Amazon FBA Shipping Requirements: Sending Inventory to Amazon (2025)

Knowing the Amazon FBA shipping requirements before your inventory leaves your supplier prevents rejected shipments, disposal of goods, and account defects. This guide covers box specifications, weight limits, pallet rules, carrier requirements, and how to build a compliant shipping plan in Seller Central.

Creating Your Shipping Plan in Seller Central

Before you can send inventory to Amazon, you must create a shipping plan. This tells Amazon what you’re sending, how many units, and where they’re going.

1. Go to Seller Central → Inventory → Manage FBA Inventory
2. Select items to send → Send/Replenish Inventory
3. Choose your ship-from address (supplier, prep center, or your address)
4. Select shipment type: Small Parcel Delivery (SPD) or Less-Than-Truckload (LTL)
5. Amazon assigns fulfillment center destinations
6. Confirm quantities, print box labels, and confirm carrier

Do not ship inventory to Amazon without an approved shipping plan — unplanned shipments will be refused.

Box and Carton Requirements

• Maximum box weight: 50 lbs (boxes over 50 lbs require a “Team Lift” label and may be refused)
• Maximum box dimensions: 25″ × 25″ × 25″
• Exception: Individual oversized units that exceed these dimensions are shipped alone and labeled “Oversized”
• Box type: Six-sided corrugated carton with all flaps intact
• Sealing: All seams and openings must be sealed with 2″+ pressure-sensitive tape
• No reused boxes with previous carrier labels: Remove or fully cover all old barcodes and labels

Weight and Measurement Standards

For Small Parcel Delivery (SPD — UPS/FedEx/USPS)

Each box in your shipment is treated as a separate parcel. Use your carrier’s account (or Amazon’s partnered carrier discount — typically 25–40% off UPS rates) to generate labels in Seller Central.

Amazon’s Partnered Carrier Program requirements:

• Available for shipments from US addresses only
• Must use the carrier assigned during shipping plan creation
• Costs deducted directly from your seller account balance

For Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Shipments

LTL is used when your shipment exceeds what small parcel can handle cost-effectively (typically 150+ lbs total). Pallet requirements:

• Standard GMA pallet: 40″ × 48″
• Maximum pallet height (including pallet): 72″ for non-stackable, 100″ for stackable
• Maximum pallet weight: 1,500 lbs per pallet
• Boxes must be stretch-wrapped to the pallet securely
• Pallet labels applied in all four corners AND the center of each pallet

Mixed SKU and Single-SKU Cartons

Amazon strongly prefers single-SKU cartons (one ASIN per box). Mixed-SKU cartons are allowed but require a “Mixed” label on the box and are processed more slowly, potentially increasing check-in time by several days.

Best practice: Keep each box single-SKU unless you’re doing retail arbitrage or online arbitrage with many small ASINs.

Inbound Defect Policies

Amazon tracks your inbound shipment compliance. Repeated violations result in “inbound performance alerts” and can restrict your ability to create new shipments. Common defects:

• Unexpected items received: Units in shipment not in your shipping plan
• Labeling issues: Missing or unscannable FNSKU labels
• Prep issues: Products don’t meet packaging prep requirements
• Box overweight/oversize: Boxes exceeding weight or dimension limits
• Wrong fulfillment center: Sending to a different warehouse than your plan specifies

Check your Inbound Performance Dashboard in Seller Central regularly, especially during your first 5–10 shipments.

Shipping from China: Sea vs Air Freight

Sea Freight (FCL or LCL)

• Transit time: 30–45 days (China → US West Coast), 40–55 days (East Coast)
• Cost: $0.50–$2.00/unit for typical small products
• Best for: Large initial orders (500+ units), reorders, non-urgent replenishments
• Requires customs clearance at port — use a freight forwarder with ISF filing capability

Air Freight

• Transit time: 7–14 days door to Amazon warehouse
• Cost: $3.00–$8.00/unit
• Best for: First orders to validate the product quickly, urgent restocks, lightweight high-value items

Express Couriers (DHL/FedEx/UPS)

• Transit time: 3–5 days
• Cost: $6.00–$15.00/unit
• Best for: Samples, very small first orders under 50 kg

Duties, Customs, and Import Requirements

When importing from outside the US:

• You are the Importer of Record (IOR) — you’re legally responsible for customs compliance
• Products shipped to Amazon warehouses directly from overseas must clear customs before delivery
• Amazon is NOT the IOR — they will not accept goods that haven’t cleared customs
• Hire a licensed customs broker or use a freight forwarder with brokerage services
• Provide commercial invoice, packing list, and HS tariff code to your broker

Import duties range from 0–25%+ depending on product category and country of origin. Check the US International Trade Commission’s HTS database for your product’s duty rate.

Checklist: Before You Send Your Shipment

• Shipping plan created and approved in Seller Central
• All units have FNSKU labels applied (covering manufacturer barcode)
• All units meet prep requirements (poly bags, bubble wrap, etc.)
• Box weight under 50 lbs; dimensions under 25″ × 25″ × 25″
• Box label from Seller Central applied to each carton (do not cover label with tape)
• Carrier booked and tracking numbers entered in Seller Central
• Customs cleared (for international shipments)

Related Articles

• Amazon FBA Packaging Requirements: Complete Guide for 2025
• Amazon FBA Labeling Requirements: FNSKU, Barcodes, and Shipment Labels
• Amazon FBA Prep Service: What It Is and When You Need One
• Amazon FBA Step by Step Guide for New Sellers (2025)
• Amazon FBA for Beginners: Everything You Need to Start in 2025