Prohibited and restricted items - overview

	Understanding the rules Prohibited items Restricted items Potentially infringing items Reporting policy breaches

Before listing your item, make sure it's allowed on eBay and find out if there are specific rules and conditions on how it should be listed. See the list of prohibited and restricted items below and click the product category for information about the policies. Sellers also need to make sure that the sale of their item complies with all laws.

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.

Understanding the rules

Here are some basic things to keep in mind when listing your items on eBay:

	Our policies are often based on country and state laws, although in some cases, they may also be based on input from our members and our own discretion, especially for dangerous or sensitive items. For example, see our offensive material policy.
	Be sure to read our policies before listing items. Follow our guidelines and review our examples so you know beforehand what you can and can't sell on eBay (note that examples are not an exhaustive list).
	When selling internationally, be sure to read our guidelines on international trading and import restrictions. Although certain items may be legal to sell in your country, they might be illegal elsewhere.
	The list of prohibited and restricted items below covers things that can be listed under certain conditions and things that can't be listed at all. In our medicine and healthcare products policy, for example, while many items aren't allowed (like contact lenses), others are allowed under certain conditions (including certain types of medical instruments).
	Be sure to also read our rules for listings and our rules about intellectual property to check if your item has other guidelines that would affect your listing.

Prohibited items

These items may not be listed on eBay:

• Adults only

• Drugs and drug paraphernalia

• Embargoed goods and prohibited countries

• Firearms, weapons and knives

• Government, transit, postal items and official items policy

• Hazardous, restricted, or regulated materials

• Items encouraging illegal activity

• Lock-picking devices

• Mailing lists and personal information

• Medicine and healthcare products policy

• Offensive material

• Police-related items

• Prescription drugs

• Prohibited services

• Stolen property

Restricted items

These items may only be listed on eBay under certain conditions:

• Alcohol

• Animals and wildlife products

• Artefacts, antiques, cultural items and grave-related items

• British titles

• Catalogue sales

• Charity or fundraising listings

• Clothing, used

• Contracts

• Cosmetics, used

• Counterfeit currency and stamps

• Credit cards

• Digitally delivered goods

• Electrical and electronics equipment

• Event tickets

• Food

• Football tickets

• Gaming (slot/fruit) machines

• Human parts and remains

• Plants and seeds

• Postage meters

• Property

• Recalled items

• Stocks and other securities

• Tobacco

• Travel

• Unlocking software

• Vouchers

Potentially infringing

These items may infringe certain copyrights or trademarks:

• Rules about intellectual property – overview

• Authenticity disclaimer

• Bootleg recordings

• Copyright basics

• Enabling duplication of copy protected material

• Items encouraging infringement

• Mod chips, game enhancers and boot disks

• Perfume and cosmetics

• Recordable media

• Replica, counterfeit and unauthorised copies

• Software policies

Reporting policy breaches

If you see a listing that breaches eBay policies, please report it by clicking the Report item link in the listing, or by clicking the Report link or Contact Us button located on most of our help pages. When a policy breach occurs, we email the seller and the bidders or the buyer to let them know that the listing has been removed from eBay.