Amazon FBA Poly Bag Requirements: Sizes & Rules for 2026
Amazon’s bagging requirements call for FBA poly bags to be at least 1.5 mil thick, protrude no more than 3 inches past the product, and carry a suffocation warning if the bag’s opening is 5 inches or larger when measured flat. As of January 1, 2026, Amazon no longer preps, bags, or labels non-compliant inbound units on a seller’s behalf in the US — so a shipment with the wrong bag can now get flagged or held at receiving instead of quietly fixed for you. Getting the bag right before it leaves your prep table matters more than it used to.
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The requirements checklist
Use this as your quick reference before a shipment goes out.
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Minimum thickness | 1.5 mil |
| Sizing / protrusion | Bag must not extend more than 3 inches past the product’s dimensions |
| Sealing | Fully enclosed and sealed with tape or an adhesive strip (heat sealing is also acceptable) |
| Suffocation warning | Required if the bag’s opening is 5 inches or larger when measured flat |
| Barcode visibility | Bag must be transparent so the UPC/EAN or FNSKU label is scannable, or the barcode must be on the outside |
| Adult content | Must use opaque bagging or shrink wrap, plus an external barcode or ASIN sticker |
These come directly from Amazon’s current bagging requirements page.
The exact suffocation warning wording
If your bag doesn’t already have a printed warning, the label needs to say, word for word:
“WARNING: To avoid danger of suffocation, keep this plastic film away from babies and children. Do not use this bag in cribs, beds, carriages, or play pens. This bag is not a toy.”
The warning also needs a legible print size relative to the bag. Amazon sets minimums based on the bag’s total length plus width:
| Bag length + width | Minimum warning print size |
|---|---|
| 60 inches or more | 24 pt |
| 40–59 inches | 18 pt |
| 30–39 inches | 14 pt |
| Under 29 inches | 10 pt |
Most sellers skip this step entirely by buying bags that already print the warning at a compliant size — which is the simplest way to meet Amazon’s print-size minimums without measuring type on your own labels.
If you’re using unprinted bags or poly tubing instead, you’ll need to add the warning yourself.
Which poly bags to buy
Buying pre-printed, self-sealing bags in the size closest to your product avoids the protrusion problem and the suffocation-warning problem at the same time — the bag already meets both rules out of the box. All of the picks below are 1.5 mil, self-sealing, and printed with the suffocation warning.
8″ x 10″
Good for small accessories, cosmetics, and other compact items.
9″ x 12″
A common size for books, small apparel, and similar flat-ish products.
14″ x 20″
For larger apparel, bedding-adjacent items, or bigger bundles that need more room.
Need a mix of sizes?
If your catalog spans several sizes and you don’t want to stock five separate cases, a combo pack covers the most common range in one box.
See the 400-count combo pack (6×9, 8×10, 9×12, 11×14) on Amazon →
Don’t see your size?
Browse more poly bag sizes with suffocation warnings on Amazon →
Self-sealing bags vs. an impulse sealer
Pre-made self-sealing bags are the simpler option for most sellers: no equipment, no learning curve, just buy the size closest to your product. An impulse sealer paired with poly tubing is worth it once you’re stocking many different product sizes — one roll of tubing makes bags of almost any length, instead of a case for every size. The tradeoff is that tubing comes blank, so you’re responsible for adding a compliant suffocation-warning label yourself. If your catalog is spread across a lot of sizes, see the full breakdown on our impulse sealer guide.
Multipacks and bundles
Two or more of the same item sold together count as a multipack under Amazon’s FBA rules, and they need to be boxed or, at minimum, bagged together so the set stays intact through receiving and shipping. A poly bag sized to hold the full set works for most multipacks — just confirm the bag still meets the protrusion and suffocation-warning rules for its finished size once the items are inside.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for Amazon poly bag packaging?
The bag must be at least 1.5 mil thick, sealed completely, and must not protrude more than 3 inches past the product. It also needs to let the barcode be scanned — either because the bag is transparent or because the barcode is on the outside — and it needs a suffocation warning if the opening is 5 inches or larger when flat.
What size opening requires a suffocation warning on Amazon poly bags?
Any bag with an opening of 5 inches or larger, measured when the bag is lying flat, needs a suffocation warning printed on the bag or applied as a label. Bags with a smaller opening don’t need one, though the thickness and sizing rules still apply.
What’s the exact suffocation warning wording Amazon requires?
“WARNING: To avoid danger of suffocation, keep this plastic film away from babies and children. Do not use this bag in cribs, beds, carriages, or play pens. This bag is not a toy.” It has to be legible and printed at a minimum size based on the bag’s total length plus width.
How thick does a poly bag need to be for Amazon FBA?
At least 1.5 mil. This applies across product categories and bag sizes — there’s no lower threshold for small items.
Can I use Ziploc bags instead of poly bags for FBA?
Ziploc-style bags can work if they meet the same thickness, sealing, and suffocation-warning rules as any other poly bag, but they generally cost more per unit and don’t come pre-printed with a compliant warning, so you’d still need to add one yourself for larger openings.
Does Amazon still bag non-compliant inventory for me?
No. As of January 1, 2026, Amazon stopped prepping, bagging, and labeling non-compliant inbound inventory on sellers’ behalf in the US. Shipments that don’t meet the bagging requirements can now be flagged or held at receiving instead of corrected automatically.
What size poly bag should I buy for my product?
Pick the smallest bag that fits your product with room to seal — remember the bag can’t protrude more than 3 inches past the product’s dimensions. If your catalog spans several sizes, a combo pack or an impulse sealer with tubing can be more practical than stocking many individual cases.