Walmart Marketplace Approval Requirements: Documents and Checklist
Walmart Marketplace is not open to everyone: every seller goes through an application and business verification, and incomplete or inconsistent documents are the most common reason for delays. The good news is that the requirements are published. Prepare them properly and approval is usually straightforward.
Walmart's published requirements
According to Walmart's official beginner's guide, sellers applying to the US marketplace should have:
- A business tax ID or business license number (an SSN is not accepted).
- Supporting documents that verify your business name and address.
- A history of marketplace or e-commerce success.
- Products with GTIN/UPC GS1 company prefix numbers.
- A catalog that complies with Walmart's prohibited-products policy.
- Fulfillment through Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) or another B2C US warehouse with returns capability.
Walmart states there are no setup or monthly fees; instead you pay a referral fee on each sale, which Walmart says ranges from 6% to 15% depending on category and price.
Documents for business verification
Walmart's Marketplace Learn guide to business verification (updated June 15, 2026) lists what you upload during onboarding:
| Item | What Walmart asks for | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Photo ID | Front and back of the ID; clear and well-lit; PNG, JPG or PDF | Cropped or blurry photos |
| Business document | Business license or registration certificate showing company name, address and date | Name or address differs from the application |
| Proof of address | For example a utility bill addressed to the business or applicant, or a letter of authorization | Old or personal documents that don't match |
| Identity details | Entered exactly as on your ID, including residential address | Abbreviations or different spellings |
| Company details | Country of incorporation, registration or license number, entity type, business phone, primary contact | Details differ from the registration document |
For some countries of incorporation, Walmart may also ask for identity information for the company's legal representative or director. Chinese sellers should have the legal representative's details ready before starting.
A step-by-step checklist
- Decide which entity applies. A US LLC or corporation generally provides a W-9, while a foreign company such as a Chinese one generally provides a W-8BEN-E. Use the entity that will receive payouts and own the brand.
- Make every document match. Company name, address and registration number should be identical across the license, proof of address, tax form and bank account.
- Prepare proof of track record. Have store links or sales reports from Amazon, your own site or other marketplaces ready.
- Check your UPCs. Walmart asks for GS1 company prefix numbers, so buy barcodes from GS1 in the brand owner's name rather than using resold codes.
- Plan fulfillment. Decide between WFS and your own US warehouse or 3PL. Be ready to explain shipping times and how returns are handled in the US.
- Review restricted categories. Some categories need extra approval or documents; check before you list.
- After approval, complete tax and payment setup, list a few top SKUs first and watch performance metrics from day one.
Tip: Most delays come from mismatched details, not missing ones. Before you submit, put every document side by side and compare the company name and address letter by letter.
New-seller savings: worth planning around
Walmart's New-Seller Savings 2026 program runs from Feb 2, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027 for sellers who go live after Feb 1, 2026 and opt in after launch. Walmart lists referral-fee discounts of 20% on the first $50K of GMV, 30% on $50K–$500K and 40% above $500K (up to $72K in total), plus credits for WFS, search engine marketing and Walmart Connect ads. The chart shows what that means for a category charged 15%:
Terms vary by seller and can change, so confirm the current rules and your eligibility in Seller Center.
After approval: protect the account
Walmart tracks seller performance on metrics including cancellation rate, on-time delivery, refund rate, valid tracking rate and seller response rate. Thresholds are published in Seller Center and may change, so check them there. Upload valid tracking for every order, set realistic handling times, keep inventory in sync and answer customer messages quickly.
How Atronia Innovations helps
We help Chinese factories and US brands prepare Walmart applications, set up listings and WFS, and run ads after launch, all through user access, never passwords. See our plans or ask us to review your documents. Launching in the US for the first time? Start with our US market entry checklist.
