Overview

Every Amazon seller, whether based in the United States or abroad, must complete a tax identity interview through Seller Central. This self-service process collects the taxpayer information Amazon needs to comply with IRS reporting requirements and generates the appropriate tax form — either a W-9 for U.S. taxpayers or a W-8 for non-U.S. sellers. Getting this interview right on the first attempt is essential, as errors can invalidate your tax form and potentially jeopardize your selling privileges.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• All sellers must complete the interview — Regardless of your country of residence or tax status, Amazon requires every seller to go through the self-service tax interview in their account settings.
• The interview determines your tax form automatically — Based on your answers, the system generates either an IRS W-9 (for U.S. persons) or W-8 (for non-U.S. persons). You do not need to choose the form yourself.
• Only the primary account holder can access it — The tax interview is restricted to the primary user associated with the seller payment account, so other team members cannot complete it on your behalf.
• Amazon does not provide tax advice — While Amazon outlines the requirements, the company explicitly states it cannot help you fill out the interview or advise on tax matters. Sellers should consult a qualified tax professional for guidance.
• Invalid information can cost you selling privileges — If your submitted tax identity comes back invalid, you must provide corrected information to keep your account active.

What Information You Need

U.S. taxpayers will need to provide a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), which is typically either an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for businesses or a Social Security Number (SSN) for individuals. The name and TIN you enter must exactly match what the IRS has on file. For individuals, this means using the name as it appears on your Social Security card. For businesses, you should use the legal name shown on the top line of your IRS CP575 notice — the document you received when your EIN was assigned.

Non-U.S. sellers are also required to complete the interview, even though they are not U.S. taxpayers. The interview will generate the appropriate W-8 form based on the responses provided. Note that VAT and GST numbers are not collected during this process; those are managed separately through the Tax Settings page in Seller Central.