Amazon Seller Central may require a phone number during seller registration and later account verification. In its current seller registration process, Amazon asks sellers to provide a phone number with the country code.
But a phone number is only one part of seller verification.
If your Amazon verification code does not arrive, the problem may be the number format, SMS delivery, the verification method, the carrier, the number type, or the account's security setup. It does not automatically mean Amazon rejected your number.
The first step is to identify which part of the verification process is failing.
What Amazon Seller Phone Verification Does
Amazon's registration process has five main stages: business information, seller information, billing information, store and product information, and identity verification. During registration, Amazon asks for a phone number with the country code and later collects additional information about the seller.
The important distinction is between phone verification and identity verification.
Phone verification checks whether you can receive a verification code through the phone number you provide. Identity verification checks information about you and your business.
Amazon's identity-verification requirements can include business information, primary-contact information, a government-issued photo ID, and additional financial or business documents when applicable.
So changing the phone number may solve a phone-access problem, but it cannot replace your legal identity, business information, address, banking information, tax information, or other seller requirements.
Amazon's verification requirements also exist at significant scale: its 2025 Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report states that 100% of new sellers must complete Amazon's verification process before they are allowed to sell.
That is why a phone number should be treated as one part of the seller-verification process, not as the entire approval process.
Why Is Amazon Verification Code Not Arriving?
A missing OTP is not one single problem.
Amazon Seller Central discussions show different failure situations, including incorrect number formatting, blocked numbers or short codes, SMS delivery problems, and problems with particular verification methods.
Check Phone Number and Country Code
Start with the information you entered.
Amazon's phone verification process tells sellers to check that the phone number is correct and includes the “+” and country code. Amazon describes a verification flow where the seller chooses SMS/text or a phone call and receives a six-digit PIN.
Before replacing the number, check:
- country selection
- country code
- complete phone number
- number access
- SMS capability
- whether Amazon offers SMS or voice verification
A correctly formatted number that cannot receive Amazon's message is a different problem from an incorrectly formatted number.
A Phone Can Receive SMS but Amazon OTP May Still Fail
A phone receiving normal text messages does not prove that every Amazon verification message will arrive.
Amazon's seller guidance recommends checking the phone number, country code, and possible filtering or blocking issues. Amazon also recommends an established local mobile carrier rather than a virtual number because virtual numbers can sometimes be filtered or blocked, causing messages to be delayed or not delivered.
SMS verification also has technical and security limitations beyond Amazon. One empirical study analyzed 3,303 Android apps, found 544 used SMS OTP authentication, and reported that 536 of those 544 implementations, or 98.5%, violated at least one of the researchers' security rules. This research was not about Amazon, so it should not be used to claim that Amazon's OTP system has the same weaknesses.
Do Not Assume Amazon Blocks Your Country
A seller's experience does not necessarily represent Amazon's policy for every seller in that country.
For example, a seller may report that they cannot receive an Amazon OTP even though the same mobile number receives messages from other services. Another seller may lose access to an old number that was connected to account authentication.
These reports show that phone-verification problems can happen. They do not, by themselves, prove that Amazon has blocked a particular country.
If you are troubleshooting a country-specific problem, separate your delivery problem from Amazon's official policy.
What to Do When Amazon Phone Verification Fails
Start with the simplest checks before changing the entire solution.
- Confirm the phone number.
- Confirm the country code and formatting.
- Check whether SMS or short codes are blocked.
- Check whether the number can receive incoming SMS.
- Avoid repeatedly requesting the same OTP without checking the cause.
- Try another available verification method, such as a voice call, when Amazon provides it.
- Identify whether the problem is phone verification, identity verification, address verification, account recovery, or another Seller Central requirement.
- Consider whether you will need access to the same number later.
- Contact Amazon Seller Support if the problem continues.
Amazon's OTP troubleshooting guidance recommends checking the number and country code and explains that SMS or phone-call verification may be available depending on the flow.
This gives you a better diagnostic path than simply replacing the number every time an OTP fails.
Phone Verification Is Not Identity Verification
Keep this distinction clear:
Phone verification asks:
Can you receive the verification code sent to this phone number?
Identity verification asks:
Can Amazon verify who you are and the information connected to the seller account?
Amazon's seller-verification system can require government-issued identification, business information, bank statements, proof of address, and other information depending on the seller and verification situation.
Amazon says its seller verification continues beyond initial registration when necessary.
A new phone number can address a phone-access problem, but it cannot solve an identity-document problem.
The same applies to address, banking, tax, and business verification.
Amazon Seller Account Security Is Also Changing
Phone verification and account authentication are related, but they are not necessarily the same thing.
Amazon is also expanding passkey-based authentication for Seller Central. Passkeys use device-based authentication methods such as a fingerprint, face recognition, or PIN rather than relying only on an SMS code.
This matters when deciding how important it is to give a temporary number.
A number may solve one verification event, while your longer-term account security may depend on another authentication method.
Consider both the immediate verification task and how you will access the account later.
Quick Checklist
Before choosing or changing a number, ask:
- What verification step am I completing?
- Does Amazon require SMS, voice, or another method?
- Is the country code correct?
- Can the number receive the required message?
- What happens if Amazon asks for another code later?
- Do I have another authentication method?
- Am I solving a phone-verification problem or a different seller-verification problem?
Final Takeaway
Amazon phone verification is only one part of becoming and remaining an Amazon seller.
The better decision path is:
Verification purpose → number option → SMS/voice access → privacy and control → immediate verification → future account access
Free numbers, temporary numbers, regular mobile numbers, virtual numbers, VoIP, non-VoIP, and eSIMs are different options, not automatic guarantees.
So if your Amazon verification code does not arrive, first identify what is actually failing.
If the problem is phone verification, check the number, country code, delivery method, carrier, and SMS access before changing the entire solution.
If you choose a temporary number, evaluate it for the specific SMS-access problem you are trying to solve. Do not buy it on the assumption that the number itself guarantees Amazon verification.
For a full breakdown of temp number types, privacy, and future account access, see our guide to the best temporary number for Amazon Seller verification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Amazon Seller verification code not arriving?
The cause is rarely a single issue. Common reasons include incorrect number formatting, a missing country code, blocked short codes, carrier filtering, SMS delivery failures, or the wrong verification method selected. Identify which part of the process broke before replacing the number.
Is Amazon rejecting my phone number?
No. A missing code does not mean Amazon rejected your number, and failures usually trace back to formatting, carrier filtering, or the number type. Check the country code, confirm the number is complete, and verify whether Amazon offers SMS or voice verification for your step.
What should I check first when the OTP does not arrive?
Start with the information you entered. Confirm the phone number, country selection, and country code, then check whether SMS or short codes are blocked on your device or carrier. Amazon's OTP troubleshooting guidance recommends checking the number and country code first.
Can I use a voice call instead of SMS for Amazon verification?
Yes, when Amazon offers it. Amazon's documented process allows sellers to choose SMS/text or a phone call with a six-digit PIN. If voice works while SMS fails, the problem sits with SMS delivery, so try the other channel before replacing the number.
Does Amazon block phone numbers from certain countries?
Amazon does not publish a country-blocking policy. A seller's experience in one country does not represent Amazon's policy for every seller there, and reports of failed OTPs do not prove a country block. Separate your delivery problem from Amazon's official policy.
What is the difference between phone verification and identity verification?
Phone verification asks whether you can receive a code sent to your phone number. Identity verification asks whether Amazon can confirm who you are and the information tied to your seller account, which can require government-issued identification, business information, bank statements, and proof of address. A new phone number solves a phone-access problem, not an identity-document problem.
What if I lost access to the phone number linked to my Amazon account?
Act before the problem grows. Amazon may require phone-based authentication again after registration, such as when you change account information or recover a locked account. Update your number inside Seller Central while you still control the old line.
How does passkey authentication affect Amazon Seller verification?
Amazon is expanding passkey-based authentication for Seller Central. Passkeys use device-based methods such as fingerprint, face recognition, or PIN instead of relying only on SMS codes. A phone number may solve one verification event, while longer-term account security depends on another authentication method.
How many times can I request a new Amazon OTP?
Amazon does not publish a fixed limit. Repeated requests without diagnosing the cause waste time and can trigger rate limiting, so check the number, country code, SMS capability, and carrier restrictions first. A diagnostic approach beats blind retries.
When should I contact Amazon Seller Support?
Contact Seller Support after confirming the number, country code, and SMS capability, trying voice verification, and still failing to receive a code. Also contact support for account recovery, identity verification, or a locked account. Support can confirm whether SMS or phone-call verification is available for your specific flow.
Should I use a temporary number if my regular number fails?
A temporary number solves a phone-access problem only, not identity verification, business verification, address documents, banking, tax, or other seller requirements. Evaluate it for the specific SMS-access problem you are solving, and compare options in our guide to the best temporary number for Amazon Seller verification.