How to Create an Amazon Seller Account: Step-by-Step Guide
Opening an Amazon seller account takes about an hour if you have the right documents ready, and several weeks if you do not. Amazon verifies every new seller before the account can list, so most delays come from documents that do not match each other. This guide walks through the registration in the order Amazon asks for it, with the checks that avoid a verification loop.
1. Decide what you are registering
Amazon asks three questions before anything else: which marketplace (Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de and so on), whether you sell as an individual or a registered business, and which plan you want. The Individual plan has no monthly fee and charges per item sold; the Professional plan has a monthly subscription and unlocks advertising, bulk listing tools, Buy Box eligibility and Brand Registry. Almost every serious seller starts on Professional. Register the entity that owns the bank account and the products; mixing a personal ID with a company bank account is the most common reason for a rejected verification.
2. Gather the documents before you start
- A government-issued photo ID (passport or national ID) for the primary contact, in colour, all four corners visible, not expired
- A bank account that can receive Amazon payouts. Sellers outside the United States usually use a receiving account from a provider Amazon accepts (for example Payoneer or Wise) in the marketplace currency
- A credit card that can be charged internationally, in the name of the person or company registering
- A phone number that can receive SMS or calls during registration
- Business registration documents if you register a company: certificate of incorporation or trade licence, and the company address
- Tax information: non-US individuals and companies complete the W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E interview inside Seller Central; US taxpayers provide a W-9
- A recent bank statement or credit card statement (within 180 days) showing the same name and address you enter
Every document must show the same legal name and address you type into the form. If your bank statement shows a different spelling of the street, fix that first.
3. Create the account on Seller Central
Go to the seller sign-up page for your marketplace and start with a fresh email address that is not attached to an existing Amazon buyer or seller account. Enter the business type, legal name, registered address and the primary contact. Amazon then asks for the phone number and sends a one-time code. Use the exact address on your documents; Amazon mails a postcard with a code to it later.
4. Add billing, deposit and tax details
Enter the credit card for the subscription and fees, the deposit method for payouts, and complete the tax interview. The tax interview is short for non-US sellers: it records that you are not a US taxpayer and generates the W-8 form electronically. Do not skip it; an account with an incomplete tax interview cannot list products.
5. Store name and product questions
Amazon asks for a store name (it can be changed later), whether you have UPC or EAN barcodes, whether you are the manufacturer or brand owner, and whether you hold a registered trademark. Answer honestly; these answers are used for Brand Registry and category approvals later, and inconsistent answers are a flag during review.
6. Identity verification
Upload the ID and the bank or card statement, then complete the live verification. Amazon either schedules a short video call with an associate or asks you to record yourself holding the ID. Have the original document in hand, sit in good light, and make sure the name on screen matches the document. Most accounts are approved within a few days; if Amazon asks for more information, reply from the same email address with exactly what was requested.
7. Address verification and the first login
Amazon mails a postcard with a verification code to the registered address. Enter it in Seller Central when it arrives. After that the account is active: set up two-step verification, add your team through User Permissions rather than sharing your password, and connect Brand Registry if you own a trademark.
Common reasons registration fails
- Names or addresses that differ between the ID, the bank statement and the form
- A statement older than 180 days, or a screenshot instead of an official statement
- Registering from a browser or device that was used for another seller account that was suspended
- A virtual credit card, or a card in someone else's name
- Skipping the tax interview or entering a placeholder phone number
What to do right after approval
Before listing, decide between FBA and FBM, prepare your first listings with proper keyword research, and set up Brand Registry if you can. If you would rather have the account opened and verified for you, our Amazon Seller Account Setup & Verification service handles the registration, document checks and verification call, and gets the account ready to sell.
Sources and further reading
Marketplace rules change; these are the official pages to check against before you act on anything here.
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