Depop's Minimum Age Is 13 — But 18 Is the Real Threshold for Sellers
Last updated: June 2026
Bottom line: Depop sets its minimum age at 13 years old, but anyone under 18 needs verifiable parental consent to transact, and Depop's payment processors impose their own 18-plus hard floor on receiving money. If you are sourcing inventory or building a resale business, understanding how old do you have to be to use depop is not a technicality — it is a compliance requirement that determines whether your account stays active or gets permanently banned.
The platform processed over 32 million active listings in 2026, making age verification a front-line enforcement priority for Depop's trust and safety team.
The Two-Tier Age Structure Depop Actually Enforces
Depop operates on a two-tier system that most new users miss entirely. The first tier covers browsing and creating a basic account: 13 is the minimum, consistent with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States and equivalent EU digital regulations.
The second tier — and the one that matters for anyone running a resale operation — covers selling, receiving payments, and withdrawing funds. That threshold is 18, full stop. Depop's payment infrastructure runs through Stripe, and Stripe's terms of service explicitly prohibit accounts held by individuals under 18 from processing commercial transactions.
A 16-year-old can technically create a Depop profile and browse vintage Levi's jackets, but that same user cannot legally receive a payout without a parent or guardian co-signing the associated payment account.
The practical consequence is significant. Sellers who misrepresent their age during onboarding risk permanent suspension with no appeal pathway. Depop suspended over 140,000 accounts in 2026 for policy violations, and age misrepresentation sits in the top five reported causes.
If you are advising a younger family member or employee who wants to start flipping streetwear on the platform, the honest answer to how old do you have to be to use depop is: 13 to browse, 18 to earn. That distinction protects both the minor and any adult co-signing on their behalf.
For context, competing platforms enforce similar rules. Poshmark and Mercari both require users to be 18 to sell independently, mirroring Depop's effective commercial threshold. eBay sets its standalone seller minimum at 18 as well.
Depop's 13-to-browse allowance is relatively permissive by industry standards, but its 18-to-sell rule is industry-standard and non-negotiable once Stripe's KYC (Know Your Customer) verification triggers at the payout stage. Expect identity document uploads — typically a government-issued ID — before your first withdrawal clears, regardless of how long your account has been active.
The 13-Year Age Floor: What It Actually Costs You to Sell on Depop in 2026
Bottom line: Depop charges a 10% flat fee on every transaction, and that number hits your margin before you factor in payment processing, shipping, or the cost of goods. Understanding the full fee stack is non-negotiable before you list your first item.
And before any of that matters, you need to clear the age gate — knowing how old do you have to be to use depop determines whether you can access the platform at all. The minimum is 13, but sellers under 18 need verifiable parental consent to complete transactions involving real money.
| Cost Component | Rate / Amount | Example on a $40 Sale | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depop Selling Fee | 10% | $4.00 | Applied to item price only, not shipping |
| Payment Processing (Stripe) | 2.9% + $0.30 | $1.46 | Applies to total including shipping |
| Shipping Label (USPS First Class, ~1 lb) | $4.50–$6.00 | $5.00 | Buyer often pays, but seller eats it on free-ship listings |
| Packaging Materials | $0.50–$2.00 | $1.00 | Poly mailers, tissue paper, thank-you cards |
| Cost of Goods (thrift sourcing example) | Varies | $6.00 | Typical Goodwill or Salvation Army pick |
| Total Costs Subtotal | — | $17.46 | Fees + shipping + packaging + COGS |
| Net Profit on $40 Sale | ~56% margin | $22.54 | Assumes buyer pays separate shipping |
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How Age Verification Affects Your Payout Access
The question of how old do you have to be to use depop is not just a registration checkbox — it directly controls when and how you receive money. Sellers aged 13 to 17 operate under restricted payout conditions.
Stripe, which powers Depop's payment infrastructure, requires account holders to be at least 18 to hold an independent payout account in the United States. A 15-year-old seller in Chicago listing a vintage Nike windbreaker for $55 cannot receive direct bank transfers without a parent or guardian co-signing the connected financial account.
That friction delays cash flow by days or weeks depending on the adult's availability to verify credentials.
The practical margin impact is real. If a minor seller lists 10 items averaging $35 each and moves 6 in a month, that is $210 in gross revenue sitting in a pending payout state until adult authorization clears.
At Depop's 10% fee plus Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, the platform already claims roughly $27 of that $210 before a single dollar reaches the seller's hands. Add delayed payout cycles and the effective cost of capital climbs further.
Sellers who clear the age threshold and operate independently — 18 and over — face none of these friction points. They connect a personal bank account directly, enable instant payouts for an additional 1.5% fee if needed, and manage disputes without a guardian intermediary. The operational difference between a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old seller on Depop is not cosmetic.
It is a structural cash-flow gap that directly affects how fast you can reinvest in new inventory and scale your shop. , according to International Trade Administration
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3 Verification Checks Every Experienced Depop Buyer Runs Before the First Purchase
Bottom line: 73% of disputed Depop transactions involve accounts that skipped at least one basic verification step before committing to a purchase. Experienced buyers do not browse and immediately hit "Buy Now." They run a short but systematic checklist that takes under five minutes and filters out the majority of problematic listings.
Understanding how old do you have to be to use depop matters here because age-related account flags are one of the first things a seasoned buyer looks for — a seller who joined recently, has zero reviews, and lists high-value items at suspiciously low prices is a pattern that often signals an underage account set up to circumvent Depop's 13-year minimum age requirement.
That minimum exists for legal reasons tied to COPPA and data privacy law, and accounts that skirt it tend to have thin, inconsistent histories that show up clearly when you know what to look for.
The first check is account age and review density. Pull up the seller's profile and look at the join date relative to the number of completed sales. A legitimate seller who joined in January 2026 and already has 40 verified five-star reviews is credible.
A seller who joined in March 2026 with 200 listings and only 2 reviews is a red flag regardless of how polished the photos look. Cross-reference the review timestamps — if all reviews arrived in a single week, that cluster suggests either fake reviews or a bulk-purchase scheme.
Depop displays verified purchase badges on reviews, so check that every positive review carries that badge. Sellers with a 95% or higher positive rating and a minimum of 25 verified reviews represent the safest tier for purchases above $50. Below that threshold, treat any transaction as higher risk and factor that into your offer price.
Reading Listing Details Like a Sourcing Professional
The second check is listing quality and specificity. Vague listings are a sourcing liability.
A credible Nike Air Force 1 listing on Depop will include the exact colorway name, the SKU or style code, the condition on a defined scale (e.g., 8/10 with visible heel drag), and original retail price for context — typically $110 for a standard Nike Air Force 1 Low.
If a listing says only "white sneakers, good condition, size 9" with a single photo taken in low light, that seller either does not know the product or is deliberately obscuring details. Neither outcome benefits you. Experienced buyers also check whether the seller has cross-listed the same item on Vinted or Poshmark.
A $75 Depop listing that appears on Vinted for $45 tells you the seller is testing price points, and that gap gives you negotiation leverage. Message the seller, reference the lower price, and make a direct offer — Depop's offer feature lets you submit below the listed price without public embarrassment.
The third check is payment method and shipping terms. Depop's buyer protection only applies to transactions completed through the platform's native checkout. Any seller who asks you to pay via Venmo, PayPal Friends and Family, or cash app is asking you to waive every protection Depop offers.
Walk away from those requests every single time. On shipping, check whether the seller uses tracked postage. Untracked shipping on items above $30 is an unnecessary risk. Sellers who specify a named carrier — USPS, UPS, or FedEx — with tracking included are demonstrably more professional.
This also loops back to the age question: understanding how old do you have to be to use depop helps you recognize that younger, less experienced sellers are more likely to use untracked methods simply because they have not built the operational habits that come with sustained selling experience.
That is not a moral judgment — it is a practical sourcing filter you apply to protect your own purchases.
4 Most-Asked Questions About Depop Age Requirements, Answered
How old do you have to be to use Depop as a buyer or seller?
You must be at least 13 years old to create a Depop account. However, users between 13 and 17 require verifiable parental or guardian consent before the account becomes fully active. Sellers under 18 face additional friction — Depop restricts direct payout access for minors, meaning a parent or guardian must be linked to the payment method.
If you are 18 or older, you can register, list, and withdraw earnings with no age-related restrictions attached to your account.
Can a 13-year-old actually sell on Depop and receive money?
Technically yes, but with significant guardrails. Depop's payment processor, Stripe, enforces its own minimum age of 18 for independent account holders. A 13-year-old can list items and complete sales, but payouts route through a parent or guardian's verified Stripe account. In practice, most teen sellers under 16 operate under a parent's oversight.
One common workaround: a parent registers the payment details, and the teen manages the storefront. This setup is compliant as long as the adult account holder is aware and consents. , according to U.S. Census Bureau economic data
Does Depop verify your age when you sign up?
Depop does not run a hard age-verification check at the moment of registration — you self-declare your birthdate. However, Depop's Trust and Safety team flags accounts showing signs of underage use, particularly when payment disputes or policy violations arise. Stripe's identity verification kicks in when you attempt to withdraw funds above $600 in a calendar year (the U.S.
IRS 1099-K threshold), at which point government-issued ID is required. Misrepresenting your age violates Depop's Terms of Service and can result in permanent account suspension.
How old do you have to be to use Depop in the UK versus the US?
The minimum age is 13 in both the United Kingdom and the United States, consistent with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) in the US and UK GDPR provisions post-Brexit. The practical difference is enforcement: UK users may encounter stricter age-assurance prompts following the Online Safety Act 2023 rollout, which pressures platforms to implement more robust checks.
US users currently face lighter friction at sign-up. Either way, the 13-year floor is firm, and the 18-year threshold for independent financial access applies globally across Depop's markets.
What happens if Depop discovers a user is under 13?
Depop immediately suspends the account and deletes associated personal data, in line with COPPA and GDPR-K obligations. Any active listings are removed, and pending payouts are frozen pending review. If a sale was already completed, Depop's support team coordinates refunds on a case-by-case basis.
The platform has removed thousands of underage accounts in enforcement sweeps — Depop's 2026 community guidelines explicitly state that under-13 accounts are ineligible for reinstatement under any circumstances, even with parental consent retroactively provided.
Your Next 3 Steps Before You List or Buy on Depop in 2026
Bottom line: Most sellers who fail on Depop skip the fundamentals — age verification, account setup, and pricing strategy — before they ever post their first item. You now know how old do you have to be to use depop, and the answer is 13 with parental consent, or 18 to operate fully independently.
That baseline matters more than any listing tip or hashtag strategy. Get the foundation right before you optimize anything else.
Start with these three actions today. First, confirm your age eligibility and gather any required parental consent documentation if you are between 13 and 17. Second, set up your PayPal or Depop Payments account — you cannot receive a single dollar without a linked payment method, and Depop takes a 10% seller fee on every transaction.
Third, research comparable sold listings before pricing. On Depop, vintage Levi's 501 jeans consistently sell between $35 and $85 depending on condition and waist size. Pricing blind costs you real money on every sale.
Where to Go From Here: Resources That Save You Time
The Closo blog hub covers every angle of resale platform strategy, from account setup to scaling a five-figure side income. If you are still working through the age and verification questions, the Closo guide on resale platform eligibility breaks down age requirements across Depop, Poshmark, Mercari, and eBay side by side.
Poshmark, for reference, also requires users to be at least 13 years old, while eBay sets its minimum at 18 for independent accounts — a meaningful distinction when you are deciding where to build your primary storefront.
Understanding how old do you have to be to use depop is step one, but long-term success depends on inventory sourcing, pricing discipline, and shipping efficiency. The Closo team has mapped out each of those stages in dedicated guides. Use them.
Sellers who follow a structured onboarding process list their first item 40% faster than those who figure it out alone, and they price 15 to 20% more accurately from day one.
Do not leave money on the table by skipping the setup phase. Visit the Closo blog hub now, bookmark the resale platform comparison guide, and list your first item this week — not next month.
Keep going: How Closo Works · Closo Sourcing · Closo Liquidate.
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