Amazon related account deactivation: the rules and the legitimate path

Does Amazon allow more than one seller account?

The short answer: the general rule is one Seller Central account for each region you sell in, and a second account is possible if you have a legitimate business need. The Seller Code of Conduct, as quoted on the Seller Forums, says as much. The official text can only be read after signing in to Seller Central, so check the current version from your account.

According to Amazon staff on the Seller Forums, sellers no longer need Amazon's approval before opening a second account. The same reply sets two important conditions: a second account should only be opened while all your existing accounts are in good standing (active, with no unresolved violations), and Amazon cannot decide on the seller's behalf whether the reason is legitimate. The responsibility sits with the seller.

The idea of a region matters. An Amazon US account is part of the North America unified account, while a UK account is part of a global account linked to Amazon's European stores. A seller with one US account and one UK account has two accounts in two different regions; that is not the same as opening a second account in the same region.

What counts as a legitimate business need?

Amazon does not publish a complete official list. Amazon staff on the Seller Forums have given these examples:

• Owning multiple brands and running a separate business for each.
• Manufacturing products for two distinct and separate companies.
• Being recruited for an Amazon program that requires separate accounts.

How do accounts become "related"?

A related account is a seller account that Amazon sees as connected to the same person or business. Amazon staff on the Seller Forums have listed the following among the ways accounts can become related:

• The seller or their employees having access to another seller account.
• Using a third-party account management service.
• Creating a global account without completing identity verification in a different marketplace.

What else does Amazon look at?

Amazon's 2024 Brand Protection Report says seller verification looks at behavior signals and connections to previously detected bad actors, and that existing accounts are monitored for changes in account information and behavior. Amazon does not disclose which signals it uses, and this guide does not try to guess them.

The practical takeaway: rather than trying to hide a connection, run genuinely separate businesses separately, with the paperwork to show it, and be ready to explain the connection openly when needed. Any approach built on concealment also makes an appeal impossible once something goes wrong.

Why does one deactivation affect the other accounts?

According to Amazon staff on the Seller Forums, deactivating one account can affect the selling privileges of every account associated with it. Reinstatement also happens in order: the violation on the original account is resolved on its own first, and a secondary account can only be reactivated after the original account has been reactivated.

So when you receive a related account notice, the first question is not "why was this account deactivated?" but "which account is it linked to, and what is wrong with that account?"

What if the linked account no longer belongs to you?

Sometimes the link goes back to an old situation: a company that was transferred, a partner who left, or an account you no longer have anything to do with. According to Amazon staff on the Seller Forums, the appeal should then include additional documents showing you are no longer the owner. The same reply says that if Amazon cannot confirm the account is no longer yours, your account will not be reinstated.

Documents such as a transfer agreement, official records of leaving a partnership and up-to-date company registry details showing the current officers can serve this purpose. Which documents are enough depends on the case.

According to the same reply, an account you no longer need can only be closed while all related accounts are active and in good standing. Closing an account after a problem appears does not remove the link.

How do you appeal when a second account is legitimate?

If you really run two separate businesses, the point of the appeal is to explain the connection, not deny it: how the accounts appear linked and why they are separate businesses. The general structure of a Plan of Action (POA) is covered in our separate guide; here are only the points specific to related accounts.

• Root cause: explain honestly how the accounts became linked (shared employee access, a shared management service, the same person being an officer of both companies, and so on).
• Proof of separation: each business's own registration record, a bank account in its own name, its own proof of address and the officer's government ID. Names and addresses on the documents must match the account information in Seller Central exactly.
• Legitimate need: concrete differences such as separate brands, separate product lines or a separate customer base.
• Good standing: show that the other account is active and has no unresolved violations.
• Correction: state that you have removed problematic shared access and now work only through user permissions.

Consultants, agencies and employees: user permissions

Two of the ways Amazon staff list for accounts becoming related concern how you work: access to another account, and third-party account management services. In addition, the Business Solutions Agreement prohibits sharing your account password with anyone the agreement does not allow, and holds the seller responsible for everything done in the account.

So if an employee, agency or consultant needs access, don't share your password; use Seller Central's user permissions to give each person their own login with only the access they need. Remove access when the work ends.

What should you avoid?

• Opening a new seller account while a review is ongoing or the account is deactivated. Amazon staff warn this can lead to permanent deactivation.
• Buying, renting or using under a "partnership" an account opened in another person's or company's name. Amazon's 2025 report describes action taken against brokers who set up fake seller registrations.
• Sharing your account password with employees, agencies or consultants.
• Hiding the connection in an appeal or submitting documents that are not genuine; this makes the case permanently worse.
• Using technical workarounds aimed at Amazon's detection methods. This breaks the rules and closes the door on a legitimate appeal.