Amazon FBA pallet requirements: size, height, weight, wrap and labels

Amazon receives freight at hundreds of fulfillment centers with mechanized equipment and tight dock schedules. Pallets that are the wrong size, too tall, too heavy, poorly wrapped or unlabeled get refused or charged back. The rules below are what Amazon's FBA help pages and its staff posts in Seller Central describe for less-than-truckload (LTL) and full-truckload (FTL) inbound shipments.

#Amazon FBA pallet requirements at a glance

#Pallet type, size and grade

Amazon asks for 40 × 48 in pallets, and four-way entry is widely reported as required. Amazon states the dimensions width-first; it is the same footprint as the North American 48 × 40 GMA pallet. Four-way entry lets Amazon's pallet jacks and forklifts pick the pallet from any side. A GMA-style stringer pallet with notched stringers (partial four-way) or a block pallet both give four-way fork entry, though only a block pallet gives full four-way pallet-jack entry.

On grade, sellers, freight forwarders and prep centers consistently report that Amazon requires GMA standard Grade B or better, with some categories asking for higher grades. A Grade B pallet is a used pallet in good repair, which may have repaired or replaced boards. See pallet grades. Broken boards, missing boards, protruding nails and damaged stringers are grounds for refusal.

Practical choices:

• New or Grade A white-wood 48 × 40 pallets are the safe choice for high-value freight or if you are unsure.
• Grade B recycled pallets meet the commonly reported minimum and cost less. Inspect them before loading. See pallet inspection.
• Pooled pallets (blue CHEP, red PECO) belong to the pool, and FBA sellers should not expect pallets back from the fulfillment center. Unless you have an arrangement with the pool, use one-way pallets. See pooled vs white-wood pallets.

#Height and weight limits

A standard GMA pallet is about 4-3/4 to 5-1/2 in (121–140 mm) tall, so a 72 in limit leaves roughly 66–67 in (168–170 cm) for cartons. Plan layers with Ti-Hi so the top layer is full and flat. The cases per pallet calculator does this for a given carton size and height limit.

#Building the load

Amazon's guidance and staff posts describe a stable, flush load:

• Stack cartons flush with the pallet edges on all sides. No overhang; limit underhang so the load is stable.
• Brick (interlock) stacking with heaviest cartons at the bottom is recommended. See pallet stacking patterns.
• Face the FBA box ID labels outward so each carton can be scanned without breaking the wrap.
• Build to a flat top if the pallet is to be stacked.
• Wrap in clear stretch film. Colored or opaque film hides labels and is generally not accepted. See stretch wrapping pallets.

#Labels

Amazon generates pallet labels in Seller Central when you set up an LTL or FTL shipment. The widely reported practice is four pallet labels per pallet, one on each side, placed at the top center and outside the stretch wrap, in addition to carton labels facing out. Amazon's labels use GS1 barcodes; for how SSCC pallet labels work generally, see pallet labels and SSCC.

#What gets refused or charged back

The common reasons Amazon fulfillment centers refuse or flag pallet freight, based on Amazon's requirements and seller reports:

• Wrong pallet size or two-way-only pallets
• Broken, damaged or low-grade pallets
• Pallets over 72 in (or over the double-stack limit) or over 1,500 lb
• Cartons overhanging the pallet, leaning or unstable
• Missing, covered or unreadable pallet or carton labels
• Opaque or colored stretch wrap
• Mixed shipments not built or labeled as Amazon specifies

Refusals can also come from carrier and appointment problems, which are outside the scope of this page.

#Imports: pallets built overseas

If your freight is palletized overseas, the pallets must meet ISPM 15 to enter the US, which in practice means an HT stamp. Many overseas factories use 1200 × 1000 mm or 1100 × 1100 mm pallets; those do not meet Amazon's 40 × 48 in requirement, so freight is often re-palletized at a US warehouse or prep center. Ordering 40 × 48 in HT pallets at origin avoids that. See heat-treated pallets.

#Planning pallets for Amazon

• Count pallet positions early. A 53 ft trailer typically holds 26 pallets single-stacked when the pallets are loaded straight, and up to 30 turned, on 48 × 40 in footprints; see pallets per truckload.
• Decide whether to double stack. If your cartons can take the weight, 50 in pallets double-stacked use trailer space better than 72 in singles.
• Pick one pallet type. Mixing new, Grade A and Grade B pallets in one shipment makes inspection at the FC less predictable.
• Keep spare pallets. A broken pallet discovered at loading should be replaced, not shipped.

#How to spec a compliant pallet for Amazon

Put these fields on the order to your pallet supplier:

The GMA 48 × 40 template matches this footprint and entry. For the wider e-commerce picture, see e-commerce and 3PL pallets.