Photo requirements vary between platforms. Some are hard rules — minimum counts, file format restrictions, what is and is not allowed in an image. Others are recommendations that affect listing performance rather than acceptance.
This article covers what Auto Trader UK and eBay Motors Pro actually publish on their photo guidance, sourced directly from their own help and documentation. Where a requirement could not be verified on the platform's own documentation, it is not included. If you also list on Gumtree, which publishes less formal guidance but has its own constraints, see how to photograph your car for Gumtree.
Auto Trader UK
Auto Trader is the largest car marketplace in the UK. Their photo guidance is published in their help centre and in a photography guide available to trade advertisers.
Recommended minimum: At least 20 photos per listing. Auto Trader allows up to 100 photos per listing. (Auto Trader UK help documentation)
Recommended shot list:
- Front three-quarter view
- Rear three-quarter view
- Front straight-on
- Rear straight-on
- Driver-side profile
- Wheel close-up (particularly relevant for alloys)
- Dashboard
- Front seats
- Rear seats
- Boot interior
- Engine bay
- Any visible damage
Angle guidance: Auto Trader states that a photo from the front corner, at approximately eye height, is the best single representation of a car. For how to actually shoot that list on a working forecourt, see how to take better car photos for Auto Trader.
What is not allowed on photos: Auto Trader's terms for advert images specify that text overlays are not permitted on listing photos. This includes dealer contact details (phone numbers, email addresses), dealer logos burned into the image, and references to third-party affiliates. The full set of Auto Trader's image rules — including the accuracy standard and where AI-edited photos sit — is covered in Auto Trader's image rules: what's allowed.
Performance context: As a general principle across marketplaces, well-merchandised listings tend to perform better. A complete, well-photographed listing is more likely to convert a viewer who finds it — and listing quality is widely understood to influence how prominently listings are surfaced to buyers.
eBay Motors Pro UK
eBay Motors Pro is the dealer-specific arm of eBay for vehicle listings in the UK.
Recommended minimum: At least 6 photos per listing. (eBay Motors Pro UK help documentation)
Maximum: 20 photos per listing.
Recommended shots: Exterior views from diagonal and all four sides, interior including dashboard and seats, engine bay, odometer, and close-ups of any damage or wear.
Technical requirements:
- File format: JPEG only
- Minimum dimension: 1,000 pixels on the longest side
- Maximum file size: 12 MB per image
- Quality standard: 90 or above on the JPEG quality scale (0–99)
Stock photos: eBay Motors Pro's guidance recommends against stock photos — images should be original photographs of the specific vehicle being listed.
For a photo-by-photo guide to listing on the platform — which shots to prioritise and why honest close-ups pay — see how to sell a car on eBay Motors.
Motors.co.uk
Specific published photo requirements from Motors.co.uk's dealer documentation were not available through their public-facing help materials at the time of writing. If you list on Motors.co.uk, contact their dealer support for current requirements.
What the requirements have in common
Looking across the platforms that do publish photo guidance, some consistent principles emerge.
More photos consistently outperform fewer. Auto Trader's recommendation of 20 photos reflects the performance data, not an arbitrary number. AutoTrader Canada found that listings with 11 or more photos generated 205% more Vehicle Detail Page views and 185% more leads than those with 10 or fewer. (AutoTrader Canada, January–July 2022 data) That is the Canadian platform, not Auto Trader UK, but the underlying buyer behaviour is consistent across platforms.
Interior shots are expected. All platforms that publish guidance include dashboard, seats, and boot in their recommended shot list. Research from Motors.co.uk found that the majority of potential buyers expected to see dashboard and interior shots before they would consider making contact. (Motors.co.uk survey, via Car Dealer Magazine)
Actual photos of the actual car. eBay Motors Pro is explicit about this. Buyers of used cars in particular need to see the specific car — its actual condition, its colour in this light, its interior wear. Stock images of the model do not serve that purpose.
Text and branding stay out of the images. Auto Trader's rules on text overlays are a common policy across marketplaces. The listing description is where contact details and branding live. The photos are for showing the car.
The technical floor
If you are using AI photo editing or generating studio backgrounds, the technical requirements worth keeping in mind:
- eBay Motors Pro requires JPEG format at minimum 1,000 pixels on the longest side. Most smartphones and AI editing outputs exceed this comfortably.
- Auto Trader has not published a strict minimum resolution in their public help materials, but given that their platform accepts up to 100 photos per listing, file size is rarely a constraint.
- No marketplace permits phone numbers, email addresses, or text overlays on listing images.
None of the platforms covered here publishes a rule against AI-edited backgrounds — their shared standard is that photos must accurately represent the vehicle being sold, not a stock representation of the model. Check each platform's current guidance before relying on this.
Where Motuva fits
Motuva processes images of your actual car — the specific vehicle being listed — and places it in a studio environment. The car in the output is not a rendering of that vehicle; it is your photograph of it, composited across unaltered, with only the setting rendered around it. Check each output against the original before publishing all the same: the edge where the car was lifted out of your forecourt can go wrong on a difficult shot, and responsibility for the advert sits with you. That check matters for compliance and for honesty with buyers.
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Related reading: What car photo editing costs → · Do better photos sell cars faster? (The data) →
Related reading
Spyne and CarCutter don't publish pricing. AI editing starts at £49. The full car photography cost breakdown — tools, time, and outsourcing included.
AutoTrader Canada research shows listings with 11+ photos get 205% more page views and 185% more leads. What the data means for your forecourt.
Auto Trader recommends at least 20 photos per listing with a specific shot list. What the guidance says and how to apply it on a busy forecourt.
Gumtree car photos work hard: nine image slots, small thumbnails, local buyers. How to use every slot to get more enquiries and fewer wasted viewings.
Auto Trader photo rules, verified against their published terms: the text-on-images ban, the 100-image limit, the accuracy standard, and where AI edits sit.
An eBay Motors car listing guide focused on photos — verified photo limits and specs for dealers, what wins the thumbnail war, and why honest close-ups pay.