Overview

Selling pest control products or any item that makes antimicrobial, antibacterial, or pest-related claims on Amazon requires compliance with strict federal and state regulations. Amazon's policy aligns with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules, meaning sellers must understand how these regulations apply to their products before listing them on the marketplace.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Broad definition of pesticides — The EPA defines pesticides far more broadly than most sellers expect. Any product that claims to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate pests — including bacteria, mold, mildew, insects, and mites — may be classified as a pesticide, even if pest control is not its primary function.
• Claims trigger regulation — Simply adding words like "antibacterial," "antimicrobial," "kills germs," or "prevents mold" to a product listing can cause the EPA (and Amazon) to classify the product as a pesticide, subjecting it to registration requirements.
• EPA registration is mandatory — Conventional pesticides with active ingredients must carry an EPA registration number. Pesticide devices must have an EPA establishment number from their manufacturing facility. These are separate requirements, and having one does not satisfy the other.
• Exemptions are narrow — While exemptions exist for treated articles and minimum risk pesticides, each has strict qualifying conditions that must all be met. Sellers cannot assume their product qualifies without verifying every condition.
• State laws also apply — Beyond federal FIFRA requirements, sellers must comply with applicable state and local pesticide regulations, which may impose additional restrictions or registration requirements.

What Counts as a Pesticide or Pesticide Device

Under EPA regulations, a conventional pesticide is any product intended to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate pests. This includes products that make antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-mold, or any similar pesticide claims. Common examples include insect repellents, rodent poisons, herbicides, fungicides, and disinfectants. Pesticide devices, which are distinct from conventional pesticides, include items like UV light units, ozone generators, insect traps, ultrasonic pest vibrators, and water or air treatment units (including air-treatment filters). The critical point for sellers is that even everyday household products — a shower curtain marketed as "mildew-resistant," a mattress described as "antibacterial," or a door knob claiming to "resist bacteria" — can fall under EPA pesticide regulation based solely on the claims made in the listing.