Tiktok Shop requirements to Start Selling

To qualify for TikTok Shop, you must be 18 or older, reside in the U.S., provide a valid ID, business registration (for company account), and operate in a supported country by TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop is growing rapidly, becoming one of the top e-commerce marketplaces in 2025. Millions of smart sellers are now building profitable businesses by reaching customers through short videos, live streams, and authentic product demonstrations. Unlike traditional online stores that rely on paid advertising to drive traffic, TikTok Shop lets ordinary sellers create entertaining content that turns into direct sales, without needing millions of followers.

With over 150 million active users, TikTok has transformed from a platform known for Gen Z dance videos into a powerful social media tool that drives e-commerce. The platform’s in-app purchasing system creates opportunities for sellers to connect directly with customers, making it a game-changer in the online marketplace.

Basic Eligibility Requirements

To open a TikTok Shop, you must meet these conditions:

• You must be at least 18 years old and prove it with a valid ID (like a driver’s license or passport).
• You must reside and operate in one of TikTok’s approved regions:
  United States, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, Spain, Ireland.
• You need a TikTok business account (not a regular or creator account).
• Business registration certificate if you want to use company Account
• Your email and phone number must work, so TikTok can contact you.
• You can open a shop with zero followers.
• For Verification TikTok will check your address and ID to make sure everything matches. This means you may need to do a quick selfie or facial scan along with sharing your documents.

Before We Start: Why Profit Tracking Matters

Opening a TikTok Shop is just the first step. Once you start selling, your number-one task is understanding your profit. Many sellers make sales but have no idea how much they are actually earning after returns, ads, fees, and commissions.

Thousands of sellers generate impressive GMV, but end up losing money because they can’t track:

• Real ad spend
• GMV Max ads (net credits)
• True margins
• Returns & disputes
• Affiliate commissions (shop, partner & overall)
• Platform fees
• Net profit

When these numbers are spread across TikTok Seller Centre, Ads Manager, and spreadsheets, most sellers make decisions blindly, and profits disappear.

How to Track TikTok Shop Profit

Kixmon, the best TikTok Shop profit tracker, gives sellers complete visibility into their store’s performance. With this TikTok profit tracking dashboard, users can instantly view GMV, orders, items sold, returns, ad costs, affiliate commissions, gross profit, and net profit, all updated in real time.

Designed for profit tracking on TikTok Shop, this powerful tool compares growth across any date range as compared to other best TikTok Shop Profit Trackers. It syncs directly with TikTok Seller Center, TikTok Ads Analytics, and Ads Manager to deliver precise, automated profit insights no spreadsheets required.

Keep this in mind as you launch. The sooner you track profit correctly, the faster your shop grows.

Documentation Needed

TikTok is strict about identity verification, document clarity, and name matching. One mismatch in your documentation, and your account will face instant rejection.

If you are an individual seller:

• Government ID (passport, driver’s license, or national ID card)
• Proof of address (like a bank statement or a bill that shows your name and address)
• Bank account in your own name
• Tax forms (W-9 in the US) and your taxpayer ID
• All addresses and names on your papers should match exactly

If you are a business, you will need:

• Business registration certificate or business license
• Employer Identification Number (EIN) or similar tax number
• Business bank account
• Documents showing the business address
• Information about the people who own the business

General rules for documents:

• All files you upload must be under 10 MB
• Use only JPG, PNG, or PDF files
• Everything needs to be clear and match across your documents

Financial, Tax, and Fee Requirements

TikTok verifies all financial details to block any possible fraud.

• The bank account name must match your ID or business documents.
• No transfers to third-party accounts (friends or relatives)
• TikTok may perform micro-deposits to verify.

Tax Requirements

Examples:

• U.S. sellers: W-9, SSN/ITIN verification
• UK/EU: VAT numbers
• Some regions require additional sales tax registration

TikTok charges:

• A 6% referral fee (5% for jewellery)
• A 2.9% transaction fee starting in April 2025
• Sometimes other small fees (like withdrawal fees—these can change by your country)

Product and Inventory Rules

To open your shop, you need to list at least one physical product (not digital or service-only)

Allowed Categories

TikTok’s strongest categories include:

• Fashion & Apparel
• Beauty & Skincare
• Electronics & Accessories
• Home Decor
• Lifestyle Items
• Collectibles
• Pre-owned luxury bags (with authentication requirements)
  

Prohibited Items

These are some categories that you must avoid to make your TikTok shop account safe.

• Weapons, Guns, Knives
• Tobacco, Alcohol, Vapes
• Illegal Drugs or Medicine
• Counterfeit goods
• Adult products
• Hazardous materials
• Perishable food
• Live animals
• Most used/second-hand products
  

Some categories, Beauty, Supplements, Tech, and Jewellery, require extra certifications.

How to create a TikTok Shop Account

1. Preparation:
Gather all your paperwork, double-check dates, make sure documents are valid and not expired, and make sure your emails/phone numbers are correct.

2. Application:
Log in to the TikTok Seller Centre online, complete the eligibility form, and upload your documents.

Step 3: Verification

To verify TikTok, you may be requested to follow some of these steps:

• Selfie/facial scan
• Additional tax proof
• Bank verification
• Credit card authorisation hold

3. Configuration:
Set your shipping options, return address, shop profile, and add at least one product.

4. Timeline:
Most shops get approved in 24-48 hours. Some may take up to 5 days, especially if TikTok needs more information or has a lot of new requests.

Performance & Service Standards

• TikTok gives each shop a performance score (from 1 to 5). If your score is above 2.5, you can join special seller programs. If you get to 4.0 or higher, you earn a Star Shop badge, which makes your shop stand out.
• Tips for a better score:
  • Ship orders fast (within 24-48 hours)
  • Answer customer questions quickly and politely
  • Make sure items arrive as described

Compliance and Community Guidelines

• Always use real, honest descriptions and photos.
• Never use fake reviews, dishonest prices, or copy other sellers’ content.
• Be professional and respectful with customers.
• Follow TikTok’s safety and content rules so your shop doesn’t get banned.

Seller Types Comparison Table

Feature	Individual Seller	Business Seller
Documents Needed	ID, proof of address, bank info, tax form	Business license, EIN/tax number, bank info, address
Best For	Solo entrepreneurs, first-time sellers	Brands, companies, teams
Tax Complexity	Simple	More complex
Analytics Tools	Basic	Advanced analytics, batch upload
Liability	Personal	Limited/Corporate
Can Upgrade	Yes	Already full

Regional Differences

• US Sellers:
  Must submit W-9, state tax registration, address checks, and tax reporting documents. Approval often uses SSN and facial verification.
• International Sellers:
  Will need local tax numbers, proof of address, sometimes VAT registration, and may face extra checks for some items.

Common Rejection Reasons

• ID name doesn’t match the application
• Blurry or low-quality documents
• Expired IDs
• Unsupported country or VPN usage
• Prohibited products
• File format not accepted
• Missing bank verification
  

If you get rejected, fix the issue and reapply. TikTok allows retries, make sure to follow the steps as suggested to improve chances of your TikTOk Shop approval.

FAQ Section

You can also check a tool for tracking profit after starting a TikTok Shop and improving your ROI with advanced analytics.

Conclusion

Getting started with TikTok Shop is simple if you follow the rules and gather the right documents. A good SaaS platform helps you track profits, manage documents, and stay organised—all things that help you succeed.