Mastering Amazon Verification: Common Issues and Practical Solutions

No Amazon seller ever exclaims, *“That verification process was smooth.”* Verification happens when you register a new account, expand into a different marketplace, change your entity or update a payment method. It also happens when Amazon updates its policies – such as implementing the INFORM Consumers Act – and suddenly your account is under review. For sellers, the process often feels opaque and frustrating, but it’s essential to keep your business operational and compliant. This article maps out the most common verification hurdles and offers strategies to get through them.

What triggers Amazon verification?

Amazon’s verification system isn’t a single process – it’s a fragmented series of checks that vary by region, account history and the event that triggered it. You could be asked to verify your account when you:

Register a new seller account or expand into a new marketplace, such as moving from the US to the UK.
Change your legal entity (ownership or structure), which requires permission under Section 18 of the BSA.
Comply with the INFORM Consumers Act, which obligates high‑volume sellers to provide updated business information.
Change your payment provider or bank account, triggering Know‑Your‑Customer (KYC) reviews.

Depending on the situation, Amazon may request business registration documents, identity proofs, ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) declarations, organisational charts and other verification materials.

The 60‑day timeline trap

Amazon gives sellers 60 days to complete verification. On the surface that seems fair – until you realise Amazon doesn’t stop the clock when they review your documents. You might submit an org chart on day 3, only to have it rejected on day 17 for lacking a signature. You resubmit on day 19, and they reply on day 33 saying the chart wasn’t on letterhead. Suddenly more than half your time has elapsed, through no fault of your own. If you don’t resolve everything within the 60‑day window, your disbursements can be frozen and your listings suppressed.

Six common verification obstacles

Organisational chart rejection. Amazon frequently requests org charts, then rejects them for reasons such as lacking a signature, being over 180 days old, missing company letterhead or omitting UBOs. In the EU and UK, anyone with 10 % or more ownership must be listed – not just those above 25 %. Even flawless charts are sometimes rejected due to system bots.
The grayed‑out field from hell. Sellers try to update a company registration number, legal business name or country and find the field is locked. It’s not a browser bug – it’s a backend lock caused by a pending verification or an incomplete entity transfer. Without unlocking it, your case will time out.
INFORM Act limbo. Under the INFORM Consumers Act, Amazon must collect and verify business information for high‑volume sellers. Problems arise when you update your U.S. account successfully but can’t update the EU or UK side because the necessary fields are locked. You’re stuck in a regulatory catch‑22: Amazon suspends your account for failing to complete a task their own system prevents you from completing.
The 10 % myth. Many sellers believe Amazon only cares about owners with 25 % or more. In the EU, any person or company with 10 % or more ownership must be declared. Amazon cross‑checks tax and registry databases; failing to list a 12 % indirect owner can cause an automatic rejection.
Support is… supportless. Sellers often encounter a loop of templated responses: Amazon requests a screenshot, you send it, they ask again, you wait nine days and eventually start over with a different department. Without meticulous record‑keeping, it’s easy to lose momentum and miss deadlines.
The transfer that doesn’t transfer. Even after getting Section 18 approval, submitting the perfect org chart and registering for VAT, Seller Central may throw a “Something went wrong” error when you attempt to transfer the account. This usually means a previous verification wasn’t fully cleared. Only a well‑documented escalation referencing case numbers and timestamps will resolve it.

Practical solutions and best practices

Front‑load your documentation. Don’t wait to be asked – provide all supporting documents clearly labelled from the start.
Create a complete ownership package. Prepare an org chart, registry extract, UBO breakdown, signature, date and letterhead; include translations if necessary.
Document your timeline. Record every upload date, rejection date and response. Reference these dates in every follow‑up.
Escalate smartly. Don’t just say “please help.” Explain what you submitted, why it was rejected, and what you need.
Understand ownership thresholds. Use a 10 % threshold for EU verifications and 25 % for the U.S., unless Amazon instructs otherwise.

Following these steps won’t guarantee a painless verification, but they dramatically reduce the likelihood of surprises and help you respond effectively when issues arise.

Final word: Prepare, over‑document and stay calm

Amazon’s verification system was designed to reduce fraud, not to make life easy for sellers. That creates chaos for honest businesses who simply want to comply. The sellers who succeed aren’t the ones who do the minimum – they’re the ones who over‑prepare, over‑document and remain calm when Amazon’s responses are delayed or contradictory. If you’re stuck, consider partnering with professionals who understand the system. ASA Compliance Group has helped more than 3,800 sellers get verified and reinstated. With the right guidance and persistence, you can navigate the verification maze and keep your business moving forward.