With some exceptions, we generally don't allow listings for law enforcement badges or official law enforcement equipment from any public entity. This includes badges issued by the government of any country. This rule also applies to police badges and official equipment from federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies in the US.
Make sure your listing follows these guidelines. If it doesn't, it may be removed, and you may be subject to a range of other actions, including restrictions of your buying and selling privileges and suspension of your account.
What are the guidelines?
Allowed
Fake, novelty, or clearly unofficial badges such as plastic or cartoon badges
School safety patrol badges
Restricted
Badges that meet both of these requirements:
The issuing law enforcement organization has authorized in writing that the item can be sold.
A copy of the authorization letter with the law enforcement contact (name and phone number) is included in the listing.
US historical badges that meet both of these requirements:
The listing description clearly says that the badge is a historical piece that's at least 75 years old or was issued by an organization that no longer exists.
The item doesn't look like a current-issue law enforcement badge (for example, an antique sheriff's badge from 19th century Tombstone). If we have reason to believe that the item looks like a current- issue badge, we may remove the listing for public safety reasons.
Mini-badges that are about 1 inch by 1 inch in size. The listing has to include a picture of the item that shows scale.
Not allowed
Badges encased in Lucite
Badges from federal law enforcement agencies, including:
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Military Police (MP) or Criminal Investigative Services
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. National Park or Forest Service
U.S. Marshal
U.S. or Canadian Border Patrol
U.S. Postal Inspector
U.S. Secret Service (Department of the Treasury)
Badges from state, county, or other municipal law enforcement agencies
Badges issued by foreign governments, including international police badges
Badges issued by private security companies
Badge patches or patches in the shape of a badge, including:
The National Park Service arrowhead patch
The US Forest Service patch
Credential cases
Identification cards or credentials for members of law enforcement
Mini TSA badges
Movie prop badges
Private investigator badges
Quasi-law enforcement badges such as fire department badges
Reproductions of current police badges, including fake badges that look like current issue police badges – for example, an X-Files FBI badge
Special event badges like inauguration badges
Allowed
Antique emergency lighting or sirens
Aviation beacon lights for aircrafts
Emergency lighting for toy or model cars (no color restriction)
Industrial or security system emergency lighting
Siren speakers
Show car lighting (undercarriage) or Knight Rider-style kits
Restricted
Actual decommissioned emergency vehicles that don't have current decals or prohibited lighting. Be sure to list these items in the appropriate eBay Motors category.
Emergency light bars that offer only amber or clear lenses
Emergency light bars that offer only amber or clear LEDs
Decals for toy or model cars, though the listing has to include a picture of these items that show scale
Not allowed
Fully operational emergency vehicles with lights, sirens, and so on
Lighting for emergency vehicles
Listings for emergency lighting systems that have black and white or stock images
Red, green, or blue lenses used for emergency vehicle lights
Red, green, or blue LEDs for emergency vehicles
Siren controls or amplifiers for emergency vehicles
Specific law enforcement decals
Allowed
Novelty hats or shirts even if they say “Police,” “Sherriff,” or “SWAT”
Police uniform accessories that are not department issued items (such as cuff links, name plates, ranks, tie clips, and so on)
Shoulder patches for police uniforms or jackets
Uniforms and equipment for ambulance services, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), or firefighters
Utility belts or belt accessories
Restricted
Components of police-style uniforms (such as shirts, pants, ties, and so on) that weren't issued by a law enforcement agency
Obsolete police uniforms that in don't look like current-issue police uniforms, although sellers have to meet both of these requirements:
The information above is clearly stated in the listing description.
Pictures of the item are included in the listing.
Not allowed
Military police uniforms or components of those uniforms
Official, current- or recent-issue police uniforms or components of those uniforms (such as boots, hats, helmets, jackets, and shirts)
Official, current- or recent-issue Canadian military uniforms
Raid jackets
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) uniforms or components of those uniforms
US or Canadian Customs and Border Protection uniforms or components of those uniforms, including shoulder patches
Authentic prison uniforms (costume prison uniforms are allowed)
Allowed
Authorized souvenir items (such as buttons, cuff links, fake badges, hats, money clips, mugs, pens, pins, and t-shirts)
COPS decals or novelty items
Riot shields
Some Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) items are allowed, with the exception of the items listed in the Not allowed section below.
Thin Blue Line police items
Restricted
Prison or jail keys that aren't actually used by an existing detention facility
Not allowed
The following Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) items aren't allowed to be listed because they pose a risk to the safety of police officers:
Car window shields or decals
Emblems or frames for license plates
Tear gas
Traffic light control devices such as a Mobile Infrared Transmitter (MIRT)
Why does eBay have this policy?
eBay, along with federal, state, and international law enforcement organizations, are concerned that people may use a badge or other police-related item to misrepresent themselves as law enforcement officers. To help avoid these situations, we don't allow certain police-related items to be listed on eBay.
Additionally, state and federal laws prohibit unauthorized individuals from having a law enforcement badge. To learn more about laws prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and possession of law enforcement badges, see U.S. Code Title 18 Section 701.
Before listing a police-related item, be sure to follow our guidelines above.
Contact Customer Support
You can contact Customer Support to report a listing you think violates this policy. Go to that listing, and then click the Report item link on the right side of the page.
We'll review your report and take appropriate action.
Contact us
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