Deadlines & policy guide

Amazon FBA Reimbursement Deadlines (2026): Removal Order Claim Windows

Knowing how to file a claim is only half the battle. The other half is knowing when. File too early and Amazon rejects it. File too late and the window has closed. This guide covers the exact UK timing rules so you never miss a deadline or waste a filing.

UK removal order claim windows

These are the UK timing rules for removal order claims as documented in Amazon’s UK help pages. If you sell across multiple marketplaces, check your local help pages — but for UK sellers, these are your baseline.

Lost in transit

74 days

from shipment creation date

Must wait at least 15 days after last confirmed carrier movement before filing

Damaged in transit

ASAP

upon receipt of items

File as soon as you receive and inspect the shipment. Document damage with photos immediately.

Damage / grading dispute

60 days

from delivery to your return address

Applies when Amazon graded items incorrectly (e.g. marking sellable stock as unsellable)

Minimum wait (lost in transit)

15 days

from last confirmed carrier movement

You cannot file a lost-in-transit claim until this minimum period has elapsed. Filing too early = rejection.

When NOT to file (the “too early” mistakes)

The most common self-inflicted loss for UK sellers is filing a lost-in-transit claim too early. Amazon’s UK policy states that you must wait at least 15 days from the last confirmed movement of the removal shipment before filing. If you file on day 10 because tracking hasn’t updated, Amazon will reject the claim.

The problem is that you’ve now burned a filing attempt. You’ll need to re-file after the 15-day window opens, and some sellers forget. Others assume the rejection was final and never try again. Both outcomes mean money left on the table.

If it’s “in transit” and it’s been less than 15 days

Track it, don’t claim it. Set a reminder for day 16. Filing now wastes your attempt and risks forgetting to re-file.

When the 15-day window opens

File immediately with the shipment ID and tracking evidence. Don’t wait another month. The outer deadline (74 days) is counting down.

Build in a 7-day safety buffer

Aim to file by day 60 at the latest. This gives you 14 days to handle any Amazon back-and-forth or evidence requests before the 74-day cutoff.

Weekly deadline-safe SOP

Run this checklist every week. It takes 15 minutes and ensures no claim window closes without you knowing.

Pull your removal orders from the last 90 days. Sort by shipment date.

Flag any shipments between 15 and 60 days old with no delivery confirmation. These are in the filing window.

Check for any shipments approaching 70 days. These are urgent — file immediately with whatever evidence you have.

Review shipments delivered in the last 30 days. Cross-reference against goods-in records for quantity discrepancies.

File claims for any discrepancies found this week. Don’t batch across weeks — file as you find them.

Update your claim tracker with case references, outcomes, and any pending responses from Amazon.

ReclaimHQ calculates every deadline automatically and sends email alerts when items are approaching their claim window.

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Policy changes to watch in 2026

Fee charging timing changes

Amazon announced that removal and disposal fees will be charged per unit as processed, with the effective date revised to March 1, 2026. This changes when fees appear on your account but does not directly change claim windows. However, it may affect the financial calculation of whether a claim is worth pursuing for low-value items.

UI and process changes

Amazon periodically changes where reimbursement workflows live — moving between portals and case-based systems. The underlying rule stays the same: evidence and deadlines win. If the filing interface changes, check the Seller Central help pages for the current route, but the claim window timing remains consistent.

Frequently asked questions

What is the UK deadline for lost-in-transit removal order claims?+
74 days from the shipment creation date. But you cannot file earlier than 15 days after the last confirmed carrier movement. The practical filing window is between day 15 and day 74.
What counts as filing "too early"?+
Filing a lost-in-transit claim before 15 days have passed since the last tracking movement. Amazon will reject the claim, and you’ll need to re-file within the 74-day outer deadline.
Do I need tracking to claim for lost items?+
Tracking strengthens your claim but isn’t always required. No tracking movement at all is itself evidence of a lost shipment. If tracking shows delivery, you need goods-in records to prove the discrepancy.
How long do I have for damaged item claims?+
File damaged-in-transit claims as soon as you receive and inspect the items. For grading disputes (Amazon incorrectly classified your items), you have 60 days from delivery to your return address.
Are the 2026 policy changes affecting claim deadlines?+
The core claim windows (74-day and 60-day) have not changed for 2026. The main change is fee timing: removal and disposal fees are now charged per unit as processed from March 1, 2026. The filing interface may also change periodically, but the deadlines remain the same.

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