International trading policy

• Items must comply with export laws: Make sure any items you're selling can be lawfully posted outside of the country where you live. The export of certain items may require special licenses, or may be banned altogether. In particular make sure to comply with Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and International Traffic In Arms (ITAR) regulations. For more information, see our Embargoed goods and prohibited countries policy and Firearms, ammunition, replicas and militaria policy.

• High-value and volume transactions: If you plan to do substantial business with customers in other countries, or if you're dealing in higher value or highly regulated items, be sure to do careful research, and hire an expert if necessary to make sure that all transactions comply with all applicable laws. There's often paperwork that you must fill out when completing these transactions.

• Here are 3 good reasons to check applicable laws before trading internationally:

  • Goods may be intercepted by customs officials. There may also be fines or other liabilities associated with goods impounded or seized by customs.

  • If you are posting worldwide, your item may not appear in search results in countries where the item is not allowed. We may also remove listings, suspend or terminate a member's account(s), and/or take action to exclude users from our site.

  • You may be prosecuted. Such liability may exist in relation to the owners of trademarks, copyrights, or other rights (for example, if a European trademark owner were to attempt to assert rights in connection with the importation into Europe of legitimately manufactured goods that were intended for another market).

• Import tax: If you are ordering goods from abroad you may need to pay UK Customs Duty, Excise Duty and/or import VAT. You can find more information on the HM Custom & Revenue website.

• Items must comply with import laws: Make sure you can lawfully import the item into your country before ordering it. Each country has different laws that limit the types of goods that can be imported. For example, your country might have restrictions on foods, plants, clothing, or even books that might result in the seizure and destruction of the imported item. Please also review our page on Importation of goods into the United Kingdom or Ireland.

We encourage all sellers and buyers to comply with all governmental laws and regulations, both domestic and abroad. Since the import and export of items are highly regulated by law or may cause harm to eBay or our members, members should educate themselves on the laws governing the import and export of items prior to listing those items.

Important: This information is not intended to be legal advice. If you have any doubts about whether an item can be sold on eBay, we encourage you to consult a lawyer.