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Amazon FBA storage fees in 2026 are charged per cubic foot of inventory stored each month, with significant seasonal variations. During off-peak months (January–September), standard-size inventory costs $0.78 per cubic foot, while during peak season (October–December), it rises to $2.40 per cubic foot. Large-size inventory is charged $0.56 and $1.40 respectively. In addition, two surcharges apply: the storage utilization surcharge (up to $1.88 per cubic foot for inventory over 52 weeks) and the aged inventory surcharge (up to $6.90 per unit for items over 365 days). These fees are cumulative and can dramatically increase your monthly bill if inventory turnover is slow. To minimize costs, optimize replenishment cycles, remove unsellable stock, and use the FBA Revenue Calculator to model total expenses.
Amazon FBA storage fees are monthly charges based on the volume of inventory you store in Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Unlike fulfillment fees, which are charged per unit sold, storage fees are assessed regardless of sales performance. The fee is calculated by measuring the cubic feet your products occupy in Amazon’s warehouses, and it varies depending on the time of year and the size of your items. These fees are designed to incentivize sellers to maintain healthy inventory levels and avoid overstocking, which ties up warehouse space and increases operational costs for Amazon.
Storage fees are billed on the 15th of each month and are based on the average daily volume of inventory stored during the previous month. This means even if you ship out inventory mid-month, you’ll still be charged for the full month’s average. Understanding how these fees are calculated is critical for managing profitability, especially during high-cost periods like Q4.
Amazon’s storage fee structure for 2026 is divided into two seasonal tiers: off-peak (January–September) and peak (October–December). The rates differ between standard-size and large-size items, with large-size items generally costing less per cubic foot but occupying more space.
| Item Size | Off-Peak (Jan–Sep) | Peak (Oct–Dec) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard-size | $0.78 per cubic foot | $2.40 per cubic foot |
| Large-size | $0.56 per cubic foot | $1.40 per cubic foot |
Standard-size items are defined as those under 16 oz and 10" x 8" x 6". Large-size items exceed these dimensions or weigh more than 2 lbs. Note that these rates apply to inventory stored in the United States. International storage fees (e.g., EU, Canada) differ and are not covered here.
Amazon imposes a storage utilization surcharge on inventory that remains in its fulfillment centers for extended periods. This surcharge is designed to discourage long-term storage and free up space for high-turnover products. The surcharge is applied on top of the base monthly storage fee and increases in tiers based on how long the inventory has been stored.
The surcharge is calculated per cubic foot and is applied to all inventory that has been in the warehouse for more than 22 weeks. It is not based on sales performance but on age alone. Even if your product is selling well, if it was shipped in early in the year, it may still trigger the surcharge by Q4.
| Storage Duration | Surcharge per Cubic Foot |
|---|---|
| 22–28 weeks | $0.44 |
| 29–36 weeks | $0.88 |
| 37–48 weeks | $1.32 |
| 52+ weeks | $1.88 |
For example, if you store 100 cubic feet of standard-size inventory for 55 weeks, your base storage fee in Q4 is $240 (100 × $2.40), and your utilization surcharge is $188 (100 × $1.88), totaling $428 for the month.
The aged inventory surcharge is a separate fee applied to individual units that have been in Amazon’s fulfillment centers for 181 days or longer. Unlike the utilization surcharge, which is volume-based, the aged inventory surcharge is charged per unit and applies regardless of item size or category. It is designed to remove slow-moving or obsolete inventory from Amazon’s warehouses.
This surcharge is applied in addition to both the base storage fee and the storage utilization surcharge. It is not prorated — if an item reaches 181 days on any day of the month, the full surcharge applies for the entire month.
| Age of Inventory | Surcharge per Unit |
|---|---|
| 181–210 days | $0.50 |
| 211–240 days | $1.50 |
| 241–364 days | $3.00 |
| 365+ days | $6.90 |
For example, if you have 50 units of a product that has been in FBA for 400 days, your aged inventory surcharge is $150 (50 × $3.00). If those same units are also subject to the utilization surcharge of $1.88 per cubic foot and occupy 0.1 cu ft each, you’ll pay an additional $94 (50 × 0.1 × $1.88) in utilization fees — totaling $244 in surcharges alone for that batch.
Let’s calculate the total monthly storage cost for a product with the following attributes:
Q1 (Off-Peak) Cost:
Q4 (Peak) Cost:
This example shows how the costs stack. Base storage more than triples from Q1 to Q4 (+208%), but the aged inventory surcharge is what really escalates with time — at 250 days it adds $30 in both quarters. Let the same stock reach day 271 and that line alone becomes 400 × 0.05 × $5.45 = $109.00, which is why clearing inventory before 270 days matters far more than shaving the seasonal base rate.
Q4 storage rates apply from October 1 to December 31 each year. During this period, standard-size inventory is charged $2.40 per cubic foot, compared to $0.78 during off-peak months. Large-size inventory is charged $1.40 per cubic foot during Q4.
The storage utilization surcharge is an additional fee applied to inventory that has been stored for more than 22 weeks. It is calculated per cubic foot and increases in tiers: $0.44 for 22–28 weeks, $0.88 for 29–36 weeks, $1.32 for 37–48 weeks, and $1.88 for 52+ weeks. This surcharge is applied on top of the base monthly storage fee.
The aged inventory surcharge is applied to individual units that have been in FBA for 181 days or longer. It is charged per unit, not per cubic foot, and increases in tiers: $0.50 for 181–210 days, $1.50 for 211–240 days, $3.00 for 241–364 days, and $6.90 for 365+ days. This surcharge is applied in addition to both the base storage fee and the storage utilization surcharge.
To estimate storage cost per unit, multiply the item's volume in cubic feet by the applicable monthly rate ($0.78–$2.40), then add any applicable surcharges. For example, a 0.05 cu ft item stored in Q4 costs 0.05 × $2.40 = $0.12 per month in base fee. If stored 40 weeks, add $0.88 utilization surcharge: $0.12 + $0.88 = $1.00 per unit. Use the Amazon FBA Revenue Calculator to model total costs including fulfillment and referral fees.
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