It’s important that all listings and transactions comply with applicable laws. Members are responsible for ensuring that their transactions are lawful in both the country of the seller and the country of the buyer. We strongly encourage all members to learn about the laws of their own country as well as the countries where they plan to do business.
Make sure your listings follow our guidelines. If they don't, they may be removed, and your buying and selling privileges could be restricted.
If you, as a seller in Australia, list items that may not be allowed in all countries, you may help ensure compliance with applicable laws and/or eBay policies by following these listings practices:
State on the sales form that you’ll only post your item within the Australia.
Include a clause in the item description describing any limitations on the items. For example, “No postage to the United Kingdom or Germany.” This is particularly helpful if the item(s) are prohibited in only certain countries.
To learn more about excluding countries you don’t want to post to, visit our Selecting buyer requirements page.
Here are some links to pages with examples of items that may be legally prohibited or restricted, or that violate our policies:
Items under $250.00: As a general rule, if you purchase items on eBay valued at under $250.00 you shouldn't have any trouble importing them. While some items are generally prohibited from import (like narcotics or child pornography) or restricted (like alcohol, tobacco, firearms), these items are usually banned on eBay anyway. There are a few exceptions, such as plants, food, automobiles, and certain cultural items, where an item might require licences or special permits.
Items over $200: If you import items that cost over $200 for personal use might have to pay a duty, or tax, on the item, even if the item is used. The amount of the duty, if any, depends on the type of the item and its value. Some items can be imported without paying any duty at all.
Items for commercial use: If you import goods for a commercial purpose.you may have to deal with possible quotas, duty, and paperwork. Commercial goods (goods intended for resale) may have special entry requirements, and it’s up to you to educate yourself on the laws to ensure you’re in compliance.
Ensure legal compliance in both countries
No matter where you live, eBay insists that your listings and transactions comply with the laws of the countries where both you and the high bidder reside. We can't give you legal advice about your particular transaction - members are responsible for ensuring that their transactions are lawful in both countries. Therefore, to avoid the potential for legal difficulties, eBay strongly suggests that members educate themselves about the laws of their own country and the countries where they plan to do business.
Item must comply with export laws
Make sure any items you're selling can be lawfully sent outside of the country where you live. The export of certain items may require special licenses or permits or may be banned altogether. To ensure that the items you want to sell are not covered by these regulations, Australian sellers should begin by reviewing:
Import/Export basics
Exporting from Australia
Things to look for
Prohibited countries and embargoes
When selling an item, make sure you can lawfully export the item into the buyer's country before sending it. Each country has different laws that limit the types of goods that can be imported into their country. For example, the buyer's country might have restrictions on foods, plants, clothing, luggage or even books that might result in the seizure and destruction of your item and that means you'll have one unhappy customer. We recommend that you discuss possible import problems with the buyer and do your own research to avoid a problem.
High value and volume transactions
If you plan to do substantial business with customers in other countries or if you're dealing in higher dollar or highly regulated items, you should do careful research and hire an expert if necessary, to make sure that your transaction complies with all applicable laws. There is often paperwork that you must fill out in completing these transactions. The Australian Government has a number of resources to promote international trade and to help businesses of all sizes familiarise themselves with export regulations and certain postage companies may offer special services to businesses who regularly post goods overseas.
Visit the World Customs Organisation for more information about particular customs regulations around the world. Members might also want to contact a specific country's embassy in Australia for guidance.
Why does eBay have this policy?
We encourage all sellers and buyers to comply with all governmental laws and regulations, both in the United States and abroad. Since the import and export of items are highly regulated by the Australian government 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 on eBay.
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 an attorney.
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