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Amazon FBA Prep Requirements: The 2026 Checklist
Short answer: Every unit you send to FBA must be labeled, packaged so it survives the trip, and ready to ship to a customer as-is. And since January 1, 2026, you can no longer hire Amazon to do the prep and labeling for your US shipments, so it has to be done before the units ship.
What changed in 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, Amazon no longer offers prep and item labeling as a service you can choose for US shipments. You, or your prep center, have to bag, bundle and label every unit before it ships.
1. Labels
- Each unit needs one scannable barcode on the outside: the Amazon FNSKU label (the one that starts with X00), or the manufacturer barcode if your listing is set up to use it.
- Cover every other barcode on the unit, such as the UPC, completely, so the scanner can only read one.
- Put the label on a flat surface, not around a corner or a curve. If the item is curved, put it in a bag and label the bag.
- The label goes on the outermost layer. If the unit is bagged, the label is on the bag (or clearly scannable through it).
2. Poly bags
- At least 1.5 mil thick and transparent. Adult products use black, opaque bags.
- Bags with an opening of 5 inches or more need a printed suffocation warning. The larger the bag, the larger the warning text must be.
- Completely sealed, and not hanging more than 3 inches past the product.
- The barcode must scan through the bag, or the label goes on the outside of the bag.
Bag anything that could get dirty, snag or come apart: clothing, plush toys, soft goods and items in boxes that open easily.
3. Fragile items, glass and sharp items
- Fragile and glass items need a sturdy six-sided box or full bubble wrap with no part of the product showing.
- Sharp items (scissors, tools, knives and anything with a point or blade) have stricter rules: since April 2025 they must be sealed in cut- and puncture-resistant packaging, such as hardened plastic or a blister pack. Bubble wrap alone isn't enough, and non-compliant sharp items can be disposed of at your expense.
- Prepped units should survive a 3-foot drop onto a hard surface without breaking or exposing the product.
4. Liquids
Liquids have to be leak-proof. A container with a secure double seal (for example, a screw cap plus an inner seal) is usually fine as-is. Anything without one should be sealed in a poly bag. Pump and spray tops need to be locked or covered so they can't press down in transit, and some sprays and aerosols need a hazmat review first.
5. Sets, bundles and multipacks
- Items sold together must be packaged so they can't separate: bagged, shrink-wrapped or boxed together.
- Add a "Sold as set, do not separate" label (or "This is a set" or "Ready to ship").
- Cover the individual barcodes on each item inside. Only the set's own label should scan.
6. Expiration dates
- Dated products (food, supplements, skin care and more) need the date on each unit and the outside of the box, in MM-DD-YYYY or MM-YYYY format. On the box, Amazon asks for 36-point or larger.
- How much shelf life must be left when the units are checked in depends on the product category. Amazon publishes a chart, and the minimum ranges from a few months for some foods to much longer for others, such as supplements or beauty products. Look up your category before you buy or ship.
- Units that arrive too close to their date can be refused or disposed of, so leave yourself a margin for shipping and check-in time.
- Ship one expiration date per product per box where you can.
7. Shipping boxes
- No side longer than 25 inches and no box heavier than 50 lb, unless a single item is larger than that.
- Boxes over 50 lb need a "Team Lift" label; over 100 lb need "Mechanical Lift".
- Remove or cover old shipping labels and barcodes on reused boxes.
What happens if prep is wrong
Amazon can refuse units, fix them and charge you, or mark them defective. Problems also slow down check-in, which costs you sales while the units sit.
How PrepWorx handles it
Our standard processing fee covers inspecting each unit, FNSKU labeling, covering or removing other labels, and polybagging with a suffocation warning. Fragile items, liquids without a double seal, shoes, bundles and multipacks have separate, published prices. You create the FBA shipment in the PrepWorx portal and we prep, pack and send it.
Amazon updates these rules often. This checklist reflects them as of October 2026. Check the packaging and prep requirements in Seller Central for your category before shipping.
Common questions
Where does the FNSKU label go?
On a flat surface on the outermost layer of the unit, covering any other barcode completely. If the item is bagged, the label goes on the bag or must scan clearly through it.
Does Amazon still prep or label items for a fee?
Not as a service you can choose. Since January 1, 2026, you can't select Amazon prep or labeling when creating a US shipment, so units need to arrive prepped. Units that arrive non-compliant can still be fixed by Amazon for a charge, refused or marked defective.
Does every item need a poly bag?
No. Bag items that could get dirty, damaged or separated, like clothing, plush, loose sets and items in flimsy boxes. A sturdy, sealed retail box with a label usually doesn't need a bag.
How much shelf life does Amazon require?
It depends on the product category. Amazon publishes a chart of minimum shelf life by category, and some categories need far more than others. The date must also be on each unit and on the shipping box.
Let us handle the prep
PrepWorx inspects, labels and bags every unit to Amazon's rules, from our warehouses in Oregon, with a 24-hour average turnaround.
