Amazon Adds 3.5% Fuel Surcharge on Fulfillment Services Starting April 17

✴︎

4.4.2026

Quick Facts

Amazon’s 3.5% fuel surcharge takes effect April 17, adding an average 17 cents per unit to fulfillment costs
The surcharge affects 2 million sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon services across U.S. and Canada
Oil prices surged above $107 per barrel as the Iran war blocks shipments through the Strait of Hormuz

Amazon will implement a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge on fulfillment services starting April 17, 2026. The company announced the temporary fee increase Thursday as the Iran war drives oil prices higher.

The surcharge applies to Fulfillment by Amazon services in the U.S. and Canada, plus Remote Fulfillment shipping from the U.S. to Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Starting May 2, the fee extends to Buy with Prime and Multi-Channel Fulfillment services.

The 3.5% levy adds an average 17 cents per unit to fulfillment costs, though amounts vary by item size. Amazon calculates the surcharge on fulfillment fees rather than product sale prices.

“Elevated costs in fuel and logistics have increased the cost of operating across the industry,” Amazon wrote in its seller notice. “When costs remain elevated, we implement temporary surcharges on our fulfillment fees to recover a portion of the actual cost increases we are experiencing.”

Oil prices jumped Thursday as investors weighed supply chain disruptions from the Middle East conflict. June futures for Brent crude rose more than 6% to $107.35 per barrel. The Strait of Hormuz, which handles one-fifth of global petroleum consumption, faces shipping restrictions due to the war.

About 20% of the world’s oil comes from the Gulf region, with more than 20 million barrels transiting daily through the strait. The conflict has suspended roughly one-fifth of global crude and natural gas supply.

Amazon joins major logistics providers implementing fuel surcharges. The U.S. Postal Service plans an 8% temporary price hike on package shipping April 26. UPS and FedEx imposed higher fuel surcharges since the Iran war began.

Amazon spokesperson Ashley Vanicek said the surcharge is “meaningfully lower” than competitor fees. The company previously implemented a 5% fuel surcharge in 2022, which was below UPS and FedEx rates at the time.

Sellers questioned whether the surcharge will remain temporary. “Has anyone ever seen a surcharge go away before on Amazon?” one seller wrote on discussion boards. Noah Wickham from Amazon seller agency My Amazon Guy expects the company will “keep it regardless” of future fuel price changes.

The fee affects thousands of small businesses using Amazon’s platform as inflation and supply chain issues squeeze profit margins. Amazon raised Fulfillment by Amazon fees in January, adding an average 8 cents per unit.