Overview

Amazon classifies a wide range of everyday consumer products as dangerous goods — also known as hazardous materials or hazmat — because they contain flammable, pressurized, corrosive, or otherwise harmful substances. If you sell items like sunscreen, hair spray, nail polish, cleaning products, or anything with lithium batteries, you need to understand Amazon's hazmat requirements before shipping inventory to FBA warehouses. Getting this wrong can result in refused shipments, returned inventory, or repackaging charges at your expense.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Many common products qualify as hazmat — Items such as sunscreen, baby wipes, battery-powered accessories, hair spray, nail polish, pest control sprays, shaving cream, and household cleaners are all considered dangerous goods by Amazon and must follow specific prep and shipping guidelines.

• Only limited-quantity shipments are accepted — Amazon FBA does not accept fully regulated hazmat products as defined by US Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. Only materials properly designated as "limited quantity" under current DOT rules are permitted.

• Sellers bear full responsibility for compliance — You are responsible for correctly identifying, classifying, packaging, marking, and labeling all dangerous goods according to current federal regulations before shipping to Amazon.

• Non-compliant shipments will be rejected or repackaged at your cost — If any product arrives at an Amazon fulfillment center with inadequate or non-compliant packaging or barcoding, Amazon may refuse, return, or repackage it and charge you for the service.

• Classification depends on product composition — Whether a product is classified as hazmat depends on its composition (liquid, solid, or aerosol), its existing packaging, and its formal hazmat classification. Even products like batteries may or may not be hazmat depending on the specific type.

How Hazmat Classification Works

Determining whether your product qualifies as a dangerous good starts with understanding its physical properties and chemical composition. Amazon provides a dangerous goods identification guide to help sellers assess their inventory. The classification process considers whether the product is a liquid, solid, or aerosol, what kind of packaging it already has, and what formal hazmat category it falls under according to DOT standards. Products containing lithium batteries deserve special attention, as their classification varies depending on the exact battery type and how it is integrated into the product. Sellers should consult Amazon's identification resources and the US DOT website for the most current regulatory information before listing or shipping any potentially hazardous items.