Age-verification requirements for selling bladed items in the UK
Supporting age-verification on listings
Age-verification on purchase and delivery protects both buyers and sellers, provides safety and reassurance, and keeps you compliant with legal regulations. From 10 March 2025, we’re expanding and strengthening buyer age-verification requirements to help ensure responsible sales and secure delivery. These requirements apply to all sales of bladed items in the UK.
Keeping you and your buyers safe
As part of our commitment to the safety of our community, most bladed items and knives can’t be sold on eBay. For bladed items which are allowed, you need to use an age-verified delivery method. You can read the full details of what can be sold, and what can’t, on our policy page.
If you sell bladed items on ebay.co.uk, you have to:
- Only offer age-verified delivery: You’ll need to only use age-verified delivery on your listings for bladed items. When choosing a delivery service, be sure that age-verification is required on receipt, and remove any services that don’t support this. Learn more in the FAQs below.
- Ensure approved carrier delivery for age verification: All orders must be delivered by a carrier to verify the age of the buyer. Orders cannot be sent to parcel lockers or PO boxes, and local pick-up is not permitted. UPS is currently the only carrier offering age-verified delivery if purchasing labels on eBay. You’re also free to make your own arrangements with carriers who offer an age-verified delivery service such as Royal Mail.
- Safely package items: Securely package bladed items and make sure they’re clearly labelled to indicate that bladed items are inside.
- Confirm your inventory is in the UK: Bladed items must be located in the UK to be posted by an eligible carrier providing age-verified delivery.
Bladed items for sale in the UK can only be sold to customers who are 18 or older. Proof of age will be required at checkout.
eBay supports age verification on checkout for many items as part of our commitment to keeping our community safe. Find out more on our Age restricted items help page. Please note, sellers are still responsible for confirming the buyer’s age, and for using age-verified delivery when selling age restricted items.
Packaging your bladed items
To correctly package bladed items for postage, you need to:
- Safely package them to ensure the items don’t puncture their exterior wrapping or potentially harm anyone handling the parcel.
- Clearly label the exterior of the package to indicate there are bladed items inside, and that the recipient must verify they are 18 years or older.
- Exact packaging and labelling requirements may vary by carrier.
These are general packaging guidelines. Sellers are responsible for properly packaging and labelling any bladed items according to carrier requirements. Check with your carrier for specific packaging guidelines and delivery costs.
How to set up age-verified delivery options
Creating individual listings:
- Make sure you’ve selected Postage only in the Delivery section of your listing
- Look for services marked Age Verification or Adult Signature
- Select the Age Verified service you want to use, and click Save
- Check and set the service prices
For multiple listings:
- Go to Active Listings on Seller Hub, select those you wish to include, and click Edit selected
- Select Domestic postage from the Bulk edit menu
- Choose the Change to option
- Select Flat: same cost to all buyers from the drop down
- Click Delivery service
- Look for services marked with Age Verification or Adult Signature, you can use the Search box to filter for these
- Select an Age Verified delivery option and click Save
- Click Postage cost to set the price for the selected service
- To add more Age Verified delivery options click Additional domestic service and repeat steps 6 to 8
FAQs
What is the definition of a bladed item, and what can be sold on ebay.co.uk?
A bladed item is a product that features a sharp edge or blade designed for cutting, slicing, or piercing. Whilst prohibited blades cannot be sold or sent on ebay.co.uk, other bladed items may be sold and sent under certain conditions. Please see our policy page for a full list of what can and can’t be sold on ebay.co.uk.
Does this requirement apply to me as a private seller?
Yes, this requirement applies to the sale of any bladed item in the UK.
I only sell second-hand items. Does this requirement apply to me?
Yes, this requirement applies to any bladed item sold in the UK.
What happens if I don’t enable age-verified delivery to the UK for bladed items?
Listings that aren’t compliant may not be visible to buyers until they’ve been updated appropriately.
How will my buyers prove they’re 18 or older?
We help support age-verification for many items onsite through buyers confirming they are 18 or older by providing their credit card information, which will only be used for age-verification and won’t be charged or saved. An alternative method of payment can be used at checkout. However, sellers are still responsible for confirming the age of buyers where they sell age-restricted items, and by using age-verified delivery.
Which categories require age-verified shipping?
Bladed items can be found in categories across eBay. See our detailed policy page for a breakdown of which bladed items require age verification.
I am not a UK seller, does the age-verification requirement also apply to my domestic sales or sales outside of the UK?
No, this requirement only applies to products sold in the UK.
Can eBay help me enable age-verified delivery on my bladed items listings?
UPS Adult Signature service is available on eBay labels. Sellers also have the option to purchase an age-verified shipping label directly from a carrier of their choosing, who offers age-verified domestic delivery.
Which carriers currently have age-verified delivery options?
UPS and Royal Mail currently offer these age-verified delivery services:
- UPS Adult Signature Required option: Labels are available for purchase through eBay.
- Royal Mail Tracked 24(r) with the Age-Verification option
- Royal Mail Tracked 48(r) with the Age-Verification option
Royal Mail age-verified postage labels are not available for purchase through eBay. Please contact the carrier directly.
Reach out to your preferred carrier to find out more.
What happens if the buyer is unable to verify their age upon delivery?
If the recipient is unable to verify their age upon delivery of a bladed item, delivery will not be completed. The next steps will depend on the policies of the postal carrier. Contact the carrier for more information.