{
  "slug": "kdp-rejection-taxonomy",
  "title": "KDP Print Rejection Taxonomy",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "updated": "2026-07-09",
  "status": "maintained-reference",
  "methodology": "This is a failure-mode taxonomy assembled from KDP’s published print setup and formatting checks. It describes preventable categories, not the frequency of real customer rejections and not private platform data.",
  "limitations": [
    "The taxonomy is not a ranking of frequency or severity.",
    "KDP can issue title-specific or policy checks beyond production-file checks.",
    "A platform warning and a hard rejection are not always the same; inspect the exact message in context."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "label": "KDP trim, bleed, and margins",
      "url": "https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834180",
      "checked": "2026-07-09"
    },
    {
      "label": "KDP paperback and hardcover formatting issues",
      "url": "https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834180",
      "checked": "2026-07-09"
    }
  ],
  "columns": [
    {
      "key": "category",
      "label": "Failure category"
    },
    {
      "key": "symptom",
      "label": "Typical signal"
    },
    {
      "key": "root_cause",
      "label": "Likely root cause"
    },
    {
      "key": "prevention",
      "label": "Prevention"
    },
    {
      "key": "repair_stage",
      "label": "Repair stage"
    }
  ],
  "rows": [
    {
      "category": "Page size mismatch",
      "symptom": "Interior is scaled or upload reports wrong dimensions",
      "root_cause": "Export size differs from the selected trim/bleed option",
      "prevention": "Lock trim before layout and inspect PDF page boxes",
      "repair_stage": "Export settings"
    },
    {
      "category": "Insufficient inside margin",
      "symptom": "Text enters gutter warning area",
      "root_cause": "Margin was based on draft rather than final PDF page count",
      "prevention": "Recalculate after final pagination and leave a readability buffer",
      "repair_stage": "Layout"
    },
    {
      "category": "Bleed mismatch",
      "symptom": "White edge, clipped art, or bleed error",
      "root_cause": "Bleed selection and PDF dimensions disagree",
      "prevention": "Choose bleed intent before export and extend edge art fully",
      "repair_stage": "Layout/export"
    },
    {
      "category": "Low effective image resolution",
      "symptom": "Quality warning or visibly soft image",
      "root_cause": "Image enlarged beyond suitable placed resolution",
      "prevention": "Check effective DPI at final dimensions",
      "repair_stage": "Source asset/layout"
    },
    {
      "category": "Font problem",
      "symptom": "Missing glyph, substitution, or embedding warning",
      "root_cause": "Font is unembedded, restricted, corrupt, or lacks a used character",
      "prevention": "Use licensed fonts and inspect the final PDF font list",
      "repair_stage": "Typography/export"
    },
    {
      "category": "Unintended marks",
      "symptom": "Crop mark, comment, rule, or editor artifact appears",
      "root_cause": "Production marks or annotations were included in export",
      "prevention": "Use a clean release preset and inspect page corners/annotations",
      "repair_stage": "Export"
    },
    {
      "category": "Cover/interior mismatch",
      "symptom": "Spine width or cover template does not fit",
      "root_cause": "Cover was built from an earlier page count or different paper",
      "prevention": "Generate the final cover template only after interior approval",
      "repair_stage": "Cover production"
    },
    {
      "category": "Unexpected blank page",
      "symptom": "Preview shows an extra or missing blank",
      "root_cause": "Forced recto starts, section logic, or odd source pagination",
      "prevention": "Review every transition in the exported spreads",
      "repair_stage": "Structure/layout"
    },
    {
      "category": "Running matter error",
      "symptom": "Header or folio appears on a display/blank page",
      "root_cause": "Page-role suppression rules were not applied",
      "prevention": "Audit chapter openings, front matter, blanks, and end matter",
      "repair_stage": "Layout"
    },
    {
      "category": "Unsupported page range",
      "symptom": "Selected trim/ink/paper option rejects page count",
      "root_cause": "Production choice has a different minimum or maximum",
      "prevention": "Check the exact print-option table before committing trim",
      "repair_stage": "Planning"
    },
    {
      "category": "Security restriction",
      "symptom": "File cannot be processed",
      "root_cause": "PDF is encrypted or password protected",
      "prevention": "Export a release file with no security restrictions",
      "repair_stage": "Export"
    },
    {
      "category": "Visual proof failure",
      "symptom": "File passes upload but physical copy reads poorly",
      "root_cause": "Screen-only QA missed gutter, ink, paper, or page-rhythm issues",
      "prevention": "Order and annotate a physical proof",
      "repair_stage": "Proof/revision"
    }
  ]
}