Selling on Amazon to California? Here's What Prop 65 Actually Requires
Most e-commerce sellers hear "Prop 65" and panic. Here's the reality:
California's Proposition 65 requires businesses to warn consumers about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm. If you're shipping to California — yes, even from out of state — this applies to you.
The 3 things sellers get wrong:
"I don't sell chemicals, so I'm fine." Prop 65 covers 900+ chemicals. They show up in packaging, dyes, metals, adhesives, and everyday consumer goods. If your product contains lead, cadmium, phthalates, or BPA — you need a warning.
"A generic warning label covers me." Not anymore. Since 2018, warnings must be specific — listing the chemical name and type of harm. Generic "this product contains chemicals known to the State of California" labels won't cut it.
"Nobody actually enforces this." Prop 65 allows private citizens to file lawsuits. Bounty hunters actively target non-compliant Amazon and Shopify sellers. Settlements typically run $5,000-$50,000+.
What you actually need: A compliance assessment that identifies which chemicals in your product line trigger Prop 65, and the correct warning language for each one.
We deliver full Prop 65 compliance reports within 4 hours. No guesswork, no legal gray areas.