The Amazon Funds Disbursement Eligibility Policy, Explained
Amazon’s Funds Disbursement Eligibility Policy is the policy that governs whether Amazon releases money held in a deactivated account. It was renamed in October 2024, and the same change shortened the post-deactivation appeal window from 90 days to 60.
Most sellers never read it, because it is not the policy that suspended them. It is the policy that decides whether they see their money — and it runs on its own clock.
What Changed in October 2024
Two changes matter. First, the name: older guides still call it the “funds withholding” or “90-day” policy, so if a service quotes you 90 days, they are working from stale information. Second, the window: 60 days post-deactivation, not 90. You lost a third of your time.
Why the 60-Day Window Is the Real Deadline
Reinstatement and disbursement are separate tracks with separate clocks. Sellers spend 60 days fighting the deactivation, win or lose, and only then look at the money — by which time the funds window has closed.
Both tracks have to start on day one. This is the single most expensive mistake we see.
The 60-day window explained · What happens to funds after account closure
Eligibility Is Not the Same as Availability
Being eligible for disbursement does not mean the money moves. Reserves, pending transactions, and outstanding claims all sit between eligibility and your bank account.
If You Are a UK or EU Seller, This Is Not the Whole Policy
UK and EU funds often route through Amazon Payments UK Limited (APUK) or its EU equivalent — regulated entities, structurally separate from Amazon’s enforcement side. This is why UK sellers get bounced between “that was not our decision” and “that is not our money to release.”
It also means UK sellers have an escalation route US sellers do not.
The APUK and FOS route for UK sellers · Every Amazon violation type