You want to reinstate a selling account that Amazon suspended several years ago, but the emails from that time survive only in pieces, and your address and business structure have changed since then. This article is for sellers in that situation. We cover how to tell which status your account is in, how to find past notices and records, how to put together current documents, what changes with the passage of time, and how to structure your explanation.
Work out what status your "old account" is in today
The options open to you depend on whether Amazon suspended the account, you stopped selling yourself, or you closed the account yourself. If you get this wrong, you will gather the wrong materials and contact the wrong place, so start by sorting out the status.
| Status | How to tell | Professional selling plan monthly subscription fee | What you can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacation you set yourself | Under Settings (設定) > Account Info (アカウント設定), in Store Status (ストアのステータス), your listing status is set to Inactive (停止中). There is no suspension notice from Amazon | Charged even while on vacation | Switch the status back to Active (出品中) (listings reappear within an hour) |
| Suspended by Amazon | There is a suspension email, a Performance Notification, or a suspension notice on the Account Health page | Not charged for months in which the account is suspended | Appeal based on the reason stated in the notice |
| Suspended pending verification of registration details | You have been asked to go through a "seller performance review" (出品者パフォーマンスの審査) because of a change of address, bank account, or phone number, an expired card, or similar | Not charged for months in which the account is suspended | Submit the documents or information requested |
| Closed by you | You requested closure through Close Account (アカウントを閉じる). You cannot log in | — | The account cannot be reactivated, and you are told you need to register anew to sell |
This treatment of the monthly subscription fee reflects the current Help explanation, and it may not have been the same when your account was suspended. There are also conditions such as no charge for months with no buyable ASINs, so when judging your status, give priority to what the notice says.
Under the current Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement, when Amazon suspends your use of the services it is supposed to notify you of the reason and your options to appeal, except where doing so would, for example, hinder an investigation. However, the agreement and notice format in place at the time of your suspension may not have been the same. If you can't find the notice email, check the Performance Notifications (パフォーマンス通知) and Account Health (アカウント健全性) pages to see whether you simply deleted it or whether the account is in a different status, such as a vacation you set yourself.
"Register anew" describes what happens when you close the account yourself. It does not mean you may leave a suspended account in place and create another one. Amazon staff have also stated that a suspended account cannot be closed until it has first been reinstated.
Check whether an identity verification review is still pending
For sellers who keep seeing a suspension notice related to identity verification, Amazon staff have advised going to the menu (the three-line icon) > Catalog (カタログ) > View Selling Applications (出品申請を表示): if "Verify your account" (アカウントを確認) is under review, wait for a response, and if there is no such item, open a case. If you submitted something and never saw the result, check here first.
The first hurdle: regaining login access and ways to be contacted
With an account that has sat for years, you may stumble at login before you even get to reinstatement. Sellers are told to file appeals and inquiries by logging in to the suspended account, so secure your way in first.
- Two-Step Verification: This is required for all users, and codes are not sent by email. If you canceled or lost the phone you registered and have no backup method, submit identity documents through the Help procedure for when you can't change your Two-Step Verification settings (「2段階認証の設定を変更できない場合」). The verification process can take up to 48 hours to complete; once you are verified, Two-Step Verification is turned off and you can log in. The next time you log in, you will need to set it up again on a device you can use.
- Registered email address: Check your login address under Settings > Login Settings (ログイン設定) and where notifications are sent under Settings > Notification Preferences (通知設定). In one case involving a dispute over sales proceeds, Amazon staff advised sending it "from the address registered to your account." If you no longer have the address you used back then, confirm through Account Health Support or a case which address you should send from before changing the registered address yourself.
- Don't open links in old emails: Legitimate emails come from addresses such as "@amazon.co.jp," and Amazon says it will never ask for your password or similar details by email. Log in to Seller Central directly to check.
For narrowing down why you can't log in, see What to check when you can't log in.
Find your past records: start from the "first notice"
The longer it has been since the suspension, the more it matters whether you can find the first notice. According to Help, the list of products and ASINs under review is located "at the bottom of the first notice," and you are also asked to check the deadline for submitting documents.
STEP 1. Open Performance Notifications
Go to Performance (パフォーマンス) > Performance Notifications and review the notice through an option such as "View appeal" (申し立てを表示) in the Action (アクション) column.
Even for an older account that was suspended because the seller hadn't been selling, Amazon staff have advised logging in and contacting Account Health Support, and have stated that the reason for the suspension and the steps for reinstatement are given in the Performance Notification. Don't assume the cause was simply a long period without selling; check the reason in the notice. Another response advised that, if you can't find it, you should get in touch through the Contact Us (お問い合わせ) button on the Account Health dashboard (for Professional sellers; see "Where to turn for help" below).
Help does not say how long notices and cases are kept, so if you can't find them, don't fill in the gaps with guesses; check with Amazon.
STEP 2. Check your removal history and case history
On the Account Health page, open "View all" (すべて表示) under Product Policy Compliance (商品規約の遵守) to see a history of removed listings and images, along with their current status and next steps. However, this page is said to mainly show violations from the last 180 days, and Help does not say how far back records of an old suspension are kept. If nothing appears, check Performance Notifications, and if you still can't tell, contact Amazon. In your case history, check the responses you received at the time and whether any case under review for the same issue is still open.
STEP 3. Dig up your order, sales, and sourcing records
Orders more than two years old can only be viewed in reports on the Archived Orders (過去の注文) tab under Orders (注文) > Order Reports (注文レポート). Sales and fees can be viewed in date range reports under Payments (ペイメント) > Reports Repository (レポートリポジトリ), up to 365 days at a time and going back as far as 2012. Help does not say whether these are available on a suspended account, so if they don't appear, confirm through a case.
Outside Seller Central, look for clues in your accounting software, bookkeeping documents, and email attachments. The retention periods under tax law (generally seven years for corporations, and five or seven years for sole proprietors depending on the category) are a separate matter from Amazon's submission requirements, so check with your tax accountant about what applies to your business. Arrange the records you find in chronological order.
Put together current documents: the originals from back then may not be usable as is
For identity, address, and business verification, the basic standard is "documents valid today that match your current registration details," and documents from years ago may fall outside the expiration date or issue date requirements. On the other hand, some documents, such as supplier invoices, must be from the period that corresponds to the notice. Below are the main requirements for businesses based in Japan.
| Item | Summary of requirements |
|---|---|
| Identity document | A photo ID such as a passport, driver's license, or residence card. My Number Cards and My Number Card driver's licenses (マイナ免許証) are not accepted. The name you register must match the name of the primary contact, and the date of birth, ID number, and expiration date you enter must exactly match what appears on the document |
| Address and business verification documents | Proof of address must have been issued within the past 180 days and show an issue date, payment due date, or transaction date. Business verification documents must also be recent and unexpired, such as a business license issued or renewed within the past 180 days |
| Documents submitted for a seller performance review | Screenshots are not accepted. Utility bills must be from within the past 90 days. The name and address on at least one document must match your registration details |
| Registered card | Expiration date at least six months after the date it is added. The name and billing address must match. Prepaid, virtual, and gift cards are not accepted |
| General format | A clear scan or photo of the original showing the whole document, under 50 MB, not altered or password-protected |
If a document is rejected because of a mismatch, you are advised either to update your registration details to match the document or to submit a document that explains the discrepancy. While your card is invalid, you also can't manage listings or receive payments, so update it early under Settings > Account Info > Charge Methods (支払情報). For preparing each type of document, see Preparing additional documents for identity verification.
Line up "records from back then" and "documents you have now" in two columns
| Records from back then (past) | Documents you have now (present) |
|---|---|
| The first Performance Notification and the ASINs it covers | An unexpired photo ID |
| What you submitted at the time and Amazon's replies | Address and business documents that meet the issue date requirements |
| Case history | A name and address that match your registration details |
| History of removed listings | A card with plenty of time left before it expires |
| Past orders and date range reports | A registered email address that can receive mail |
| Supplier invoices and account books | A phone that can receive Two-Step Verification codes |
Don't fill in the cells you can't find with guesses; write "missing." For the materials you do find, note where they are kept and their dates.
What time won't fix, and what moves forward with time
The official explanations include both things that time alone won't settle and things that move forward while you leave them alone.
| Category | Item | Summary of the official explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Won't be fixed | Suspension based on the Account Health Rating (AHR) | Violations that would normally drop off after 180 days remain on the dashboard in the case of an AHR-based suspension. The account is reinstated once you address the violations and the score rises above the threshold (100) |
| Won't be fixed | Reinstatement process | Reinstatement is described as starting with the seller's appeal or submission of information |
| Moves forward | Sales proceeds | Generally held for 90 days, and the hold may be extended. Once 60 days have passed since the hold date, you can file a separate dispute with the contact listed in Help |
| Moves forward | FBA inventory | If you don't request a return or disposal within 30 days of a removal notice, the inventory may be disposed of. If a suspension continues for a certain period, a disposal order is created automatically (per Amazon staff) |
| Moves forward | Cards and documents | Cards expire, and documents from back then fall outside the "within 180 days" and "within 90 days" requirements |
With a suspension from several years ago, your FBA inventory may already have been returned or disposed of, so check the notices and contact Amazon if you can't tell. Whether your sales proceeds will be paid out is decided case by case, and you may be asked for identity or sourcing documents. For how to check, see How to check on your sales proceeds after a suspension.
Organize the business details that have changed since then
The Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement and the Seller Code of Conduct require you to keep your registration details current and accurate at all times. Below, we organize the relevant rules by the kinds of changes that commonly occur.
| Change | Relevant rules | How to handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Change of address, phone number, or bank account | A change can trigger a review | Put the timing and reasons for the changes in chronological order, and gather documents that match your current information |
| From sole proprietor to corporation | According to Amazon staff, the business type can't be changed, a corporation needs a new account, and ratings and history can't be transferred (September 2026; staff also acknowledged that past guidance had been inconsistent) | First decide which entity's account you are dealing with, and check with Seller Support before creating a new account |
| Sale or succession of the business | Selling accounts can't be transferred. When the owner changes, the new owner sets up a new account. If only the person in charge changes, add them as a user | Distinguish between a change of ownership and a change of the person in charge. If a suspended account still exists, check with Amazon before the new owner creates an account |
| Supplier has gone out of business or can't be reached | Suppliers must have a verifiable web presence, and Amazon may contact them. Help doesn't say how cases where a supplier has closed are handled | Organize the transaction records you still have and explain the facts as they are |
| Accounts in marketplaces outside Japan | If an account in another country is the cause, in most cases the original account needs to be reinstated first (per Amazon staff) | Contact Amazon through a case from the original account |
| Multiple accounts | Generally one per selling region. If there is a problem with one, all of your accounts may be suspended | List every related account |
If you have been told your accounts are related, see How to respond when Amazon flags related accounts.
How to file an appeal and structure your explanation
Steps on screen
- Open Performance > Account Health
- Follow the instructions from a button at the top of the page, such as "Reactivate your selling account" (出品用アカウントの再開) (you may be asked to fill out a questionnaire or provide supporting documents). If the reason is verification of your registration details, submit documents through an option such as "Submit new information" (新しい情報を送信)
- After submitting, wait for the email with the result, and if additional information is requested, submit it through an option such as "View Account Health requests" (アカウント健全性の要請を見る)
Help says it takes up to about two days to receive a response to an appeal, but that is not how long reinstatement takes. Button names can differ depending on the reason for and timing of the suspension. For the overall flow, see An overview from suspension to reinstatement request.
Write in line with the official guidelines
- Keep it factual and concise. Don't include information about other inquiries or open cases, or emotional language
- Identify the root cause and show what you did about it, the dates the changes took effect, and the related documents
- Provide evidence for every product and ASIN listed at the bottom of the first notice. For policy violations that require invoices (such as product quality or authenticity), there are requirements such as an issue date within 365 days before you received the Performance Notification and quantities that cover the units sold and in stock for the ASINs in question
- Mark the key parts of your documents, such as ASINs and supplier names
For a suspension from many years ago, Help doesn't make clear which notice the "within 365 days" invoice requirement is counted from, so follow the instructions in each notice. There are two ways to appeal: acknowledge the violation and show how you corrected it, or present evidence that the action was taken in error. According to Help, for policy violation appeals a plan of action on its own is not accepted, and you will be asked for proof of your corrective actions, such as updated training materials or images of quality checks. There have also been cases of intellectual property suspensions in which documents showing the rights involved were requested (per Amazon staff), so check first what format the notice asks for.
Write "back then," "since then," and "now" separately
Explanations of old suspensions tend to mix together the facts at the time, the changes since then, and your current setup. The example below is a hypothetical, not a real case, intended only to show the structure.
[Facts at the time] For the products listed in the notice, we kept only the delivery slips received from our supplier at the time and had no procedure in place for keeping invoices.
[Changes since then and when they happened] In [month/year], after the suspension, we moved our place of business and updated our registered address and phone number. Since [month/year], we have managed our sourcing records in accounting software.
[Current setup] We receive an invoice with every purchase, match it against the ASINs, and store it as electronic data.
[Documents we can submit and what is missing] Of the [number] ASINs listed in the notice, we are submitting the original invoices for [number] of them (Attachments 1–3). For the remaining [number], no transaction records with the supplier survive, and we are unable to submit invoices.
For more on how to put one together, see How to build a plan of action.
Before you ask for help or contact Amazon: what to avoid and where to turn
What to avoid
- Getting around the suspension by creating a new account: This violates the policies and could get all of your accounts suspended.
- Sending the same appeal or documents repeatedly in a short time: Help warns against resubmitting without waiting for the review to finish and against repeatedly sending inaccurate documents.
- Opening case after case: The rule is one case per issue. For a case in which you have been told "no further action will be taken," you are not to reopen it or create a new one.
- Altering documents or creating them yourself: Altered documents and invoices created by the seller are not accepted; they may be treated as submitting false information and make your situation worse.
- Putting off a notice you have now because of how things went with a previous suspension: Give priority to the deadline and requests in each notice.
Where to turn for help
| Contact | When to use it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Us (お問い合わせ) on the Account Health page ("Call me now" (今すぐ電話がほしい)) | You don't know the reason for the suspension or which documents you need | For Professional sellers (available 24/7). Other sellers are directed to resources such as Help and Seller University (Amazon出品大学) |
| Case (Help > "Get support" (サポートとケースを利用する) > "Selling on Amazon" (Amazon出品サービス)) | Technical issues, inquiries about an original account in another country | Check your case history first, and if you have already contacted Amazon, wait for a response |
| The Digital Platform Transaction Consultation Desk (for online mall users) (デジタルプラットフォーム取引相談窓口（オンラインモール利用事業者向け）), run on commission from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry | Advice on how to ask the mall questions or seek help | Free. Does not offer mediation, intermediation, or conciliation. It is not a substitute for an appeal to Amazon |
| Tax accountant or attorney | Obligations to keep books, legal assessments | Check individual judgments with a professional |
For how to prepare before contacting a specialist, see How to prepare before contacting Account Health Support.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I still appeal if my account was suspended years ago?
A. Help does not give a general deadline such as "within X years of suspension." Whether you can is decided case by case, and your notice may state a submission deadline, so first check your own notice and then contact the channels described above. Note that phone consultations with Account Health Support are described as being for Professional sellers.
Q. Can I just leave the suspended account alone and register again from scratch?
A. Creating a new account to get around a suspension violates the policies and could get all of your accounts suspended, including the new one. Check with Amazon before creating a new account, including when your business structure has changed.
Q. I can't find the supplier invoices from back then.
A. Search places such as your accounting software and email attachments. Don't create documents you can't find yourself or submit documents made after the fact as if they were from that time; instead, explain the facts as they are, as in the [Documents we can submit and what is missing] part of the example above.
Q. Can I just resend the plan of action I submitted back then?
A. We don't recommend it. Reread the original notice and the rejection reply, and rewrite it to add the changes since then and your current setup. For policy violations, as noted above, you will be asked for proof of your corrective actions.
Q. Can I still receive the sales proceeds from when my account was suspended?
A. There is a dispute procedure, but whether the funds are paid out is decided case by case. First confirm that you can use your registered email address, and if you can't, check with Amazon beforehand about which address to send from.
Summary
The starting point for reinstatement is to organize past records and current documents separately.
- First determine whether you set the account on vacation yourself, Amazon suspended it, or it has been closed
- Secure the phone for Two-Step Verification and your registered email address
- Using the first Performance Notification as your starting point, gather records of removals, cases, orders, sales, and sourcing
- For identity verification and other documents, gather valid ones that match your registration details, and clearly mark any records you can't find as "missing"
- At the same time, check on things that move forward while you wait, such as sales proceeds, FBA inventory, and card expiration dates
- After reinstatement, periodically review your registration details, your Two-Step Verification phone number, and your card's expiration date to prevent the same situation from happening again
Writing down the facts you know and the information you are missing before you get in touch will make the process go more smoothly.
This article is based on Seller Central Help, the Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement, and responses from Amazon staff on the Seller Forums as of September 2026. Policies and screens can change, so please also check your actual notices and the latest Help content.
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Free consultation, 24/7 *This article provides a general explanation. The appropriate response in individual cases depends on the circumstances. Start with a free consultation to discuss your case. We are not an official Amazon contact channel and have no ownership or partnership relationship with Amazon.
