Rust / Guide
Trade holds on Rust skins: how long and why?
7 days after a market purchase, a week after the item store, forever for drops and packs: every lock on Rust skins – and what your Steam account adds to it.
In short
- Bought on the Steam market: 7 days not tradable and not marketable.
- Bought in the item store: one week from purchase not tradable and not marketable.
- Twitch/Kick drops, DLC packs and building skins: permanently bound to your account.
- Received in a trade: Rust skins get no new lock afterwards – and you cannot undo a trade.
- An item restriction and an account restriction are separate things. The skin’s release date appears in your Steam inventory; an account restriction, such as one after a password reset, may still apply on top of it.
Which lock applies to your skin?
| Where the skin came from | Trade | Sell on the market |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Community Market | after 7 days | after 7 days |
| Rust Item Store (Steam) | after 1 week | after 1 week |
| Trade with another player | right away | right away |
| Bought on Skinport | once you withdraw it – a locked item only after the lock ends | right away after that |
| Twitch or Kick drop | never | never |
| DLC pack, building skin | never | never |
How to see the exact date
- Open your inventory in Steam and select Rust at the top.
- Click the skin. Its description appears on the right.
- If it shows Tradable & Marketable After with a date and time, the skin is locked until then – the tags then read “Not Tradable, Not Marketable”. If there is no such note and you see the Sell button, it is free.
- If it says “Not Tradable” without a date, the skin is permanently bound to your account.
When your account is restricted
If a skin has been in your inventory for a long time but you still cannot sell it, check your Steam account. Certain account changes trigger separate waiting periods. These affect older items too and do not necessarily end when a newly bought skin’s restriction expires.
| Trigger | Duration |
|---|---|
| Steam Guard active for less than 15 days | No market until 15 days are reached |
| New device or new browser (also after clearing cookies) | 7 days – does not apply if the Mobile Authenticator has been active for 7 days |
| Password reset through account recovery | 5 days, 30 days after more than 2 months of inactivity |
| Mobile Authenticator removed | 15 days |
| Mobile authenticator absent or active for fewer than 7 days | Items are held for up to 15 days |
| New credit card or PayPal | 3 days no market (cards can be verified with Steam) |
| No Steam purchase in the last year | No market until a purchase older than 7 days exists |
Item store: why new skins reach the market later
The Rust Item Store normally changes its weekly selection on Thursdays at around 20:00 German local time. Tradable new skins reach the marketplaces later because each buyer must wait a week after purchase before reselling them. During that first week, the store is the place to buy. Once the weekly offer ends, you can look for listings from other players.
See what is new in the storeEvery new store skin with price and date – and when it reaches the market.Common questions
Does the lock start with the skin's release date?
No. It starts with your own purchase. A skin that has existed for years is still locked for 7 days after you buy it on the market.
Can I sell a Twitch drop after a week?
No. Drops are permanently bound to your account; there is no waiting period.
I see a price on Rustomize but cannot sell the skin – why?
The price is for the skin in general. Whether your own copy can be sold right now depends on your purchase and your account – check it in your inventory.
How do I get a skin I bought on Skinport?
It first sits under “My items” on Skinport. From there you request a Steam trade offer and accept it in Steam.