How do I get approved to sell on eBay Live?

eBay says sellers new to eBay can apply to host an event on the eBay Live seller page, and it will notify them as soon as they are eligible to start selling live. Eligible existing eBay sellers with business policies set up can automatically receive access through the Live Studio link in Seller Hub.

How much does eBay Live charge to sell?

eBay's pricing page lists a commission fee of 6% of the total amount of the sale for most categories and 4% for Coins, Bullion and Sneakers, capped at $100 per item. It also lists a payment processing fee of 2.9% of the total amount of the sale plus $0.30 per order, with a promotion through December 31, 2026 of a $0.10 per order fee on items priced $10 or less.

How does eBay Live work?

Sellers create an event in eBay's Live Studio, add Auction or Buy It Now listings and run the stream from the Stream manager. eBay says buyers can join an event through its link, its QR code or the eBay Live Homepage.

Can you do card breaks on eBay Live?

Only with approval. eBay's policy limits case breaks, box breaks and pack breaks to pre-approved sellers, and buyers must receive the full pack, box or slot they purchased.

How to Sell on eBay Live: Fees, Rules and Card Break Requirements

Q: Can I sell items on eBay Live?

Only if you qualify. eBay says eBay Live is available to eligible business sellers and sole proprietors who meet its seller, risk, policy and category requirements.

October 12, 2026 ChronicCards

Last updated: October 12, 2026

Key Takeaways

eBay says eBay Live is available to eligible business sellers and sole proprietors who meet its seller, risk, policy and category requirements.
eBay's pricing page lists a commission fee of 6% for most categories and 4% for Coins, Bullion and Sneakers, capped at $100 per item, plus a payment processing fee of 2.9% and $0.30 per order. It also lists a promotion through December 31, 2026: a $0.10 per order fee on items priced $10 or less.
Case breaks, box breaks and pack breaks are limited to pre-approved sellers, and buyers must receive the full pack, box or slot they purchased.
eBay's policy does not allow raffles or random drawings, and it allows giveaways only for pre-approved sellers through an official eBay Live partnership.
eBay says you need a desktop or laptop to manage events, plus a mobile camera or a camera set up with a broadcast tool such as OBS.

Who can sell on eBay Live?
eBay Live seller fees
Equipment you need
How to go live on eBay
Card breaks on eBay Live
eBay Live rules to know
Build your setup
Sources

To sell on eBay Live, you need to qualify as an eligible business seller or sole proprietor, get access to eBay's Live Studio, create an event with your listings and start the stream from the Stream manager. Card breakers have one more step: eBay limits case breaks, box breaks and pack breaks to pre-approved sellers.

Who Can Sell on eBay Live?

eBay's help article says eBay Live is available to eligible business sellers and sole proprietors who meet its seller, risk, policy and category requirements. It describes two ways in:

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Shop Now

New to eBay. Apply to host an event on the eBay Live seller page. eBay says it will notify you as soon as you are eligible to start selling live.
Already selling on eBay. eBay says eligible existing sellers with business policies set up can automatically receive access through the Live Studio link in Seller Hub.

The help article lists eight categories: Collectibles, Luxury, Sneakers, Apparel, Sporting Goods, Home & Garden, Health & Beauty and Electronics. It also says category availability may vary.

One caution: eBay's pages do not all say the same thing. When we checked on October 12, 2026, the eBay Live FAQ page said eBay Live is in beta with select sellers, and the Seller Center page listed only Collectibles and Luxury. We follow the help article in this post.

What Does eBay Live Charge Sellers?

eBay's pricing page lists two fees, a commission fee and a payment processing fee. Both are deducted from each order before your earnings are available for payout.

Fee	Coins, Bullion, Sneakers	All other categories
Commission fee	4% of the total amount of the sale, capped at $100 per item	6% of the total amount of the sale, capped at $100 per item
Payment processing fee	2.9% of the total amount of the sale, plus $0.30 per order. Promotion through December 31, 2026: $0.10 per order fee on items priced $10 or less.

Three details for card sellers:

The percentages apply to more than the item price. eBay says the total amount of the sale includes the item price, any handling charges, any shipping costs collected from the buyer, sales tax and any other applicable fees.
Trading cards are not named in the 4% group. eBay says Coins and Bullion represent all Coins & Paper Money categories, and Sneakers represent select Clothing, Shoes & Accessories categories, including men's and women's athletic shoes.
No insertion fee. eBay says there is currently no insertion fee for eBay Live listings.

eBay's own example: a $100 item with $10 shipping and $8 tax is a $118 sale. At the 6% rate, the commission fee is $7.08 and the payment processing fee is $3.72, for $10.80 in total fees. eBay says the amount charged is displayed as a combined final value fee, and that the fees on its pricing page are exclusive of applicable taxes.

We covered Whatnot seller fees in a separate post.

What Equipment Do You Need for eBay Live?

eBay's list is short:

A desktop or laptop computer to create and manage your events.
A stable internet connection.
A mobile camera, or a camera set up with a third party broadcast tool such as Open Broadcaster Software (OBS).

For the best viewing experience, eBay recommends an LED ring light, a dedicated wireless microphone and the latest version of the eBay app. For the event image, eBay recommends a resolution of 1050 x 1575 pixels.

How Do You Go Live on eBay?

eBay uses two consoles on a desktop or laptop. The Live Studio is where you create and manage events. The Stream manager is where you start and end the stream, moderate chat and view real-time metrics.

Create the event. In the Live Studio, select Create event, add the title, description, start time and tags, add an image, choose your category and select Publish. Publishing makes the event visible to buyers, but it does not start the livestream.
Add listings. You can add up to 750 listings to each event by importing them from your eBay store or creating new ones in bulk from a template. All sellers can add Auction and Buy It Now listings. eBay says listings cannot include Best Offer or reserve pricing.
Start the stream. On a mobile device, open the eBay app, find your event under My Events and tap the red circle button to start the video feed. Then select Start event in the Stream manager on your desktop or laptop.
Ship after the shopping window. eBay says paid orders are held in Seller Hub for 8 hours after the event's scheduled start time, which gives buyers the chance to use your combined shipping discounts. Your handling time starts after that window closes.

Can You Run Card Breaks on eBay Live?

Yes, but only with approval. The eBay Live policy lists hosting case breaks, box breaks or pack breaks among the formats allowed only for pre-approved sellers, and it says buyers must receive the full pack, box or slot purchased. The same pre-approval rule covers selling trading card repacks.

eBay's breaks page explains how to apply and how eBay vets sellers:

If you are interested in becoming a break seller on eBay, eBay says you may apply at ebaycasebreaks.com.
Existing eBay breakers interested in breaking on eBay Live can contact eBay at casebreaks@ebay.com.
eBay says its team reviews a seller's history of breaks for positive feedback, entertainment value and trust.

eBay also says card breaks have accompanying sweepstakes that people can enter with no purchase necessary.

Our glossary explains what a card break is.

eBay Live Rules Live Sellers Should Know

These come from the eBay Live policy:

No raffles or random drawings. eBay does not allow chance-based items or sales during eBay Live events, including contests, lotteries, raffles and random drawings. eBay's policy does not use the word, but by our reading that rules out the raffle-style format the hobby calls a razz.
Giveaways need approval. Sellers may not conduct promotions, giveaways, competitions or similar activities unless eBay explicitly approves them in advance. The policy also lists running giveaways or sweepstakes among the formats allowed only for pre-approved sellers, through an official eBay Live partnership.
Keep the product in frame. During trading card pack rips, case breaks and any opening or unboxing activity, all products must stay within the camera frame and be clearly visible at all times while being opened.
Multistreaming is limited. eBay Live events may not be simultaneously streamed on other live-commerce platforms. They may be simultaneously streamed on non-auction platforms such as Twitch, YouTube or Instagram.
Music needs rights. Sellers may only play music or sounds they own the rights to or have explicit, written consent to use on eBay Live.
Stay active. eBay says it will automatically end a stream after 60 minutes of inactivity, except for case break sellers.

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Read our backdrop guide for card breaks and live sales, or browse our custom card breaker supplies.