Before you list your item, you need to find out if your item is allowed on eBay and if the type of item is subject to certain restrictions to avoid potential issues with your listing. As an eBay seller, you are ultimately responsible for making sure that selling an item is legal in the eyes of 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 policy violations occur, eBay emails the seller, as well as bidders, that a listing has been ended. You may contact eBay to report violations by using the “Report” or “Contact Us” links found on most policy 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. The limitations are the result of input by numerous stakeholders, including the Community. For example, see Offensive Material Policy.

• When selling across borders, be aware of international trading and import restrictions. Certain items may be legal in your country, but may be illegal elsewhere.

• Just because a particular type of item is listed below, it does not mean that it is completely prohibited. For example, in the Medical Devices Policy, many items are prohibited (for example, contact lenses), but many others are allowed – under certain circumstances (for example some medical instruments). When in doubt, you should read the policy page carefully. The policy pages contain these details under Additional Information and Examples.
  Note: Examples are designed to help explain the policy and should not be viewed as an exhaustive list.

• It is also important to review the Rules for Listings and the Rules about Intellectual Property to check if your type of item has additional restrictions that would affect your listing.

Prohibited and Restricted Items List:

• Adult Material (see Mature Audiences)

• 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 & 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

• Food

• 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

• Mature Audiences

• Medical Devices - examples include contact lenses, pacemakers, and surgical instruments                           

• 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

• 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

• Wine (see also Alcohol)