Overview

Amazon requires every seller who registers from South Africa to verify their identity before the account can become active. The verification hinges on submitting a government‑issued photo ID and, when applicable, a proof‑of‑address document that meets Amazon’s strict formatting rules. Getting the paperwork right the first time prevents approval delays that can stall product listings and sales.

Key Points

• Multiple ID types accepted — Passports, national identity cards, driver’s licences (including enhanced licences), permanent residency cards, citizenship cards, health cards and military IDs are all valid, provided they are government‑issued and display a photo.
• Exact name match required — The name on the ID must be identical to the primary contact name entered in the seller account; even a missing middle name or a different spelling will cause the verification to fail.
• Age minimum of 18 — Amazon checks the date of birth on the document; anyone born after the registration date minus 18 years will be rejected.
• Proof of address must be South African — If the ID was issued by another country, the accompanying utility bill, bank statement or municipal rates invoice must show a current South African address.
• Full‑color scans only — Black‑and‑white or greyscale copies are automatically rejected; the uploaded file must be a clear, colour image of the entire document.
• Both sides of the document when needed – When a licence or ID contains critical data on the back (e.g., barcode, expiration date, signature), sellers must upload a single image that merges front and back or provide two separate images if the portal allows it.

How Identity Verification Works

1. Create a seller account and reach the verification screen — After entering basic business information, Amazon prompts you to upload an ID; for example, a South African passport is selected from your file system.
2. Enter document details exactly as they appear — You type the full name, date of birth, ID number and expiry date character‑for‑character; a mismatch such as “Jan Doe” instead of “Janet Doe” will trigger an error.