eBay Warns Listings Without Required FCC IDs May Be Hidden October 13
eBay is warning sellers that listings for certain electronic devices may be hidden from US buyers starting October 13 if they don't provide a valid FCC ID, as new federal regulations expand requirements for radiofrequency equipment sold through online marketplaces.
The company has begun sending notifications to sellers who offer radiofrequency (RF) devices, including mobile phones, tablets and electronics with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or cellular connectivity, telling them they may need to add FCC identification information to their listings.
The notice states:
We're contacting you because you offer radiofrequency (RF) devices to buyers in the US that require an FCC ID.
Starting October 13, 2026, you'll need to provide a valid FCC ID for applicable listings, or your listings will be hidden from buyers. FCC rules state that unauthorized radiofrequency devices cannot be offered for sale in the US.
An FCC ID is a unique identifier assigned to devices certified by the Federal Communications Commission and is different from a product's serial number, model number, UPC or IMEI.
According to eBay's new Seller Center guidance, products that commonly require FCC certification include phones, laptops, tablets, routers, drones, Bluetooth devices, wireless cameras, smartwatches, two-way radios and remote-controlled toys.
eBay has added an FCC ID field under Optional item specifics for applicable listings, advising sellers to check product labels, packaging, manuals, manufacturer documentation or device settings to find the correct identification number.
The help page warns that starting October 13, listings without the required information may be hidden in search or blocked from creation, revision or relisting.
Depending on the product and listing, you may be unable to create, revise, relist, or publish the listing until you add the required information. Listings missing this information may be hidden from buyers in the US.
Sellers can also search the FCC Equipment Authorization database, but eBay warns they must make sure the ID applies to the exact product being listed rather than using one from a similar model or another product from the same manufacturer.
Not all electronic devices require an FCC ID, however. Some products comply with FCC requirements through the Supplier's Declaration of Conformity process rather than individual certification, and eBay's guidance does not explain how sellers should handle compliant products without an FCC ID if their listings are flagged.
eBay says it will prompt sellers when it identifies a listing that may need an FCC ID and may request additional supporting documentation to verify compliance. The requirements also apply to international sellers offering covered products to US buyers.
The deadline coincides with the effective date of new FCC regulations published September 11, aimed at preventing unauthorized radiofrequency equipment that could pose national security risks from being marketed in the United States.
Federal law has long prohibited marketing radiofrequency devices that haven't received the required equipment authorization, but the latest regulations clarify that online marketplaces can also be subject to enforcement when unauthorized products are offered through third-party sellers.
The FCC also clarified that marketing includes listing regulated equipment on an online marketplace when combined with services like order processing, billing, inventory management or fulfillment, even when the products are offered by third-party sellers.
That contrasts with eBay's longstanding position that it acts as a venue for third-party sales rather than directly selling the products listed on its marketplace.
Earlier this year, eBay told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it "does not itself sell or offer to sell items listed on its site but only acts as a publisher of sellers' listings" during an investigation into potentially dangerous replacement airbags sold on the platform.
Liz Morton
eBay pointed to Section 230 protections and previous court victories, including the dismissal of an Environmental Protection Agency lawsuit involving illegal pesticides and automotive emissions defeat devices sold by third-party sellers.
The FCC's new ID display requirements also include several exemptions that are particularly relevant for consumer-to-consumer resale sites like eBay.
Under 47 CFR § 2.803(c)(3), the new display requirements do not apply to:
(i) A listing for a radiofrequency device published before the effective date of this rule, unless and until that listing is amended, updated, or republished on or after the effective date of this rule.
(ii) A listing for a radiofrequency device made by a third-party seller that is not a "high-volume third-party seller," as defined in 15 U.S.C. 45f(f)(6).
(iii) A listing for a used radiofrequency device.
Used devices are defined as products previously sold to a retail customer and subsequently marketed as used or otherwise not new.
The high-volume seller exemption references the INFORM Consumers Act, which generally defines high-volume sellers as those with at least 200 separate transactions involving new or unused consumer products totaling $5,000 or more in gross revenue during a continuous 12-month period within the previous 24 months.
Existing listings published before October 13 are also exempt from the new display requirement unless they are subsequently amended, updated, or republished, with exceptions for certain non-substantive updates such as price changes.
Marketplaces that own, take title, or have physical access to the devices must comply by March 1, 2027, while those facilitating sales by third-party sellers without taking possession of the products have until June 1, 2027. For marketplaces that don't physically handle products, the FCC also provides protection from liability for inaccurate seller-supplied FCC IDs if the marketplace verifies that the ID was validly issued and requires sellers to certify its accuracy.
These exemptions apply to the new FCC ID display requirements and do not eliminate existing restrictions on marketing unauthorized radiofrequency equipment.
eBay's seller notification does not specifically address the exemptions or explain whether the marketplace will require FCC IDs for used devices, lower-volume sellers or existing listings that are excluded from the new federal display rules.
However, the company repeatedly refers to "applicable listings" and says sellers will be prompted when an FCC ID is needed, suggesting that the requirement may not apply to every electronic device listed on the marketplace. One seller reported being told by eBay support that used items would be exempt from the new requirements, though eBay has not confirmed that in its published guidance.
eBay has not responded to a request for comment on how the exemptions for used goods, lower-volume sellers and existing listings will be handled as of publication.
