Overview

When an Amazon listing gets taken down due to a copyright infringement complaint filed under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), sellers are not without recourse. Amazon provides a formal counter-notice process that allows sellers to dispute takedowns they believe were filed in error or based on a misidentification of their content. Understanding this process is essential for protecting your catalog and revenue from wrongful removal claims.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Counter-notices are a legal right — The DMCA explicitly provides sellers with the ability to challenge copyright takedown requests when they believe the complaint is unfounded or the content was misidentified.
• There is a specific submission process — Counter-notices must be filed through Seller Central by navigating to the deactivation record for the affected listing and selecting the appeal option.
• Required elements are non-negotiable — Amazon will only process counter-notices that include all legally mandated components, including identification of the removed material, a sworn statement, and your contact information.
• False statements carry serious consequences — Filing a counter-notice that contains false information can expose you to civil or criminal penalties under federal law.
• A 10-day waiting period applies — After Amazon forwards your counter-notice to the original complainant, the complainant has 10 business days to file a lawsuit before Amazon will reinstate the listing.

How the Counter-Notice Process Works

The process begins in Seller Central, where sellers must locate the deactivation record associated with the removed listing. From there, you can initiate an appeal by clicking the appropriate option next to the record. If you need to provide supplementary documentation or context, there is an option to submit additional information alongside your formal counter-notice. Once submitted, Amazon's copyright agent reviews the counter-notice for completeness and, if it meets all requirements, forwards it to the party that originally filed the infringement complaint. The complainant then has a 10-day window to take legal action. If no lawsuit is filed within that period, Amazon will restore the affected listing.