Amazon Transparency Program: Costs, Codes, Eligibility & How It Works (2026)

Amazon Transparency is Amazon’s product-serialization and anti-counterfeit program. It uses unique unit-level codes to help Amazon verify products during listing and fulfillment checks. Brands pay per code based on annual volume, and protection does not become active until the enrolled product passes Amazon’s Operational Performance Review.

In this guide, we’ll explain how the Amazon Transparency Program works in 2026, who can join, what codes cost, how labeling works, what customers can verify, and when the program may be worth using.

Amazon Transparency in One Minute

Amazon Transparency uses a unique serial code for each physical product unit. This lets Amazon check individual units instead of only identifying the product type.

A normal UPC, EAN, or GTIN identifies a product. If you make 10,000 units of the same product, they may all use the same GTIN.

A Transparency code is different because every unit receives its own code.

Once a product is fully protected through Transparency, Amazon can check its code during relevant listing and fulfillment steps.

The program works with both FBA and seller-fulfilled orders. However, protection does not start as soon as you enroll. The product must first pass Amazon’s Operational Performance Review.

Customers can also scan Amazon-issued Transparency codes through the Amazon Shopping app or Transparency app to check whether a code is valid.

For a broader look at where Transparency fits, see these Amazon brand protection strategies.

What Matters About Amazon Transparency in 2026

Amazon Transparency now covers tens of thousands of brands and billions of product units. In 2026, brands need to understand current pricing, supported stores, code options, and the Operational Performance Review.

The program details in this guide are based on Amazon’s current Transparency documentation, including its published pricing, eligibility, code options, supported stores, and operational-review requirements.

According to Amazon’s May 2026 data:

• More than 90,000 brands use Transparency.
• More than 2.7 billion product units have been verified.
• Protection is available across 10 supported Amazon stores.

The supported stores currently include:

• United States
• Canada
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• India
• Japan

Transparency-supported stores and eligible enrollment origins are not the same thing.

Amazon currently lists eligible enrollment origins as the US, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, India, Japan, and China.

Australia is a supported store, but Australia-based brands are currently not listed as eligible to enroll directly.

Another important change is pricing. Older guides often say Amazon does not publish Transparency pricing. That is no longer correct.

Amazon now publishes clear code pricing based on annual volume. Brands may also connect some existing serial codes to Transparency instead of replacing their current serialization process with Amazon-issued codes.

How Does the Amazon Transparency Program Work?

Amazon Transparency follows a clear process: enroll products, choose a code method, apply unique codes, pass the Operational Performance Review, activate protection, and monitor results.

1. Enroll Your Brand and Products

You start by enrolling eligible products through your Amazon Brand Registry credentials.

You do not have to enroll your full catalog at once. Many brands can start with selected products and expand after the workflow is working correctly.

2. Choose How You Will Create and Apply Codes

Next, choose how the codes will enter your production process.

Options include Amazon-issued labels, direct-on-packaging codes, outsourced providers, workflow software, or eligible serial codes you already use. This guide compares the implementation options in detail later.

3. Apply Codes to the Required Units

If you use Amazon-issued Transparency codes, each manufactured unit of the enrolled product needs its own unique code.

This applies even if some units are later sold outside Amazon.

Your manufacturer, co-packer, packaging supplier, fulfillment team, and quality-control process may all need to support the code workflow.

If you connect existing serial codes instead, each physical unit still needs a unique eligible serial number.

4. Complete the Operational Performance Review

Amazon requires products to pass the Operational Performance Review before Transparency protection becomes active.

The process differs slightly for FBA and seller-fulfilled products.

FBA Products

For FBA products, you start the review through the Transparency portal.

Amazon scans Transparency codes when units arrive at its fulfillment centers. This helps Amazon check whether valid codes are being used consistently.

Self-Fulfilled or FBM Products

For self-fulfilled products, you contact Transparency support to begin the review.

You must provide the required Transparency code information during order confirmation in Seller Central.

The key point is that enrollment alone does not activate protection. Your code workflow must first pass Amazon’s review.

5. Amazon Checks Protected Units

After protection becomes active, enrolled products need a valid code.

Amazon currently accepts either:

• an Amazon-issued Transparency code, or
• an eligible existing serial code connected to Transparency.

If a unit fails a Transparency check, Amazon may investigate it. Brands can also review program activity through the Transparency portal.

6. Monitor the Program After Launch

Transparency requires ongoing monitoring after launch.

Amazon reporting can help you identify:

• units blocked because of missing or invalid codes,
• codes that do not match the enrolled product,
• listing attempts rejected because a valid code is missing, and
• suspected counterfeit infringement notices.

These reports can show where the program is working and where your process needs improvement.

Amazon Transparency Eligibility and Enrollment Requirements

To join Amazon Transparency, your brand and products must meet Amazon’s current requirements. You also need the operational ability to manage unique codes at the unit level.

Eligibility also depends on where the brand is enrolling from. A store may support Transparency protection even if brands based in that market aren't eligible to enroll directly, so check Amazon’s current enrollment-origin rules separately from its list of protected stores.

Amazon Brand Registry Requirements

Amazon currently requires brands to use Amazon Brand Registry credentials to enroll in Transparency.

The brand must also meet Amazon’s current trademark and rights-owner requirements.

If your brand is not ready for Brand Registry, review the Amazon Brand Registry requirements before planning your Transparency rollout.

Brand ownership issues can also affect access to Amazon’s brand tools. SalesDuo’s Brand Registry suspension recovery case study provides a related example of this type of escalation.

Product Requirements

Each enrolled product needs a Global Trade Item Number, or GTIN.

Common formats include:

• UPC
• EAN

You must also be able to serialize individual product units.

Transparency does not work by assigning one unique code to an entire SKU. Each physical unit must be individually identified.

Requirements for Amazon-Issued Transparency Codes

If you use Amazon-issued codes, you must be able to add a code to every manufactured unit of the enrolled product.

This includes units that may later be sold through other marketplaces, retail stores, distributors, or your own website.

For brands with complex supply chains, this can become one of the biggest implementation requirements.

Requirements for Existing Serial Codes

Amazon also allows some brands to connect current serial codes to Transparency.

Current requirements include:

• one unique code for each physical unit,
• externally scannable 1D, QR, or 2D codes,
• the barcode placed on the same side as the GTIN,
• serialized values between 7 and 20 characters, and
• the ability to provide Amazon with serial numbers linked to the correct GTIN or SKU.

If you already serialize your products, this option may reduce the need for major packaging changes.

How Much Does the Amazon Transparency Program Cost?

Amazon currently does not charge an enrollment fee, subscription fee, or minimum order fee for Transparency. Brands pay based on the number of codes they use.

The current US pricing structure is:

Amazon notes that pricing may vary by location.

The annual volume period resets on the anniversary of the date your Transparency account was created.

However, the code fee is only one part of the full cost.

Calculate the Full Transparency Cost

A better way to budget is to include all the costs involved in applying the codes and keeping the process running.

Annual Transparency cost = Amazon code fees + label and printing costs + application labor or co-packer fees + packaging or process changes + QA and exception-handling costs

Other costs may include:

• label stock,
• thermal printers,
• ribbons and printing supplies,
• pre-printed labels,
• manufacturer charges,
• packaging redesign,
• variable-data printing,
• employee time,
• quality checks,
• workflow software, and
• damaged or rejected labels.

A five-cent Amazon code does not always mean your total cost is five cents per unit.

Example: 100,000 Units Per Year

Suppose a brand protects 100,000 units in one year.

Amazon code fee:

100,000 × $0.05 = $5,000

Now assume, only for this example:

• $0.02 per unit for label material
• $0.03 per unit for application labor

Additional variable cost:

100,000 × $0.05 = $5,000

Estimated annual variable cost:

$5,000 Amazon code fees + $5,000 implementation costs = $10,000

This example does not include one-time expenses such as packaging changes, equipment, software, or process setup.

The $0.02 and $0.03 figures are examples only. They are not industry benchmarks.

Your actual cost will depend on your suppliers, packaging process, unit volume, labor, and level of automation.

Volume changes the economics in two directions. Higher annual code volumes can move a brand into a lower Amazon fee tier, but they can also make manual printing and label application harder to manage.

At scale, automation may increase setup costs while reducing repetitive labor and labeling errors over time.

Amazon Transparency Code and Labeling Options

You can implement Transparency codes in several ways. The right method depends on your product volume, supply chain, packaging control, and existing systems.

Self-Print Transparency Labels

Printing labels in-house gives you more control.

It may work well if:

• your volume is manageable,
• you already have suitable equipment, and
• packaging is handled internally.

For Amazon-issued codes, place the code request through the Transparency portal. Amazon provides the codes for download, and you can also access previously generated code files from the portal. You can then print the labels in-house, send the codes to a service provider, or include them in your packaging workflow.

Your team becomes responsible for print quality, label stock, code handling, application accuracy, and QA.

Use Pre-Printed Transparency Labels

A provider can send you pre-printed labels, reducing the need to buy and maintain printing equipment.

The tradeoff is more supplier dependency. You still need to manage lead times, inventory, code files, quality checks, and forecasting.

Use a Co-Packer or Service Provider

If a co-packer already handles your labeling or packaging, adding Transparency to that workflow may be easier than creating another step later.

Before launch, decide:

• who generates the codes,
• who stores the code files,
• how duplicate use is prevented,
• how rejected labels are handled, and
• how scan quality is checked.

Print Codes Directly on Packaging

Higher-volume brands may choose to print Transparency codes directly onto packaging.

This can reduce ongoing label application, but your printing company, packaging workflow, variable-data system, and QA process must all support unique unit-level codes.

Use Print Workflow Software

Brands handling large code volumes may connect Transparency code ordering with existing software systems.

This can reduce manual work, but setup may require system integration and technical support.

Use Your Existing Serial Codes

If every product unit already receives a unique serial number, you may be able to connect those codes to Transparency.

This can reduce packaging changes because you do not need to add another Amazon-specific code.

However, customers currently cannot use the Amazon Shopping app or Transparency app to verify authenticity when the product uses connected existing serial codes.

That matters if customer-facing authentication is one of the main reasons you are considering the program.

What Can Customers Verify With the Transparency App?

Customers can scan Amazon-issued Transparency codes to check whether a code is valid. They can use either the Amazon Shopping app or the Transparency app.

Brands may also provide extra product information through the scan experience, such as:

• product images,
• videos,
• promotions, and
• other product details.

Customers can scan eligible Amazon-issued codes even when they purchased the product somewhere other than Amazon.

The customer scan and Amazon’s marketplace checks are related, but they are not the same thing.

Amazon can use Transparency codes as part of its own product-verification process, while the customer-facing scan gives shoppers a way to check an Amazon-issued code themselves.

The experience is different for brands using existing serial codes.

Those products can still receive the core Transparency protection, but customer authenticity verification and related engagement features are currently not available through the apps.

If customer-facing authentication or additional product content is important to your strategy, Amazon-issued codes currently offer features that connected existing serial codes do not.

If your main goal is operational authenticity control and you already use a mature serialization system, connecting existing serial codes may still be the simpler option.

Amazon Transparency vs. Brand Registry vs. Project Zero

Amazon Transparency, Brand Registry, and Project Zero solve different problems. One does not replace the others.

Brand Registry provides the foundation, Transparency adds unit-level verification, and Project Zero adds separate counterfeit-removal tooling; using one does not replace the others.

If you need more detail about that program, read the SalesDuo guide to Amazon Project Zero.

Transparency also should not be treated as a pricing-control tool. It helps with product verification, but it does not replace Amazon MAP policy and marketplace control.

What Amazon Transparency does not solve

Transparency is built around product serialization and authenticity checks. It should not be treated as a complete solution for:

• general IP complaints,
• trademark ownership disputes,
• MAP enforcement,
• every unauthorized-reseller issue, or
• counterfeit problems involving products or listings outside the relevant Transparency protection.

These issues may require other Amazon tools, marketplace controls, or legal/IP processes.

When Is Amazon Transparency Worth It?

Amazon Transparency can make sense when your counterfeit risk and product value justify the added cost and operational work. It may be harder to justify when margins are low, or your supply chain cannot reliably manage unit-level serialization.

Amazon Transparency Decision Matrix

You also do not have to enroll every product at once.

Starting with a small group of important SKUs can help you test the process before expanding it.

If the implementation burden is the hard part, not the decision, SalesDuo can help connect brand protection with day-to-day Amazon operations.

Amazon Transparency Implementation Checklist

The safest approach is to treat Transparency as an operations project, not simply a labeling task. Start with a controlled group of products, build the workflow, test it, and then expand.

1. Choose the First Products

Start with SKUs based on:

• counterfeit risk,
• revenue,
• product value,
• packaging stability, and
• control over manufacturing.

Do not automatically start with your entire catalog.

2. Check Product and GTIN Data

Make sure your GTINs, SKUs, catalog records, and manufacturing data match.

A code linked to the wrong product can create problems later.

Catalog and brand records should also be clean before adding another product-control layer. SalesDuo’s work on catalog and brand-ownership remediation shows why you should resolve ownership and catalog issues before they create wider operational problems.

3. Choose the Code Method

Decide how you will create and apply codes.

Your options may include:

• Amazon-issued codes,
• your current serial numbers,
• self-printing,
• pre-printed labels,
• direct packaging printing, or
• an outsourced provider.

4. Create a Packaging Process

Document exactly how the code workflow will operate.

The process should explain:

• where codes are printed,
• where they are applied,
• who checks them,
• how damaged labels are handled, and
• how duplicate use is prevented.

5. Test Code Scanning

Do not only test the code on a computer screen.

Test the finished product packaging to confirm the code scans correctly after printing and application.

6. Prepare Your FBA and FBM Processes

If you use both FBA and seller fulfillment, create a workflow for each.

FBA inventory moves through Amazon fulfillment-center scans. Self-fulfilled orders require your team to provide the required code information through Amazon’s process.

7. Start the Operational Performance Review

Do not assume a product is protected simply because it has been enrolled.

Track the Operational Performance Review until Amazon confirms that protection is active.

8. Watch for Errors

After launch, monitor:

• missing codes,
• invalid codes,
• product-code mismatches,
• rejected listing attempts, and
• suspected counterfeit notices.

9. Include Transparency in Future Packaging Changes

A new factory, packaging redesign, co-packer, or product variation can break an existing code workflow.

Make Transparency part of your normal packaging and supplier change-control process.

How Do You Know Whether Amazon Transparency Is Working?

Measure both Amazon protection activity and your own operational costs. The goal is to see whether the program creates enough value to justify the extra work.

Amazon’s Transparency reporting can show information such as:

• units blocked because codes were missing or invalid,
• code scans that did not match the product,
• listing attempts rejected because valid codes were missing, and
• suspected counterfeit notices.

Your own operations team should also track:

• label failure rate,
• rework,
• packaging delays,
• supplier errors,
• code inventory problems, and
• cost per protected unit.

This gives you a clearer view of the program.

The question is not only, “Did Transparency block something?”

You also need to know whether the protection you receive is worth the money and effort required to maintain it.

Final Thoughts

Amazon Transparency can give brands an extra unit-level product-verification layer, but the code itself is only one part of the process.

A successful rollout depends on choosing the right serialization method, applying valid codes consistently, coordinating manufacturing and fulfillment, passing the Operational Performance Review, and monitoring problems after the program goes live.

The program may make more sense for brands with valuable products, meaningful counterfeit exposure, or strong packaging control. Brands with low-risk products, low margins, or complicated supply chains should compare the expected value with the full implementation cost before expanding it across the catalog.

If your team needs help connecting brand-protection decisions with everyday marketplace operations, learn more about SalesDuo’s Amazon account management support.

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Frequently Asked Questions About the Amazon Transparency Program

1. How much does Amazon Transparency cost in 2026?

Amazon currently charges $0.05 per code for 1–1,000,000 codes, $0.03 for 1,000,001–10 million, and $0.01 for each code above 10 million.

There is no current enrollment, subscription, or minimum fee, but brands should also budget for labeling, labor, packaging, and QA.

2. Is there a fee to enroll in Amazon Transparency?

No. Amazon’s current program information says there is no enrollment fee, subscription fee, or minimum order requirement.

Brands pay for the codes they use, and pricing may vary by geography.

3. Do I need Amazon Brand Registry to use Transparency?

Yes. Amazon currently requires eligible brands to use Brand Registry credentials and meet the applicable trademark and rights-owner requirements.

Products also need the required identifiers and unit-level serialization capability.

4. Do I need a Transparency code on every unit?

For Amazon-issued Transparency codes, every manufactured unit of an enrolled product must receive a unique code, including units that may later be sold outside Amazon.

Protected units must have a valid Amazon-issued code or an eligible connected serial code.

5. Can I use my own serial numbers with Amazon Transparency?

Yes, if they meet Amazon’s requirements.

The codes must be unique, externally scannable, linked to the correct product, and provided to Amazon in the required format.

6. Can customers scan my existing serial codes in the Transparency app?

Not currently.

Customer authentication through the Amazon Shopping app or Transparency app is available for Amazon-issued Transparency codes, but not for connected existing serial codes.

7. Does Amazon Transparency work for FBM or self-fulfilled orders?

Yes. Transparency supports both FBA and self-fulfilled orders.

Self-fulfilled sellers need to follow Amazon’s code-submission and Operational Performance Review process before protection becomes active.

8. Which Amazon stores support Transparency?

Amazon currently lists 10 supported stores: the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, and Japan.

Supported stores and eligible enrollment origins differ, so check Amazon’s current rules before enrolling.

9. Does Amazon Transparency stop unauthorized sellers?

Not always. Transparency is mainly designed to verify individual product units through serialized codes.

It is not a complete solution for unauthorized resellers, MAP enforcement, trademark disputes, or every marketplace violation.

10. How is Amazon Transparency different from Project Zero?

Transparency uses unique product codes to verify physical units.

Project Zero is a separate Amazon program that gives eligible brands additional counterfeit-detection and removal tools. They address different parts of a brand’s anti-counterfeit strategy.

About the Author

A dynamic customer success professional, Rahul Gowda helps businesses grow smarter at Amazon by building strong relationships, solving tricky operational challenges with data-driven strategies. Beyond work, Rahul loves exploring new tech trends and experimenting with creative cooking.

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