Guide

TikTok Shop prohibited products: what the US policy says

Last checked against the sources below: October 31, 2026. This page summarizes TikTok Shop’s own US policy pages. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace TikTok’s pages, which TikTok updates often.

TikTok Shop keeps two product lists for US sellers. One lists products that can never be sold. The other lists categories that can be sold only with TikTok’s approval. A third set of rules covers what creators can promote in videos and LIVEs. This page puts all three in one place, from TikTok Shop’s own pages, so a brand team can see where its products sit.

The short answer. TikTok Shop’s US Prohibited Products Policy (dated October 22, 2026) lists products sellers cannot list or sell, grouped under five headings: Regulated Goods, Consumer Safety, Illegal and High-Risk Goods, Human Safety and Dignity, and Platform-Prohibited Commerce. A separate Restricted Products Policy (dated October 9, 2026) lists categories, such as dietary supplements, over-the-counter medications, and beauty and personal care, that sellers can sell only after TikTok approves them. TikTok says creators “are not allowed to promote prohibited products in their TikTok Shop content.”

Prohibited vs restricted products

	Prohibited	Restricted
Can it be sold?	No	Only with approval
How approval works	No approval route	Category-level, product-level, or invite-only, through the Qualification Center in Seller Center
Can creators promote it?	No	Only if the seller has TikTok Shop approval
TikTok page	Prohibited Products Policy, dated October 22, 2026	Restricted Products Policy, dated October 9, 2026

The prohibited list, by heading

These are examples from each heading on TikTok’s page, not the full list. Check TikTok’s page for the complete wording.

Regulated Goods. Alcohol, including consumable foods containing 0.5% or more alcohol by volume. Tobacco, nicotine products and vapes. Drugs and drug paraphernalia. Firearms, ammunition and weapons. Hazardous items, including any products containing mercury. Prescription and unapproved drugs. Certain food products, live animals and road-use vehicles.
Consumer Safety. In beauty: cosmetics with mercury, mercury compounds or hydroquinone as ingredients, products for “bleaching, whitening, or lightening natural skin color,” and beauty and personal care products made from or containing CBD. In wellness: “Products and supplements that claim to aid weight management, fat reduction, or similar goals,” with diet pills, appetite suppressants, fat burners and creams as examples, products that claim to increase height, and products that use “GLP,” “GLP 1” or similar terms in the product title or branding. TikTok exempts products clearly marketed as supportive, non-drug products for people already using GLP-1 medication. Also certain baby products and safety devices.
Illegal and High-Risk Goods. Gambling and lottery products, lock-picking and theft devices, currency, gift cards and financial products, official government items, and spyware and covert trackers.
Human Safety and Dignity. Adult products, hateful or discriminatory products, human remains, and products tied to exploitation or harm to minors.
Platform-Prohibited Commerce. Certain jewelry and gemstones, secondhand items unless the seller is approved for pre-owned goods, and certain services and virtual products.

TikTok’s page also says that “some products that are legally sold in their local area, state, or country may still be prohibited” on TikTok Shop.

Restricted categories that need approval

TikTok’s Restricted Products Policy says sellers can sell these only after they meet qualification requirements. The categories most relevant to health and beauty brands are:

Food, Health, and Personal Care. Beauty and Personal Care, Dietary Supplements, Feminine Care, shelf-stable and packaged food, Medical Devices and Medical Supplies, and Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications.
Invite-only. TikTok lists some categories as open only through an invite-only process. Dietary Supplements and Over-the-Counter Medications are both on that list.
Approval is not the end of it. The page says “Even products listed as ‘permitted’ must still meet all legal requirements,” and that TikTok Shop may request more documents during product approval.

Each restricted category has its own requirements page. For supplements and beauty, see supplement claims on TikTok Shop and cosmetic vs drug claims in creator videos.

What the rules say about creators

No promoting prohibited products. TikTok Shop’s creator page, dated August 5, 2026, says: “Creators are not allowed to promote prohibited products in their TikTok Shop content.” It says this covers still images, videos and LIVEs.
Restricted products need the seller’s approval. The same page says creators “can only promote restricted products in their content if the seller has submitted the appropriate documentation and gotten approval.”
Claims count, not only products. The page’s examples of prohibited products for creators include “Weight management products with misleading claims or before-and-after photos.”
Some products cannot appear at all. TikTok’s creator guide to prohibited behaviors and high-risk regulated goods, dated September 29, 2026, says creators must not show, use or promote drugs and drug paraphernalia, including cannabis, THC and CBD-infused products, in videos or LIVEs, even when they are not selling them directly. It covers tobacco and nicotine products too, and says that rule is enforced when the product is the main focus of the content.

What happens when a rule is broken

For sellers. TikTok’s Prohibited Products Policy says actions may include deducting points from the seller’s Account Health Rating, removing product listings, revoking access to sell, and issuing refunds to customers. The Restricted Products Policy adds possible suspension or termination of selling privileges and withholding of payments.
For creators. TikTok’s creator page says creators may receive violation points, and that enforcement actions may include removal of e-commerce access and permanent account deactivation. For high-risk regulated goods, TikTok’s creator guide lists removal of the product link, no recommendation in For You, the Shop tab or Search, a 30- or 60-day commission freeze, and a points deduction from the creator’s Creator Health Rating.

What this means for a brand team

For many established health and beauty brands, the product is approved and listed. The open question is how creators talk about it. A supplement can be a restricted product that a seller is approved to sell, and a creator video can still describe it with a weight-loss or disease claim that TikTok or a regulator treats differently. In Watchword’s October 2026 beauty study, 17% of 698 paid creator videos (116) made a drug-type claim about a product sold as a cosmetic. Knowing which list your products are on is step one. Knowing what creators say about them is the ongoing work.

Watchword is built to flag creator videos about your brand on TikTok Shop for your team to review, covering disclosures, product claims, and brand safety. Start with a free Dark Reach Check.

Get a free Dark Reach Check

Common questions

What products are prohibited on TikTok Shop in the US?

TikTok Shop’s US Prohibited Products Policy, dated October 22, 2026, groups prohibited products under five headings: Regulated Goods, Consumer Safety, Illegal and High-Risk Goods, Human Safety and Dignity, and Platform-Prohibited Commerce. Examples include alcohol, tobacco and vapes, drugs and drug paraphernalia, weapons, prescription drugs, skin-whitening and skin-lightening products, and products that claim to aid weight management or fat reduction.

What is the difference between prohibited and restricted products on TikTok Shop?

Prohibited products cannot be listed or sold on TikTok Shop. Restricted products can be sold only after the seller meets TikTok Shop’s qualification requirements and gets approval, at the category level, product level, or through an invite-only process. Dietary supplements, over-the-counter medications and beauty and personal care products are among the restricted categories.

Can you sell alcohol on TikTok Shop?

Not in the US. TikTok Shop’s Prohibited Products Policy lists alcohol under Regulated Goods, including consumable foods containing 0.5% or more alcohol by volume.

Can you sell CBD products on TikTok Shop?

TikTok Shop’s Prohibited Products Policy prohibits beauty and personal care products that are made from or contain CBD. TikTok’s creator guide also lists CBD-infused products among drugs and drug paraphernalia that creators must not show or promote in videos or LIVEs. The product policy’s CBD rule is written for beauty and personal care products.

Can creators promote prohibited products on TikTok Shop?

No. TikTok Shop’s creator page says creators are not allowed to promote prohibited products in their TikTok Shop content, and that creators can only promote restricted products if the seller has submitted the appropriate documentation and gotten approval.

What happens if a seller lists a prohibited product?

TikTok Shop says actions may include deducting points from the seller’s Account Health Rating, removing product listings, revoking access to sell, and issuing refunds to customers. TikTok also notes that some products legally sold in a seller’s local area may still be prohibited on TikTok Shop.

Sources

This guide summarizes TikTok Shop’s public policy pages. It is not legal advice. For decisions about your products or program, talk to your counsel.