As a non-U.S. resident, you don’t always need a U.S. LLC to sell on Amazon—but when you do it right, it can make your entire selling process smoother and more efficient. If you haven’t set up your U.S. LLC yet, you’re in the perfect position to avoid the headaches that come with verification issues.
With our complete U.S. LLC formation package, you’ll get much more than just the paperwork. We include our 32-page Amazon New Account Guide and 20-page Amazon Tax Interview Guide—the exact tools you need to dodge common mistakes and sail through the verification process. These guides are designed to ensure your account is set up right from the start, saving you from costly delays and rejections.
We understand that getting your Amazon account verified is critical for your success, especially if you’ve received a notification from Amazon stating that your account isn’t verified. You think a utility bill is the solution.
After reading advice online, many sellers believe that submitting a utility bill will fix the problem and are searching for a utility bill service or the total costs upfront. While it’s true that Amazon’s automated messages often mention utility bills, many variables can impact your account verification beyond just submitting a bill.
Even as an Amazon Agency Partner, we offer a service to review your U.S. LLC setup process and can refer you directly to Amazon to help launch your business. However, verification is handled by a separate team inside Amazon. Does it help to have an insider on the front end? Absolutely. But that’s only part of the solution.
Before we dive into utility bill requirements (and believe us, there’s much more involved than just getting an approved utility bill), we consult with our clients by sharing our screen to walk you through our guides, steps, and your Amazon account setup. We’ll pinpoint exactly what needs to be changed to help get your account verified. This may or may not involve our utility bill service—or it could mean a completely different solution.
Below is our video about our comprehensive Amazon Agency referral solution, which, along with our consulting, may be exactly what you need to get your account verified and your business growing.
If you’re setting up a new Amazon seller account, the fear of running into verification issues is common. Many sellers receive a notification requesting additional documentation, usually in the form of a utility bill. Whether you’re worried this might happen to you, or you’ve already submitted all the paperwork and thought your account was approved, only to receive that dreaded follow-up message:
“At this moment, we cannot verify your account, so your account cannot be activated. We need additional documentation to verify your account.”
This can be frustrating, but it’s also a sign that something in your documentation didn’t align with Amazon’s exacting standards. You’re not alone—many sellers face this. But before you panic or resubmit incorrect information, it’s important to understand why this happens and how to fix it.
The Additional Documentation Amazon Requires:
When Amazon requests additional documentation to verify your account, it’s typically not as straightforward as it seems. The request often includes:
- Confirming you have a valid credit card on file.
- Providing the following documents:
- A bill dated within the last 90 days for a piped or natural gas, electricity, piped water, or internet service with the name and address visible.
- A business license, if applicable. (For Nevada LLCs, this includes a state business license.)
While these instructions may seem simple, the reality is that there’s much more involved. For instance, the utility bill must not only be recent but also match the provider’s information on their website, including logos and formatting. And that’s just one piece of the puzzle.
The exception? Depending on how your Amazon account was set up—especially in the tax interview stage—what Amazon needs may vary, and submitting the wrong documentation can lead to further delays.
Submitting a utility bill alone does not guarantee reactivation. There are several reasons why your account may remain unverified, including:
- The approach you took when initially setting up your account.
- Whether other aspects of your account, like your LLC or operational address, align with Amazon’s requirements.
- Other underlying account issues that need to be addressed.
Ultimately, Amazon’s goal is to verify seller identities and weed out fraud to protect the marketplace and its customers—a mission we fully support. That’s why we focus on working with serious sellers who want to get verified correctly.
Why NCP is Your Best Bet:
Before we discuss the specific steps we take, let’s clarify some common myths about Amazon’s utility bill requests, which often cause sellers to submit incorrect documents and experience delays.
Myths About Amazon’s Utility Bill Requests
Myth #1: “I need a U.S. utility bill to verify my Amazon seller account.”
Reality: The type of utility bill you need depends on how your account and entity are structured. Are you using a U.S. LLC or operating as a non-resident? Submitting the wrong document can delay your verification.
Myth #2: “Any utility bill will work for Amazon’s verification.”
Reality: Not all utility bills are created equal. The type of documentation Amazon requires depends on several factors, including your operational and mailing address. Getting this wrong can set you back weeks.
Myth #3: “Amazon will figure out the difference between my different addresses and utility bill requirements.”
Reality: Amazon’s automated systems rely on precise details that must match across your documentation. If your operational address differs from your mailing address, submitting incorrect information can lead to automatic rejection.
U.S. Residents
If you operate a home-based business and struggle to provide a utility bill in your LLC’s name, we can help. During our consultation, we’ll review your account setup and ensure all documentation aligns with Amazon’s verification requirements. U.S. residents have other tax planning issues with their LLC formation that we address, including when to make the S election, how to maximize your tax writes, and how to maximize funding.
Non-U.S. Residents
Amazon will trigger the utility bill requirement because the way you filled out your Amazon account triggered a mismatch, and now extra verification is required.
Amazon Utility Bill Verification Requirements:
- Utility bills must be for the last 90 days.
- Documents must be scanned clearly, without blurry, cut, or missing pages.
- If the bill provided is not in English, please attach a notarized copy translated and witnessed by the legal counsel. Self-translated documents are not accepted.
- If the utility bill is not available in the name of the account owner but instead in the name of a family member or family member, be sure to provide proof of relationship and government-issued ID.
- The information provided in the documents must be verifiable without discrepancies.
- The utility bill must include usage details, due date, date of issue, appropriate service provider contact, company logo, etc. If there are any problems, please attach a copy of the invoice online and verify its source.
- Please note you should provide clearly scanned or digitally downloaded documents only.
- A utility bill dated within the last 90 days for;
- piped gas
- natural gas
- electricity
- piped water
- Internet service
- Anyone with a name and address visible
- Ensure that the provided documents are in one of the supported languages. Supported languages include Arabic, simplified Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Tamil, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese. If the documents are not in one of the supported languages, you must submit a notarized translation into one of the supported languages along with the original document.
Active Your Amazon Account
Navigating Amazon account activation can be a challenge, especially for non-resident sellers. As an Amazon Agency Partner, we have deep insight into the account setup process and the common pitfalls that often trigger additional verification requirements.
Even submitting a utility bill doesn’t guarantee account verification. Common problems include errors during the tax interview—such as incorrectly submitting a W-9 instead of a W-8BEN—and discrepancies between personal and business addresses. These issues need to be carefully reviewed and corrected to avoid costly delays.
Amazon’s notifications can be vague, making it hard to identify and fix the exact mistakes in your setup. This process often mirrors U.S. bank verifications, where multiple address and entity checks might be required for business or personal addresses.
By booking a consultation with our CEO, Scott Letourneau, you’ll receive expert guidance through every step of the verification process. Scott, an Amazon Agency Partner and U.S. Main Street Certified Tax Advisor, will review your account setup, address any errors, and ensure you’re in compliance with Amazon’s requirements—without risking tax issues or legal complications.
Additional Amazon Account Verification Issues
During our consultation, we thoroughly review your Amazon account setup, including how you completed the tax interview, to ensure your legal structure aligns with the correct tax form, whether a W-9 or W-8BEN. We also examine how your entity documents were filed to ensure they match Amazon’s requirements.
Often, the verification issues go beyond what’s mentioned in Amazon’s email notification. We’ll identify any additional documentation or setup errors preventing your account from being activated and guide you on correcting them efficiently.
Amazon Verified LLC Service
Form a U.S. LLC through NCP, and our Amazon Account Setup and Verification Steps are included. If you’re new to U.S. expansion and want a full breakdown of steps and fees, schedule a call with our team using this link.
Amazon Account Activation Consultation
If you have questions about reactivating your Amazon account—whether related to the Amazon tax interview, U.S. tax requirements, or other verification issues—these can be addressed during a personalized strategy call with our CEO, Scott Letourneau.
Take the guesswork out of the process and get expert guidance to ensure your account is set up correctly from the start. Book your paid strategy call today and get the answers you need to move forward with confidence.