Overview

Amazon is tightening product‑compliance rules for 2025, adding stricter verification, expanding the list of dangerous goods, and demanding more documentation across several high‑risk categories. The changes take effect after a late‑2024 rollout, and non‑compliance can result in listing removal, inventory hold, or permanent suspension—making it essential for third‑party sellers to adapt now.

Key Points

• Invoice rigor — Sellers must upload invoices that show a B2B transaction of at least 10 units, dated within the last 180 days; a supplement vendor that provides a 5‑unit invoice will be rejected.
• Third‑party lab proof — High‑risk items such as dietary supplements need a Certificate of Analysis from an ISO/IEC 17025‑accredited lab, dated no older than six months, before they can be listed.
• Children’s product certificate — Any product aimed at children 12 years or younger must include a Children’s Product Certificate covering lead, phthalates, mechanical hazards, and flammability testing.
• Dangerous‑goods expansion — Items containing lithium batteries, liquids, powders, or pressurized containers are now automatically classified as dangerous goods and must meet the full hazardous‑material documentation package.
• Restricted vs. prohibited — Restricted products require Amazon’s ungating approval (e.g., a medical device needing FDA 510(k) clearance), while prohibited items such as counterfeit goods or illegal substances are banned outright and trigger immediate penalties.

How the 2025 Prohibited and Restricted Products Policy Works

1. Enhanced invoice verification — Amazon cross‑checks uploaded invoices against supplier databases; for example, a seller listing a vitamin supplement must provide a recent invoice from an authorized distributor that lists the product’s SKU, quantity (≥10), and supplier contact information.
2. Dangerous‑goods classification check — The system scans product attributes for battery type, liquid content, or pressure rating; a Bluetooth speaker with an internal lithium‑ion cell is flagged and routed to the hazardous‑material workflow, requiring a UN 3480 declaration and a carrier‑approved packaging plan.