn more about this requirement, review California's SmogCheck Rules.

Sellers should:

State rules in the listing regarding what types of bidders will be accepted. For example:

  • "No bidders with negative feedback" or
  • "New bidders with 0 feedback must contact the seller."

Outline clear terms of sale in their listing description. These terms should outline clearly what payment methods the seller will accept and within what time period the seller expects the buyer to pay.

Know their vehicle:

  • Run a title check before listing the vehicle.
  • Make sure that any branded title on the history of the vehicle is appropriately disclosed in the listing description.
  • Provide complete title history. If there was a salvage title in the history, make sure it is disclosed in the listing description.
  • Ensure the appropriate status has been checked on the Sell Your Item (SYI) page (Clear, Salvage, Other).
  • Disclose structural damage and major repairs or replacements to the vehicle being listed, including frame, suspension, engine and body alterations and installation of after market parts.

Comply with their state's laws relating to car dealer licensing, as well as the Federal Trade Commission's Used Car Rule if their trading activities meet the definition of a car dealer in that state.
Consider informing buyers when their states have stricter emissions standards as it may impact buyers' ability to register the vehicle being sold.
List the exact mileage of the vehicle. If the seller is unsure of the odometer's accuracy (especially on older or 5-digit odometer vehicles), the seller should disclose such uncertainties in the listing description.
Visit the website of their state and the state of their potential buyer to learn of applicable laws. Based upon the physical location of the buyer or the seller, state consumer protection laws may apply to the transaction on eBay Motors and may limit what can legally be sold.
Make sure any liens on the vehicle are disclosed in the listing description.
Provide the VIN number in the listing description. Sellers will attract more legitimate buyers if a member has the ability to conduct their own checks on the vehicle's history.

Why does eBay have this policy?  

eBay urges its sellers and buyers to comply with all governmental laws and regulations. Since the sale of vehicles is highly regulated or may cause harm to eBay or its members, members are encouraged to educate themselves on the laws governing their sale.

Related Help topics:
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