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Key fact: FBA monthly storage costs $0.78-$2.40 per cubic foot, and Amazon's aged inventory surcharge applies to any unit stored 181 days or more.
Understand, calculate, and avoid Amazon's aged inventory surcharges before they eat your profits
→ Jump to Free CalculatorAmazon's 6-month inventory storage fee (officially called the aged inventory surcharge) is a penalty Amazon charges sellers for inventory that sits in FBA warehouses for more than 181 days. This is separate from the standard monthly storage fee and is designed to push sellers to move slow-moving stock.
If your inventory exceeds 365 days (12 months), the rate steps up again: $6.90 per cubic foot (or $0.30 per unit) for units aged 366–455 days, and $7.90 per cubic foot (or $0.35 per unit) past 456 days. The 6-month fee is essentially Amazon's early warning system: fix your inventory age problem now, or face much higher penalties later.
The 2026 aged inventory surcharge is tiered by inventory age only — Amazon does not charge different surcharge rates by product size. The rate starts at $0.50 per cubic foot at 181 days and climbs to $7.90 per cubic foot (or $0.35 per unit) at 456+ days — a 15.8× spread. The band-by-band reference table, with a worked example for a 0.5 cu ft unit, is in the aged inventory surcharge rate reference below.
The aged inventory surcharge is calculated based on your product's cubic foot volume and the number of days it has been in FBA inventory. Here's the formula:
Monthly Fee = Product Volume (cu ft) × Surcharge Rate × Number of Units
For example, if you have 100 units of a 0.5 cu ft product, each aged 200 days:
This doesn't include the separate standard monthly storage fee ($0.78/cu ft for Jan-Sep, $2.40/cu ft for Oct-Dec for standard-size items). During peak season aged inventory can reach $2.90/cu ft/month in combined charges at the opening band — and far more once a unit passes day 271.
Use this calculator to estimate your aged inventory surcharge and total storage costs:
Calculating your Amazon 6-month inventory storage fee is straightforward once you understand the formula. Here's the step-by-step process:
Multiply your product's width × length × height (in inches), then divide by 1,728 (the number of cubic inches in one cubic foot).
Look up how long the unit has been in FBA. Surcharge rates depend on age alone — not on product size — so a unit aged 181–210 days pays $0.50/cu ft/month and the rate climbs at 211, 241, 271, 301, 331, 366 and 456 days.
The aged surcharge is on top of the standard monthly storage fee. Your true monthly cost = Aged Surcharge + Standard Storage. Use the calculator above to see both fees combined.
Amazon assesses the aged inventory surcharge on the 15th of each month. Here's the timeline:
| Inventory Age | Fee Type | When Charged | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-90 days | Standard monthly storage only | Monthly statement | Normal cost |
| 91-180 days | Standard storage + warning | Seller Central alert | ⚠️ Take action |
| 181-365 days | Aged inventory surcharge (6-month fee) | 15th of each month | 🔴 Extra $0.50-$5.90/cu ft |
| 366-455 days | Aged inventory surcharge (highest bands) | 15th of each month | 🔴 $6.90/cu ft or $0.30/unit |
| 456+ days | Aged inventory surcharge (top band) | 15th of each month | 🔴 $7.90/cu ft or $0.35/unit |
This is the most critical date for 6-month storage fees. Amazon's October 15th inventory snapshot determines which units will be charged the aged inventory surcharge in a peak-storage month. Here's what you need to know:
Don't wait for Seller Central to warn you. Use inventory management tools to set alerts at 90 days and 150 days. This gives you 30-90 days to take action before the aged inventory surcharge kicks in.
Slow-moving inventory can often be cleared with a Lightning Deal or coupon promotion. Even selling at a small loss is better than paying aged inventory fees for 6+ months. Calculate your break-even point using our 6-month storage fee calculator.
If a product truly isn't selling, submit a removal order before the 180-day mark. You can choose to have items returned to you or disposed of. Removal fees ($0.97-$1.98/unit) are much less than 6 months of aged inventory surcharges.
Amazon's Liquidations program allows you to recover approximately 5-10% of the retail value of slow-moving inventory. While you won't get full price, it's better than paying storage fees indefinitely. Liquidation orders typically take 60-90 days to process.
For items that sell slowly but still have demand, consider switching to FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant). You'll pay no FBA storage fees, and you can store inventory in your own warehouse at a fraction of the cost. Use our FBA vs FBM calculator to compare costs.
| Duration | Monthly Fee | Surcharge | Total per Cu Ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-6 months | $0.78 | $0.00 | $5.22 (6 mo, storage only) |
| 6-9 months (181–270 days) | $0.78 | +$0.50 to +$1.50 | $7.11–$10.11 (9 mo) |
| 9-12 months (271–365 days) | $0.78 | +$5.45 to +$5.90 | $16.80–$18.15 (12 mo) |
| 12-15 months (366–455 days) | $0.78 | +$6.90 or $0.30/unit | $17.13 (12 mo) |
| 15+ months (456+ days) | $0.78 | +$7.90 or $0.35/unit | $17.58 (12 mo) |
💡 Key Insight: The single most expensive step is day 271, where the surcharge leaps from $1.50 to $5.45 per cubic foot — a 263% increase. The second is day 456. Remove dead stock long before day 271.
Here's what the 6-month storage fee actually costs for common product types:
| Product | Volume | Age Band | Monthly Surcharge | 6-Month Total | Plus standard storage (6 mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Case | 0.02 cu ft | 181–210 days | $0.01 | $0.06 | $0.60 |
| Book | 0.05 cu ft | 181–210 days | $0.03 | $0.15 | $0.75 |
| Blender | 0.50 cu ft | 271–300 days | $2.73 | $16.35 | $18.96 |
| Standing Desk | 3.00 cu ft | 271–300 days | $16.35 | $98.10 | $113.76 |
| 100× Yoga Mats | 50.0 cu ft | 181–210 days | $25.00 | $150.00 | $411.00 |
Notice that what drives the bill is volume × age, not product size class. The same standing desk costs 6× more per month simply by crossing day 271, and a bulk shipment pays the most of all — which is why the day-271 line, not the 12-month mark, is the one to plan around.
Many sellers confuse the standard monthly storage fee with the aged inventory surcharge. Here's the key difference:
| Fee Type | Applies To | Rate | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Storage | All inventory, every month | $0.78/cu ft (Jan-Sep) $2.40/cu ft (Oct-Dec) | Pay for warehouse space |
| Aged Inventory Surcharge (6-month) | Any unit 181+ days old | $0.50–$5.90/cu ft (age bands) | Penalize slow-moving stock |
| Aged Inventory Surcharge (oldest bands) | Any unit 366+ days old | $6.90–$7.90/cu ft, or $0.30–$0.35/unit | Force removal of dead stock |
During Q4, a unit over 271 days old pays $2.40 (standard) + $5.45 (aged) = $7.85/cu ft/month. That's roughly 9× the normal January–September rate.
For the first 180 days a unit sits in an FBA fulfillment center, the only storage charge is the standard monthly storage fee — the line sellers mean when they search for short-term inventory storage. In the US that is $0.78 per cubic foot per month from January to September and $2.40 per cubic foot per month in October to December, charged on every unit regardless of how long it has been there. No age penalty applies in this window, which is exactly why short-term storage is cheap and long storage is not.
The picture changes the month a unit passes 181 days. From that snapshot onward the standard fee keeps running and the aged inventory surcharge starts on top of it — $0.50 per cubic foot at 181–210 days, stepping up to $5.90 by 331–365 days, then $6.90 or $7.90 past a year. Because the two charges stack rather than replace each other, the same unit in Q4 can cost $2.40 (short-term standard) + $5.45 (aged) = $7.85 per cubic foot per month. Model both layers before you restock with the inventory planning & storage calculator.
They're the same program, renamed. Amazon retired the old semi-annual long-term storage fee (a one-time $11.30 or $22.60 per cubic foot charge every February 15 and August 15) and replaced it with the monthly aged inventory surcharge. Units 181–365 days old now pay $0.50–$5.90 per cubic foot per month depending on age band; units aged 366–455 days pay $6.90 per cubic foot or $0.30 per unit, and units aged 456+ days pay $7.90 per cubic foot or $0.35 per unit. See our long-term storage fee guide for the full timeline.
Amazon takes an inventory snapshot on the 15th of each month and bills the surcharge with your monthly storage fees; the charge is typically applied between the 18th and 22nd of the month, so it appears in the settlement that follows a unit crossing 181 days. The October snapshot is the costliest window of the year because the separate peak-season standard storage rate ($2.40 per cubic foot) stacks on top of the surcharge.
In Seller Central, open FBA Inventory and filter the Aged Inventory report for units 181 days or older, or run the Inventory Age report under Inventory Reports. The SKU-level days-on-hand view lets you fire off Lightning Deals, price cuts, or removal orders before the next monthly snapshot locks in the fee.
Yes, at different rates. The US charges the tiered rates on this page, while the UK, EU, Canada, and Japan marketplaces run similar aged inventory surcharge programs with their own per-cubic-foot or per-cubic-meter rates. Always check each marketplace's fee schedule before committing long-lead-time inventory.
Amazon takes a monthly inventory snapshot on the 15th and bills the aged inventory surcharge with your storage fees: units are charged their age band rate ($0.50–$5.90/cu ft for 181–365 days, then $6.90 or $7.90/cu ft) once they cross 181 days. The October snapshot costs the most because the separate peak-season standard storage rate stacks on top.
Product size makes no difference to the surcharge — the rate depends only on inventory age. A 0.5 cu ft unit pays $0.25/month in the 181–210 day band, $0.75/month in the 241–270 day band, and then jumps to $2.73/month from day 271 — about $32.76 over a year at that band.
No. The aged inventory surcharge only applies to units that have been in an FBA fulfillment center for 181 days or more. New inventory only pays the standard monthly storage fee.
You can open a seller support case if you believe the fee was applied incorrectly (e.g., the inventory age calculation is wrong). However, Amazon rarely reverses these fees. The best approach is prevention through inventory management.
No. The aged inventory surcharge is calculated per unit based on when that specific unit arrived at the fulfillment center. Sending new units doesn't reset the clock on existing inventory.
The fee is automatically deducted from your seller account balance. If your balance is insufficient, Amazon may hold your future disbursements until the fees are paid. Persistent non-payment could result in account suspension.
Multiply your product's width × length × height (in inches) and divide by 1,728 to get cubic footage. Then multiply by the age band rate that applies ($0.50–$7.90/cu ft, or the per-unit rate for the two oldest bands, whichever is greater) and by the number of units. For a 6-month estimate, multiply the monthly surcharge by 6. Note: this surcharge is on top of the standard monthly storage fee.
The 2026 aged inventory surcharge runs on seven age steps after the threshold: $0.50 (181–210 days), $1.00 (211–240), $1.50 (241–270), $5.45 (271–300), $5.70 (301–330), $5.90 (331–365), then $6.90 or $0.30/unit (366–455 days) and $7.90 or $0.35/unit (456+ days), per cubic foot per month, whichever is greater. Rates do not vary by product size.
Set automated inventory alerts at 90 and 150 days, run Lightning Deals or coupons to clear slow movers, submit removal orders before the 180-day mark, use Amazon Liquidations to recover 5–10% of retail value, or switch slow sellers to FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) to eliminate FBA storage fees entirely.
Bookmark this quick-reference table: it consolidates every monthly aged inventory surcharge band Amazon charges in the US in 2026, per cubic foot (or per unit at the two oldest bands), on top of standard monthly storage fees.
| Inventory Age | Surcharge (per cu ft/mo) | Per-Unit Rate | Example: 0.5 cu ft unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 181–210 days | $0.50 | — | $0.25/mo |
| 211–240 days | $1.00 | — | $0.50/mo |
| 241–270 days | $1.50 | — | $0.75/mo |
| 271–300 days | $5.45 | — | $2.73/mo |
| 301–330 days | $5.70 | — | $2.85/mo |
| 331–365 days | $5.90 | — | $2.95/mo |
| 366–455 days | $6.90 | $0.30 | $3.45/mo |
| 456+ days | $7.90 | $0.35 | $3.95/mo |
The jump at day 271 is brutal: the rate goes from $1.50 to $5.45 per cubic foot — a 263% increase — and it never comes back down, so removal or liquidation before day 271 is almost always cheaper. Model standard fees with the 2026 FBA storage fee schedule, or run the full math in our FBA profit calculator.
The 6-month inventory storage fee is one of the most expensive penalties Amazon charges sellers. With rates ranging from $0.50 to $7.90 per cubic foot per month depending on inventory age, it can quickly erode your profit margins — and the single step at day 271 lifts the rate by 263%.
The key to avoiding these fees is proactive inventory management:
Don't let slow inventory drain your profits. Calculate Your Fees Now →