Overview

Amazon is tightening the deadline for filing SAFE‑T reimbursement claims on seller‑fulfilled (FBM) orders in the United States. Effective February 16 2026, the filing window shrinks from 60 days to 30 days, meaning sellers must act faster to recover losses from returns, refunds, or lost shipments. The change directly impacts any merchant who relies on SAFE‑T to offset buyer abuse or carrier damage, and it forces a redesign of return‑management workflows.

Key Points

• New filing window – 30 days — The claim period is cut in half, starting February 16 2026 for all U.S. FBM orders.
• Trigger event unchanged — The countdown still begins on the later of the warehouse return‑scan date or the refund issuance date.
• Lost‑in‑transit claims — For packages that disappear, the clock starts from the last carrier scan recorded in Amazon’s system.
• Existing claims protected — Any SAFE‑T claim already submitted before the policy change will continue through the normal review process.
• Policy alignment — The 30‑day window now matches Amazon’s standard return period and the A‑to‑Z Guarantee appeal deadline.
• Backlog urgency — All return, refund, or lost‑shipment events that are currently between 30 and 60 days old must be reviewed and filed before February 16 2026 or they become ineligible.

How the New Timeline Works

1. Identify the trigger date — Determine whether the later event is the warehouse scan or the refund date. Example: A customer’s refund posts on March 1, but the returned item is scanned on March 10; the claim clock starts on March 10.
2. Calculate the 30‑day deadline — Add 30 days to the trigger date to find the final filing day. Example: Using the March 10 trigger, the seller must submit the SAFE‑T claim by April 9.
3. Submit the claim with required evidence — Upload photos, carrier tracking screenshots, and any correspondence that proves the loss or improper refund. Example: For a lost‑in‑transit package whose last carrier scan was on February 5, the seller must file by March 7, attaching the carrier’s proof of the final scan and the original order invoice.