Amazon FBA Fees Explained (Complete 2026 Guide)
Every fee Amazon charges FBA sellers, broken down with tables, examples, and practical tips to keep costs under control. The most comprehensive fee reference for Amazon sellers.
Overview of Amazon Seller Fees
Amazon charges multiple types of fees that collectively determine your real profit margin. Understanding each fee type, when it applies, and how it is calculated is essential for pricing your products correctly and maintaining healthy margins. This guide covers every fee category you will encounter as an FBA seller in 2026.
Selling fees (referral fee + per-item fee) apply to all Amazon sellers regardless of fulfillment method. FBA fees (fulfillment, storage, and related charges) only apply if you use Fulfillment by Amazon. Most private-label sellers use FBA, so you will likely encounter all fee types listed below.
1. Referral Fees (by Category)
Amazon charges a referral fee on every sale as a percentage of the total sale price (product price + shipping charged to customer). The rate depends on your product category. Most categories are 15%, but several have different rates. Below are the most common categories sellers encounter:
| Product Category | Referral Fee % | Minimum Per-Item Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Most categories (Home, Kitchen, Toys, Sports, etc.) | 15% | $0.30 |
| Clothing & Accessories | 17% | $0.30 |
| Jewelry | 20% (up to $250); 5% over $250 | $0.30 |
| Watches | 16% (up to $1,500); 3% over $1,500 | $0.30 |
| Consumer Electronics | 8% | $0.30 |
| Personal Computers | 6% | $0.30 |
| Amazon Device Accessories | 45% | $0.30 |
| Grocery & Gourmet Food | 8% (up to $15); 15% over $15 | $0.30 |
| Health & Personal Care | 8% (up to $10); 15% over $10 | $0.30 |
| Beauty | 8% (up to $10); 15% over $10 | $0.30 |
| Baby Products | 8% (up to $10); 15% over $10 | $0.30 |
| Pet Supplies | 15%; 22% for veterinary diets | $0.30 |
| Automotive | 12% | $0.30 |
| Books | 15% | — |
| Media (Music, DVD, Video) | 15% | — |
| Full-Size Appliances | 8% | $0.30 |
If your calculated referral fee is less than the minimum per-item fee ($0.30 for most categories), Amazon charges the minimum instead. This means on a $1.99 product in a 15% category, you pay $0.30 (not $0.30 from 15%), which is effectively a 15.1% fee. On very low-priced items, the minimum fee becomes a significantly higher effective percentage.
2. FBA Fulfillment Fees (by Size Tier)
FBA fulfillment fees cover picking, packing, shipping, and customer service for your products. The fee is per unit and depends on two factors: the product's size tier and its shipping weight. Amazon classifies products into size tiers based on unit weight, longest side, median side, and shortest side dimensions.
Size Tier Definitions
| Size Tier | Unit Weight | Longest Side | Median Side | Shortest Side |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Standard | ≤ 16 oz | ≤ 15″ | ≤ 12″ | ≤ 0.75″ |
| Large Standard | ≤ 20 lb | ≤ 18″ | ≤ 14″ | ≤ 8″ |
| Small Oversize | ≤ 70 lb | ≤ 60″ | ≤ 30″ | — |
| Medium Oversize | ≤ 150 lb | ≤ 108″ | — | — |
| Large Oversize | ≤ 150 lb | ≤ 108″ | — | Length + girth > 130″ |
| Special Oversize | > 150 lb | > 108″ | — | Length + girth > 165″ |
Fulfillment Fee by Size Tier and Weight
| Size Tier | Shipping Weight | Fulfillment Fee Per Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Small Standard | 2 oz or less | $3.06 |
| Small Standard | 2–4 oz | $3.15 |
| Small Standard | 4–6 oz | $3.24 |
| Small Standard | 6–8 oz | $3.33 |
| Small Standard | 8–10 oz | $3.43 |
| Small Standard | 10–12 oz | $3.53 |
| Small Standard | 12–14 oz | $3.60 |
| Small Standard | 14–16 oz | $3.65 |
| Large Standard | 4 oz or less | $3.68 |
| Large Standard | 4–8 oz | $3.90 |
| Large Standard | 8–12 oz | $4.15 |
| Large Standard | 12 oz–1 lb | $4.55 |
| Large Standard | 1–1.5 lb | $5.13 |
| Large Standard | 1.5–2 lb | $5.42 |
| Large Standard | 2–2.5 lb | $5.77 |
| Large Standard | 2.5–3 lb | $6.15 |
| Large Standard | 3+ lb (each additional lb) | $6.15 + $0.16/half-lb above 3 lb |
| Small Oversize | 70 lb or less | $9.73 + $0.42/lb above first lb |
| Medium Oversize | 150 lb or less | $19.05 + $0.42/lb above first lb |
| Large Oversize | 150 lb or less | $89.98 + $0.83/lb above first 90 lb |
| Special Oversize | Over 150 lb | $158.49 + $0.83/lb above first 90 lb |
The jump from large standard to small oversize is dramatic—fees nearly double. If your product dimensions are borderline, work with your supplier to adjust packaging to stay within 18″ × 14″ × 8″ and under 20 lb. Even a small packaging redesign can save $3–$5 per unit in fulfillment fees.
3. Monthly Inventory Storage Fees
Amazon charges a monthly fee for storing your inventory in their fulfillment centers. Rates are per cubic foot and vary by time of year and product size tier. Storage fees are assessed on the 15th of each month based on average daily volume for the previous month.
| Size Tier | January – September | October – December (Peak) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard-Size | $0.87 per cubic foot | $2.40 per cubic foot |
| Oversize | $0.56 per cubic foot | $1.40 per cubic foot |
You have 500 units of a product measuring 10″ × 8″ × 4″. Volume per unit = (10 × 8 × 4) / 1,728 = 0.185 cubic feet. Total volume = 500 × 0.185 = 92.6 cubic feet. In March (off-peak): 92.6 × $0.87 = $80.56 per month. In November (peak): 92.6 × $2.40 = $222.24 per month. That is a 176% increase during Q4.
4. Aged Inventory Surcharge (Long-Term Storage)
Inventory that sits in Amazon warehouses too long incurs an additional surcharge on top of regular monthly storage fees. This replaced the old long-term storage fee system. The surcharge is assessed monthly on inventory that has been in fulfillment centers beyond the following age thresholds:
| Inventory Age | Surcharge Per Cubic Foot | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| 181–210 days | $0.50 | Added to monthly storage |
| 211–240 days | $1.00 | Added to monthly storage |
| 241–270 days | $1.50 | Added to monthly storage |
| 271–300 days | $3.80 | Added to monthly storage |
| 301–330 days | $4.00 | Added to monthly storage |
| 331–365 days | $4.20 | Added to monthly storage |
| 365+ days | $6.90 or $0.15 per unit, whichever is greater | Added to monthly storage |
Inventory sitting beyond 365 days costs $6.90 per cubic foot on top of regular storage. For that same 0.185 cubic foot product, the surcharge alone is $1.28 per unit per month—plus the regular storage fee. If your product costs $5.00 COGS, you are losing 25% of the product value each month just in storage surcharges. Create removal orders or run deep discounts before inventory ages past 180 days.
5. Removal and Disposal Fees
When you need to pull inventory out of FBA—whether to liquidate, return to yourself, or dispose of unsellable stock—Amazon charges per-unit removal or disposal fees. These apply per unit regardless of condition.
| Size Tier | Shipping Weight | Removal Fee Per Unit | Disposal Fee Per Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0–0.5 lb | $1.04 | $0.31 |
| Standard | 0.5–1.0 lb | $1.53 | $0.46 |
| Standard | 1.0–2.0 lb | $2.13 | $0.64 |
| Standard | Over 2.0 lb | $2.13 + $0.72/lb above 2 lb | $0.64 + $0.22/lb above 2 lb |
| Oversize | 0–1.0 lb | $3.64 | $1.09 |
| Oversize | 1.0–2.0 lb | $4.78 | $1.43 |
| Oversize | Over 2.0 lb | $4.78 + $0.72/lb above 2 lb | $1.43 + $0.22/lb above 2 lb |
If your inventory is truly unsellable (damaged, expired, or obsolete), disposal is significantly cheaper than having it shipped back to you. For a 1 lb standard item, disposal costs $0.46 versus $1.53 for removal. Only pay for removal if the inventory has resale value outside Amazon.
6. Returns Processing Fees
Amazon charges a returns processing fee on items in categories where Amazon offers free returns to customers. This fee equals the FBA fulfillment fee for the item and is charged in addition to the original fulfillment fee. Categories subject to returns processing fees include:
- Clothing & Accessories
- Watches
- Jewelry
- Shoes, Handbags & Sunglasses
- Luggage
For other categories, Amazon does not charge a returns processing fee, but you still lose the referral fee on the returned item (which is refunded to the customer). The returned inventory may also come back in unsellable condition, requiring you to pay removal or disposal fees.
When a customer returns a product, the financial impact is: (1) you lose the sale revenue; (2) in applicable categories, you pay a returns processing fee equal to the fulfillment fee; (3) if the item comes back damaged or “customer damaged,” you may not be able to resell it and must pay removal or disposal fees. A single return on a $25 product can cost you $8–$12 in total losses. Factor a 2–5% return rate into your profit calculations.
7. Inbound Placement Service Fee
When you send inventory to Amazon, you can choose how Amazon distributes it across fulfillment centers. The default option (Amazon Optimized Splits) has Amazon split your shipment across multiple warehouses at no extra fee, but you must ship to all designated locations. If you prefer to send everything to a single location, Amazon charges an inbound placement service fee per unit:
| Size Tier | Minimal Shipment Splits | Partial Shipment Splits |
|---|---|---|
| Small Standard (under 1 lb) | $0.27/unit | $0.13/unit |
| Large Standard (under 1 lb) | $0.27/unit | $0.13/unit |
| Large Standard (1–2 lb) | $0.36/unit | $0.17/unit |
| Large Standard (2+ lb) | $0.68/unit | $0.27/unit |
| Small Oversize | $1.15/unit | $0.58/unit |
| Large/Special Oversize | $2.49/unit | $1.30/unit |
8. Seller Account Fees
Beyond per-transaction fees, Amazon charges account-level fees:
| Fee Type | Amount | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Seller Plan | $39.99/month | Required for PPC, Brand Registry, and selling more than 40 items/month |
| Individual Seller Plan | $0.99/item sold | Alternative for low-volume sellers (no PPC access) |
| High-Volume Listing Fee | $0.001/ASIN/month | Only if you have over 100,000 active ASINs |
| Refund Administration Fee | $5.00 or 20% of referral fee (whichever is less) | Charged when you refund a customer; Amazon keeps this portion of the referral fee |
9. Other Fees You May Encounter
FBA Prep Service Fees
If your inventory requires labeling, poly-bagging, bubble wrapping, or other prep and you want Amazon to handle it, they charge per unit:
| Prep Type | Fee Per Unit |
|---|---|
| Labeling | $0.55 |
| Poly-bagging | $0.80 |
| Bubble wrapping | $1.00 |
| Taping | $0.55 |
| Opaque bagging | $1.00 |
Unplanned Service Fees
If your inventory arrives at Amazon without proper prep or labeling, Amazon will do it for you and charge an “unplanned service fee.” These fees are higher than the standard prep fees above and serve as a penalty for non-compliance. Always prep your inventory properly before shipping.
Rental Book Service Fee
Sellers in the textbook rental category pay a $5.00 per-rental fee. This is a niche fee that applies only to book rentals.
Complete Fee Stack Example
To see how all fees combine, here is the full fee breakdown on a single unit sale of a product priced at $34.99 in the Home & Kitchen category (standard size, 1.2 lb shipping weight):
| Fee Type | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Referral fee (15%) | $34.99 × 15% | $5.25 |
| FBA fulfillment fee | Large standard, 1–1.5 lb | $5.13 |
| Monthly storage (allocated) | 0.22 cu ft × $0.87 | $0.19 |
| Total Amazon fees per unit | — | $10.57 |
| Amazon fee % of sale price | $10.57 / $34.99 | 30.2% |
For a typical standard-size product priced $20–$50, Amazon fees (referral + FBA + storage) will consume roughly 28–35% of your sale price. This means your COGS, shipping, and advertising must fit within the remaining 65–72% while still leaving you a healthy profit margin. Target landing your total non-Amazon costs at 35–45% of the sale price to leave a 20–35% net margin.
How to Minimize Your FBA Fees
- Optimize product dimensions. Even 1 inch can change your size tier. Work with your supplier to design compact packaging that stays within standard size limits.
- Reduce shipping weight. Use lighter packaging materials. Replace rigid boxes with poly bags where appropriate. Lighter products pay lower fulfillment fees.
- Manage inventory age. Use the Inventory Age report in Seller Central to identify slow-moving stock before surcharges kick in at 181 days. Run promotions or create removal orders for aging units.
- Avoid Q4 storage spikes. Storage fees nearly triple from October to December. Ship inventory closer to the selling season and avoid parking excess stock during peak months unless it will sell through quickly.
- Use Amazon Optimized Splits for inbound. Avoid the inbound placement fee by letting Amazon distribute your shipments across multiple warehouses. The savings add up on large shipments.
- Prep inventory yourself. Labeling and poly-bagging at your own warehouse or through a third-party prep center is usually cheaper than paying Amazon's per-unit prep fees.
- Monitor the FBA fee preview report. Amazon updates fees annually (usually effective in January or February). Check the fee preview in Seller Central each year to update your profit calculations.
Rather than calculating each fee by hand, use the FBA Profit Calculator to enter your product details and see the exact fee breakdown instantly. Run scenarios with different price points and COGS to find your optimal profit margin.