Amazon Business Account Requirements

That is the published list. It is shorter than most people expect, and notably it does not include a business license, articles of incorporation, a minimum trading history, or a minimum spend.

Going through each item

Business name, address and tax identification number

The identifying trio. The name and address should match how the business is actually registered, because a mismatch causes problems later — most visibly at tax-exemption enrollment, where Amazon requires the exemption document to match the business name or address on the account.

The tax identification number is where most questions arise, so it gets its own section below.

A valid business email address

Amazon verifies this. Two practical notes. First, use an address on the business's own domain if you have one — it keeps the business account cleanly separate from a personal Amazon account. Second, do not use an address that is already attached to a personal Amazon account unless you specifically intend to convert that account. Converting is the root of nearly every "my business and personal orders got tangled" complaint.

A payment method

A valid business credit card or other payment method. Worth separating clearly from a different thing people conflate with it: Amazon's extended payment terms — 45 days on the Small tier, 60 days on Enterprise — are not part of registration. They require a Business Credit Account, sit on paid Business Prime tiers, and Amazon grants them upon approval. We cover the distinction in Pay by Invoice and net terms.

Additional users (optional)

Not a requirement for registration — you invite colleagues afterwards by email and set per-user permissions. Free on the free account.

The three cases that stall people

"I don't have an EIN"

Amazon asks for a tax identification number, not specifically an EIN. A sole proprietor who has never obtained an EIN generally files under their Social Security number, and that is the identifier the business operates on. Amazon supports sole proprietors explicitly — the Business Prime Duo tier is described as being for sole proprietors — so this is a recognized case rather than a workaround.

We are not going to tell you which identifier to enter for your specific tax situation; that is a question for whoever prepares your return.

"Do I need a business license?"

Amazon's published registration requirements do not list one. That is a statement about what Amazon asks for at signup, not about whether your state or city requires a license to trade — those are separate obligations that exist regardless of which account you buy from.

Specific Amazon programs can carry their own gates. Healthcare purchasing, for example, involves credentialing beyond standard registration. If your buying falls into a regulated category, expect an extra step.

"Can I register without a registered business?"

You need the identifying information above. If you genuinely operate a business — including as a sole proprietor — you have it. If you are an individual wanting business pricing without operating a business, the answer is that this is a business purchasing program and registering under false details is not something we are going to help with. Stay on a personal account.

What to have ready before you start

Registration is not difficult, but it stalls when people begin without the paperwork. Before you open the form, have the business name and address as registered, the tax identification number, access to the business email inbox for the verification message, and the payment card. If you intend to enroll for tax exemption in the same session, also have your exemption certificate and the list of states it covers — see the ATEP guide for what Amazon accepts and, importantly, the documents it rejects.

With those in front of you, the step-by-step is how to create an Amazon Business account. If you are not yet sure you want one, the honest version of that question is on is an Amazon Business account worth it, and the money question is what it costs — nothing, for the account itself.