1 min article

Embargoed goods and prohibited countries policy

Various US agencies have restrictions in place that regulate or ban all trade with certain countries. eBay doesn't allow the sale of embargoed or restricted items from these countries.

Policy overview

Various US agencies have restrictions in place that regulate or ban all trade with certain countries. eBay doesn't allow the sale of embargoed or restricted items from these countries.

Federal agencies also ban or regulate trade between people in the US and certain organizations, businesses, and individuals. eBay doesn't allow those organizations, businesses, or individuals to use our website.

Under US law, buying or selling certain items made in restricted countries may not be lawful, depending on the nature of the item, when it was manufactured, and when it left that specific country.

Sellers willing to ship internationally, as well as sellers of items made outside the US, should regularly review current information about which countries may be affected by sanctions enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control - opens in new window or tab (OFAC), a division of the US Department of the Treasury. For more information about laws governing such trade, please see additional information below.

Make sure you follow these guidelines. If you don't, you may be subject to a range of actions, including limits of your buying and selling privileges and suspension of your account.

What are the guidelines?

The following information is meant as a general guideline to help you determine if an item is allowed on eBay.

Allowed

  • Certain informational items from sanctioned countries, such as books, movies, artwork, photographs, music, or similar materials.
 
 

Restricted

  • Replica items of antiques and artifacts must clearly state that they're replicas.
  • The items must still meet all eBay policy guidelines.
 
 

Not allowed

  • We don't allow the sale of embargoed items from the following countries, and we don't allow organizations, businesses, or individuals to have or register accounts while based in these countries:
    • Cuba
    • Iran
    • Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)
    • Syria
    • The Crimea, Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), and Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) regions of Ukraine (as defined under applicable sanctions)
  • We don't allow organizations, businesses, or individuals on the Specially Designated Nationals list - opens in new window or tab (SDN) to have or register accounts.
  • We don't permit the sale of items that claim to be pre-embargo because we cannot determine when an item was removed from a specific country
 

Additional information

This eBay policy is a guideline and should only be used as a starting point for buying and selling. For more details about laws governing trade, visit the US Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control website - opens in new window or tab.

International sellers should also familiarize themselves with other federal agencies and restrictions. Links to these agency websites are maintained on the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security website - opens in new window or tab.

As a US-based company, this policy applies to items sold on all eBay websites globally. Our international websites may also have additional rules for embargoed goods based on local regulations. Please be sure to check each eBay website to see what's allowed.

 
 

Why does eBay have this policy?

eBay urges buyers and sellers to follow all government laws and regulations. The sale of embargoed items is prohibited by law and may cause harm to eBay or its members.

 
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