Before you can sell a single product on Amazon.ae or Amazon.sa, you need an approved Seller Central account, and the registration process is stricter than most new sellers expect. Incomplete or inconsistent applications can delay the approval process, and reapplying after a rejection adds weeks to your timeline.

This guide explains the documents you need, the registration steps inside Seller Central, and the common mistakes that delay approval. It’s based on hundreds of seller accounts we’ve helped set up. In most cases, delays happen during verification, not registration, and are usually caused by small inconsistencies in documents.

First Decision: UAE, KSA, or Both?

Amazon treats UAE and KSA as separate marketplaces with separate compliance and business requirements. You can eventually sell in both, but your simplest start is:

• Based in UAE? Start with Amazon.ae  

• Based in KSA? Start with Amazon.sa  

• Based outside the UAE or KSA? You can still register, but you’ll need to be especially careful with document consistency, address verification, and banking setup.

Choosing the right starting marketplace reduces friction during verification and helps you get approved faster. In practice, most approval issues happen when sellers try to register in a marketplace where their documents, banking, or business setup don’t fully align. If you're unsure, choose the marketplace where you can operate most smoothly (banking, address proof, business registration). Expansion comes after approval and first sales.

If you'd rather see the full process step by step, this video walks through everything, including documents, verification, and the most common reasons accounts get rejected.

What You Need Before You Start

Amazon has progressively tightened its seller verification requirements, particularly for UAE-based accounts. Having every document ready before you begin can help prevent unnecessary delays during verification.

Here's what you'll need:

1. A Valid Trade License: This is non-negotiable. Your license must include an e-commerce or trading activity code. You’ll need to provide commercial registration or trade licence details that match your business information exactly during verification. If your current license only covers consulting or services, you'll need to add the right activity before applying. In our experience working with new sellers, missing or incorrect business activity codes can often delay the application process.

   
   

2. Government-Issued ID: Either your passport or Emirates ID. The name on your ID must match the name on your trade license, or you must be listed as a shareholder or authorized signatory. Name mismatches between identification documents and business registration details are a common cause of verification delays.

3. A Bank Account: Amazon requires a bank account to receive your payouts. Make sure the account details match your seller account information before you begin registration.

4. A Credit or Debit Card: Amazon uses this card for applicable selling fees and other account charges. International cards are accepted, but we recommend using a card with no foreign transaction fees, since Amazon processes charges in the marketplace's base currency.

5. A Phone Number: You'll need to verify your account via SMS or phone call. Use a number you'll have consistent access to, as Amazon may re-verify periodically.

6. A Valid Email Address: Use an email address you monitor regularly. Amazon accepts either a business email address or an existing Amazon customer account email as your login.

7. Proof of Address: A recent utility bill, bank statement, or similar document showing your business or personal address. The document must be dated within the last 90 days.

Which Seller Plan Should You Choose?

Amazon offers two selling plans: Individual and Professional. The right choice depends on how you plan to sell.

1. Individual Plan: No monthly subscription fee, but Amazon charges a per-item fee when a product sells. You also lose access to advertising tools, bulk listing features, and detailed business reports. This plan is typically used when testing the market with low sales volume, usually fewer than 40 sales per month and no need to run ads.

2. Professional Plan: A monthly subscription plan designed for businesses selling larger volumes and requiring access to advanced selling tools. You get full access to Sponsored Products advertising, bulk listing uploads, business analytics, and the Buy Box. If you plan to sell more than 40 items per month, the Professional plan is the better option.

Amazon occasionally offers promotions where the Professional plan has no monthly fee, so it’s worth checking current pricing before you register. For most businesses, the Professional plan is the more practical starting point, as new listings often struggle to gain visibility without access to advertising tools.

How to Register Your Account in Seller Central

Step 1: Go to Seller Central

Visit sellercentral.amazon.ae (for Amazon.ae) or sellercentral.amazon.sa (for Amazon.sa). Click "Register Now" or "Start Selling."

Step 2: Create Your Account

Enter your email address and create a password. If you already have an Amazon buyer account, you can use the same credentials, but we recommend creating a separate account for your business to keep communications clean.

Step 3: Business Information

Enter your legal business name exactly as it appears on your trade license. This is critical. Make sure the business details you enter match your official registration documents exactly.

Step 4: Seller Information

Provide your personal details: full name, date of birth, nationality, and ID number. Upload a clear, high-resolution scan of your passport or Emirates ID. Phone photos are accepted, but avoid anything blurry or cropped. Make sure the documents are clear, complete, and easy to read.

Step 5: Billing

Add your credit or debit card details. Amazon may place a small temporary authorization charge on the card to confirm it is valid. Make sure the card is active and can be used successfully for account verification and charges.

Step 6: Store Details

Choose your store name. This is what customers see on your product listings, so pick something professional and relevant to your niche. You'll also select the product categories you plan to sell in. Note: some categories (like Beauty, Grocery, and Health) require additional approval, known as "ungating," which involves submitting invoices, certifications, or compliance documentation.

Step 7: Identity Verification

Amazon will ask you to upload your trade license and a proof-of-address document. You may also be asked to complete a video call verification. During the call, an Amazon representative may ask you to show your ID on camera and confirm your identity and business details. Have your original documents on hand, not photocopies.

Step 8: Wait for Approval

Approval times can vary depending on document quality, verification checks, and whether Amazon requests additional information. If Amazon requests additional documents, respond as quickly as possible. Responding promptly to document requests can help avoid additional delays in the verification process.

Why Amazon Rejects Seller Applications (and How to Avoid It)

After helping hundreds of sellers through this process, these are the rejection reasons we see most often:

• Name Mismatch Between ID and Trade License: Name mismatches between identification documents and business registration details are a frequent cause of verification issues. The person completing the registration should be authorized to act on behalf of the business. In some cases Amazon may require documentation such as a power of attorney for legal representatives or account managers. The safest approach is to have the license holder register directly.

• Expired Documents: Your trade license or ID has expired. Make sure your trade license and identification documents are valid and up to date before you apply.

• Poor Document Quality: Blurry scans, cropped edges, or photos taken at an angle can cause verification issues. Use a flatbed scanner or a scanning app that corrects perspective, and make sure all document details and edges are clearly visible.

• Incomplete Information: Leaving fields blank, entering an incorrect business registration number, or using abbreviations that don't match your license. Copy your details directly from your trade license rather than typing from memory.

• Previously Suspended Account: If you've had an Amazon account suspended or deactivated, opening a new account without resolving the original issue can create additional complications. 

If this applies to you, resolve the original account issue before trying to open or operate another seller account. These are common issues we see after failed applications. If you want to avoid delays or verification issues, we can handle the full setup process for you.

UAE vs KSA: Common Registration Differences

While the registration flow is similar for both marketplaces, sellers often face different friction points depending on where they're registering:

UAE sellers often struggle with:

• Trade license details not matching the exact legal name typed in Seller Central

• Business address formatting vs proof document formatting

• Using a personal bank account name that doesn't match the registered entity

KSA sellers often struggle with:

• Commercial Registration (CR) details consistency, especially exact legal entity naming

• National address formatting vs proof document

• Banking name formats and spelling consistency

The solution is always the same: ensure every detail matches exactly across all documents and submit clean, official, up-to-date versions.

Mistakes That Slow Down Your Approval

The standard advice of "prepare your documents" and "double-check your fields" isn't wrong, but it doesn't go far enough. Here's what actually causes delays based on what we see in practice:

• Pausing mid-registration to find documents: Have every document scanned and saved in one folder before you begin so you can complete the process smoothly.

• Using a personal email instead of a business domain: Use an email address you have consistent access to, as Amazon may send verification requests or account notifications during the setup process.

• Mismatched business name formatting: Make sure the business name you enter matches your official documents as closely as possible.

• Not preparing for the video call: Some sellers are caught off guard by the video verification request. If Amazon schedules a verification call, have your original passport or Emirates ID, your trade license, and a quiet, well-lit space ready.

• Slow responses to document requests: When Amazon asks for additional documentation, replying quickly can help keep the process moving.

• Getting stuck in "unable to verify" loops: If you keep getting rejected, don't keep uploading random versions of your documents. Instead, identify the specific mismatch (name, address, dates, or document type), fix the root issue, and upload one clean, correct set. Repeated failed submissions without fixing the underlying problem can make the process harder to resolve.

What Happens After Approval?

Once your account is approved, you can start listing products immediately, but don't rush to upload your entire catalogue on day one. Start with one or two products so you can learn how Seller Central works: listing creation, inventory management, order handling, and performance metrics. Errors in early listings, such as incorrect categories, missing attributes, or poor images, can trigger performance warnings that are harder to fix later. That's why listing optimization matters from day one. A common approach for new sellers is to focus on the following steps first.

Your first priorities after approval should be:

1. Setting up FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon): If you want Amazon to handle storage, packing, and shipping, you'll need to create your first FBA shipment. This involves labelling your products, creating a shipping plan in Seller Central, and sending inventory to Amazon's fulfilment center. FBA products may become eligible for Prime shipping, which can improve delivery speed and customer experience.

2. Launching your first PPC campaigns: Many sellers start advertising early to generate initial traffic. Sponsored Products campaigns are usually what drive the initial traffic that leads to your first sales. Many sellers start with automatic campaigns to gather data, then move to manual campaigns once they identify which search terms convert.

3. Understanding your fee structure: Beyond your monthly subscription, Amazon charges referral fees (a percentage of each sale, varying by category), FBA fees (based on product size and weight), and storage fees. Know your margins before you set prices.

4. Checking for category-specific requirements: Some categories require additional approval (ungating), GTIN/UPC barcodes, or compliance certifications. Check the requirements for your specific product category in Seller Central before listing.

Need Help Setting Up Your Amazon Seller Account?

Setting up your seller account is just the first step. Once you're approved, the real work begins: product research, listing optimization, keyword strategy, and building your advertising campaigns to gain traction in a competitive marketplace.

If you want your seller account set up correctly the first time, without the back-and-forth with Amazon's verification team, Amazon Sellers Society can handle the full registration process for you, including document preparation, verification support, and post-approval setup. We've helped hundreds of sellers across the UAE and Saudi Arabia get from zero to their first sale, and we know exactly where the process breaks down and how to prevent it.

Whether you need full Amazon account management or just want help getting through registration, contact us and we'll walk you through your options.

Frequently Asked Questions