Overview

Amazon requires sellers who have earned business‑owner certifications—such as small‑business, minority‑owned, veteran‑owned, or women‑owned—to keep those credentials up to date. When a certification expires, the seller’s products disappear from B2B buyer filters and lose the certification badge that influences retail shoppers. Staying ahead of expiration dates and following the correct renewal workflow is therefore essential for preserving both B2B visibility and overall sales performance.

Key Points

• Visibility drops the moment a certification lapses — B2B buyers who apply a “certified seller” filter will no longer see the expired listings, and retail customers will no longer see the badge that signals credibility.
• Two distinct renewal routes are available — Sellers who originally used the GATEWAY platform follow an automated, in‑system renewal, while those certified by external agencies must upload new documents manually in Seller Central.
• Amazon reviews renewals within a 7‑ to 10‑business‑day window — After the seller submits the required paperwork, the status changes to “In review” and the certification is re‑activated only after the review completes.
• Current documentation is mandatory — The renewal request must include the latest certification file that clearly shows the new issue date and the new expiration date; outdated or mismatched paperwork will trigger a rejection.
• Rejection notices are sent by email — If Amazon’s compliance team finds an issue, the seller receives an email explaining the problem, allowing a quick correction and resubmission.

How Certification Renewal Works

1. Log in and locate the B2B profile — The seller signs into Seller Central, clicks the B2B menu, and opens the business profile page. For example, a veteran‑owned apparel brand would see a list of all its active certifications under “My Business Certifications.”
2. Choose the appropriate renewal path
   • GATEWAY‑based certifications — Selecting a GATEWAY‑listed certification redirects the seller to the GATEWAY portal, where the renewal is completed with a few clicks. Once the portal confirms the update, the new status syncs automatically back to Seller Central.