5 min article

Travel policy

Buying and selling travel services or vacation packages can be complicated, with detailed rules around the types of products and services that can be transferred to another person.

Our travel policy will guide you through what you need to know when selling travel on eBay.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What types of travel products and services can be sold on eBay?

Many travel products and services, including air and sea travel; hotel, spa, and resort stays; vacation packages; and gift certificates and travel coupons, can be sold on eBay.

However, as arranging and selling travel, vacation packages, and other travel services is complex and heavily regulated in many states and provinces, we have special guidelines for listing these services on eBay.

What you're allowed to list depends on whether you're a travel provider, a licensed travel agent, or an individual who's listing your own lodgings.

See our full travel policy below for the details.

Can anyone sell travel-related products or services on eBay?

If you're a travel provider or licensed travel agent, you can list travel-related items on eBay once you become eBay Travel Verified. For verification, you'll need to upload your licensing and accreditation - opens in new window or tab, along with some further details. We'll respond within 5 business days and let you know which travel category you can list in.

Individual members can rent out their own lodgings – such as a condo, apartment, or home. However, you'll first need to become eBay Travel Verified by providing proof of your ownership rights - opens in new window or tab to the property you want to list for rent. We'll respond within 5 days. If accepted, you’ll be able to list your item in the Travel > Lodging category.

For full details, read our full policy below.

What else do I need to know?

When you're listing travel services on eBay, you're required to include the following eBay travel disclaimer paragraph in your listing, in the same type size as the listing:

"By listing this auction I verify that I am the actual travel agent or travel provider and not a third party affiliate. The travel/accommodations in this auction will be booked directly through me and not an outside agency. I also verify that, other than the government taxes and related government fees stated within the listing description itself, there will be absolutely no additional fees, charges or after auction purchases associated with booking the travel within this listing."

Read our full policy

Travel policy overview

The business of arranging and selling travel, vacation packages, and other travel services is complex and heavily regulated in many states and provinces. We have special guidelines for listing travel and travel services on eBay, including:

  • Air and sea travel
  • Hotel, spa, and resort stays
  • Vacation packages
  • Gift certificates and travel coupons

The types of travel-related items you can list depend on whether you are an actual travel provider, a licensed travel agent, or an individual seller listing your own lodging. Each type of seller has certain rules and regulations that need to be followed when listing an item.

Make sure your listing follows these guidelines. If it doesn't, it may be removed, and you may be subject to a range of other actions, including limits of your buying and selling privileges and suspension of your account.

Seller requirements – Individual sellers

If you are an individual seller wanting to rent out your own lodging-such as a timeshare, condo, apartment, or home-you need to become eBay Travel Verified before you create your listing.

To become eBay Travel Verified, upload documentation with proof of your ownership rights and enter your user ID in the comments section at US Trust & Safety - request for documentation - opens in new window or tab. Accepted documents to prove ownership rights are:

  • Deed
  • Maintenance fee statement
  • Utility bill
  • Contract
  • Reservation

A response can take up to 5 business days.

Include the eBay Travel disclaimer in your listing. You must copy and paste the exact text from this page.

Note: Once you've completed the eBay Travel Verification process, you can only list your item in the Travel > Lodging category.

Make sure the listing follows all our guidelines.

Allowed Allowed
  • Lodging rentals, such as homes, apartments, condos, and timeshare weeks, as long as you personally own the property or have ownership rights
  • You must first obtain approval from eBay Travel Verification
    • You must list in the correct category: Travel > Lodging
    • You must include the eBay Travel disclaimer in the item description
    • You don't need travel licensing of any kind
 
Not allowed Not allowed

Choices of any of the following:

  • Lodging locations
  • Airlines
  • Cruise lines or cruise points of departure or destination
  • Choice travel certificates
    Note: These are documents not issued directly by a provider of travel, but by travel wholesalers, consolidators, or other middleman travel sellers. These certificates generally offer the holder free or low-cost travel services with a choice of destination, hotel, resort, cruise line, or airline
  • Travel club memberships, including service, cards, or identification numbers that give the holder the right to free or discounted travel or some other travel-related benefit
  • Resale of travel-related incentives such as awards, coupons, upgrades, etc. that are subject to cancellation by the travel provider if resold

Seller requirements – Travel provider or travel agent

If you're an actual travel provider or licensed travel agent that sells travel or travel-related services, you need to do the following before listing travel-related items on eBay:

  • Register with eBay Travel by uploading your travel licensing and accreditation and entering your eBay user ID in the comments section - opens in new window or tab. Our response can take up to 5 business days. You'll receive an email once you're approved, allowing you to list your item in a specific travel-related category
  • You'll need to include the eBay Travel disclaimer in your listing description. You must copy and paste it from this page. It must be word for word
  • List your item in the Travel category assigned to you by eBay Travel Verification
  • Make sure the listing follows all our guidelines
Allowed Allowed
  • Lodging rentals, such as homes, apartments, condos, and timeshare weeks
 
Restricted Restricted
  • Airfare, cruises and vacation packages
    • Your business must be authorized to issue air or cruise tickets or vacation packages
    • In your listing, your business must also display all travel licensing credentials by name and number including your California Seller of Travel - opens in new window or tab. (The California Seller of Travel license is not required for vacation packages that do not include air travel or cruises (CST) license.)
    • You must list in a Travel category assigned to you by eBay Travel Verification
  • Choice of travel dates
    • A choice of travel dates are allowed, but the specific destination, location of the hotel, spa, or resort or cruise line and cruise must be clearly identified in your listing
  • Airline gift cards from sellers that have been approved by eBay Travel Verification
  • We might allow listings by travel providers and charities that have been approved by eBay Travel Verification.
 
Not allowed Not allowed

Choices of any of the following:

  • Lodging locations
  • Airlines
  • Cruise lines or cruise points of departure or destination
  • Third-party travel certificates
    • These are documents not issued directly by a provider of travel, but by travel wholesalers, consolidators, or other middleman travel sellers. These certificates generally offer the holder free or low-cost travel services with a choice of destination, hotel, resort, cruise line, or airline
  • Travel club memberships, including service, cards, or identification numbers that gives the holder the right to free or discounted travel or some other travel-related benefit
  • We do not allow third-party affiliates or outside (home-based) travel agents
  • Resale of travel-related incentives such as awards, coupons, upgrades, etc. that are subject to cancellation by the travel provider if resold

Additional requirements

eBay Travel disclaimer

Sellers are required to copy and paste the following disclaimer word for word in all travel listings:

"By listing this auction I verify that I am the actual travel agent or travel provider and not a third party affiliate. The travel/accommodations in this auction will be booked directly through me and not an outside agency. I also verify that, other than the government taxes and related government fees stated within the listing description itself, there will be absolutely no additional fees, charges or after auction purchases associated with booking the travel within this listing."

This text must be the same size as the other text in the item description.

Travel agents who sell or arrange air or sea travel can list these travel-related items only if they are:

  • Appropriately travel credentialed
  • Licensed California Sellers of Travel
  • Lawfully allowed to do business in all states and territories in the US, as well as all provinces and territories in Canada
  • Booking the travel for the buyer or winning bidder
  • Follow all of our travel guidelines

Actual travel providers (hotels, airlines, cruise lines, etc):

Make sure the listing complies with our policy on fees (below) and travel choices (see more information in the Seller requirements sections above).

Third-party affiliates and outside (home-based) agents are prohibited from listing travel items on eBay.

 

Taxes and other fees

Your listing should clearly state the types and amounts of any special fees associated with your travel listing in the item description. These additional fees-such as all-inclusive resort fees, processing fees, registration fees, cleaning fees, and deposits-must be included in the item price. No additional fees may be added on top of the final cost of the item.

Taxes paid to government or other regulatory agencies don't have to be included in your item price, but you do need to clearly state the amounts in the item's description. Listings that seem to include excessive government or regulatory fees, or that don't clearly and accurately state additional fees, could mean the loss of eBay Travel verification.

 

California Seller of Travel license

Sellers listing airfare or cruises must obtain and maintain their own California Seller of Travel license and include the license number in the item description. The number must match the information provided by the Office of the Attorney General for the state of California. To apply for your California Seller of Travel license, please visit California's Office of the Attorney General website - opens in new window or tab.

Individual sellers listing their lodging for rent are exempt from this requirement. However, eBay Travel Verification and the required eBay Travel disclaimer still apply.

 

Charity and fundraising

Charitable fundraising is a highly regulated area subject to numerous state and federal laws. eBay allows sellers to list items and collect proceeds-anywhere from 10% to 100% of final sale price-on behalf of charity. Sellers can do this through eBay for Charity - opens in new window or tab, the eBay program dedicated to charity listings on our site. The charity item can be listed without using this program as long as the listing meets our specific guidelines for charity and fundraising.

Many travel-related businesses-such as airlines, cruises, hotels, and resorts-donate their services to organizations as part of fundraising efforts. Charitable organizations may list travel services on eBay only if those services will be provided directly by the business that has donated the listed service.

Before listing a donated travel-related item, the organization must:

  • Get verified by uploading scans of the donated item - opens in new window or tab. You will receive an email once you are approved, assigning you to the appropriate travel category for your item. This may take up to 5 business days
  • Include the eBay Travel disclaimer, word for word, in your listing. You must copy and-paste it from this page. List in a Travel category assigned by eBay Travel Verification
  • Listings must follow our guidelines
 

Timeshare deeded properties or credits/points (not for rent)

  • Need to be listed in Real Estate >Timeshares for Sale category only
  • The title of the listing must state the exact location and name of resort

Since most timeshares are points or credit systems that allow for trading to different locations and resorts, you'll need to choose which location or resort you want to advertise and limit your listing description to that specific timeshare.

  • In the item specifics, you must state the exact location and resort
  • You can't state "multiple destinations" or "varies" in the description

The description must advertise the specific resort. You can't mention the trading of points, and you can't mention affiliations that can be had with other timeshare companies. You must advertise the timeshare you're listing.

 

Why does eBay have this policy?

eBay is always looking for ways to improve the buying and selling experience. As part of this effort, we want to make sure travel-related items or services are listed properly on our site without violating our policies or federal regulations.

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