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.
- The exact date is always shown on the skin in your Steam inventory. On top of that your account can be restricted, e.g. after a new device or a password reset.
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 a date (“Tradable After …”), the skin is locked until then. If there is no such note and you see a 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
Sometimes it is not the skin but your Steam account. Then everything is affected – even skins you have owned for years.
| 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 |
| Trading without the Mobile Authenticator (for at least 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 gets new skins every Thursday. Because every buyer has to wait a week before selling, new skins reach the Steam market and Skinport no earlier than a week after release. Until then the store is the only source. Limited skins leave the store with the next rotation – after that you can only get them 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.