Overview

Amazon mandates that every seller complete a tax interview when setting up an account, and the platform lets sellers revise that information at any time. Updating the interview becomes essential when a business changes its legal structure, receives a new taxpayer identification number, or discovers an error in the original submission. Keeping the tax profile current prevents payment delays and protects the seller’s account health.

Key Points

• Mandatory tax interview — Amazon will not release funds or allow certain account actions until a valid, up‑to‑date tax interview is on file; sellers who ignore the requirement often see disbursement holds within 24‑48 hours of a missed deadline.
• Self‑service portal — The tax interview can be edited directly in Seller Central without opening a support ticket; a typical update takes under ten minutes of active time for most sellers.
• Electronic signature speeds review — Choosing the e‑signature option eliminates the need to mail paper forms, cutting processing time from several business days to typically 2‑3 days.
• New verification may pause activity — After an update, Amazon may re‑run its compliance checks; during this window, sellers might experience a temporary restriction on new listings or payouts.
• Global applicability — Both U.S. and international sellers must complete the interview, but U.S. accounts use the W‑9 form while non‑U.S. accounts use W‑8BEN (individuals) or W‑8BEN‑E (entities).
• Consequences of outdated data — Failure to correct inaccurate information can lead to account suspension, loss of selling privileges, and the need to file amended 1099‑K forms at year‑end.

How the Tax Interview Update Works

1. Access the tax interview — Log into Seller Central, open the Settings dropdown, and click Account Info; on the left navigation pane, select Tax Information to launch the interview screen. Example: A seller in Texas clicks the “Update Tax Interview” button and is taken to the first question about entity type.