KDP proof copies and author copies: cost, limits and how to order

Proofs versus author copies

A proof copy is a test print for checking your book before it goes on sale. It has a “Not for Resale” watermark and a unique barcode without an ISBN. An author copy is a print of your live book, without any unpublished draft changes, that you may sell or give away. Neither appears in KDP reports or earns a royalty; past orders show in your Amazon order history.

How ordering works

• Proofs: from the Bookshelf ellipsis menu choose Request Printed Proofs, pick a quantity of up to 5 and the marketplace for your shipping address. Within 4 hours KDP emails a cart link, and the proofs are removed from your cart if you do not buy within 24 hours of that email.
• Author copies: available once the book is Live or Live with unpublished changes, up to 999 per order. The button can take an extra 24 hours to appear after the book goes live.

Order from the marketplace that serves your address: Amazon.com for the US, Amazon.co.uk for the UK, Amazon.com.au for Australia and New Zealand. Japan orders must come from Amazon.co.jp and can only ship within Japan.

Worked example

A 300-page black ink 6 x 9 in paperback has an Amazon.com printing cost of $1.00 + (300 × $0.012) = $4.60. Ten author copies cost 10 × $4.60 = $46.00 before shipping, which is shown at checkout based on your destination.

Common mistakes

• Ordering author copies right after an update. If the status is still Live with unpublished changes, you receive the previous version, and copies printed from an earlier file can’t be replaced or refunded.
• Selling proof copies. They are marked Not for Resale; order author copies for stock you plan to sell.

Amazon changes these rules; the linked KDP help pages are the authority.