You can't sign in to Seller Central, or you can sign in but one particular page won't open, or an external tool shows "Unauthorized" and its integration has stopped. Situations like these are sometimes called an "authorization error" (無認可エラー in Japanese). This article walks through how to narrow down the cause based on the stage where you got stuck, what to check at each stage, whom to ask for what so you can get back on track, and which records to gather before contacting anyone.
What an "authorization error" is: a label you won't find in the official help
"Authorization error" refers to a situation where a message saying you lack permission or haven't been authorized appears and you can no longer log in or perform an action. As far as we could see from the titles of help pages on Seller Central Japan, the word 無認可 ("unauthorized") does not appear, so it is most likely not an official term. Amazon's Japanese materials use 承認 ("approval") for granting outside businesses access to your account, and past versions of its Japanese developer documentation translate access permission for external apps as 認可 ("authorization"). The English word "Unauthorized" shows up as an error code in SP-API, the connection framework used by external tools.
In this article, we use the term as a catch-all for any situation where authentication (verifying who you are), permissions (the range of pages you can use), or approval (access granted to an outside party) fails and you can't move forward. Record the exact wording of any message you see without paraphrasing it. This article is based on the official help pages and agreements as of September 2026; pages and procedures may change.
First, identify the stage where you're stuck and who can fix it
Where you should look, and who can fix the problem, depends on the stage where things stopped.
| Stage where you're stuck | What it usually looks like | What to check first | Who mainly handles it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ① Sign-in page | Your email address or password isn't accepted | The combination you entered, your browser and device | You (Technical Support if that doesn't resolve it) |
| ② Two-step verification / passkey | The code doesn't arrive, or the passkey returns an error | Whether you're using the latest code, your cache, backup methods for receiving codes | You (identity verification procedure if you've lost your device) |
| ③ Certain pages after login | Menus or tools don't appear | User permissions, which store you have selected | The primary user (account administrator) |
| ④ External tools only | The tool shows "Unauthorized" or a similar message | The app (SP-API) authorization status (ask the provider whether it expires), the service provider approval expiration, the tool's settings | The seller (reauthorization / reapproval) and the tool provider |
| ⑤ Warnings after login | Red or yellow alerts on the home page | The Account Health page, notification emails | The seller (appeals, etc.) |
Confirming who can fix the problem up front also cuts down on misdirected inquiries. For example, two-step verification is mandatory, and Amazon Technical Support reportedly cannot grant exceptions or process identity verification when you've lost your device. You have to complete that verification yourself through the designated procedure (if you're locked out because of a passkey, the help pages also suggest contacting Technical Support). If ① doesn't resolve it, also consider whether your buyer account has been closed or whether there has been unauthorized access.
Stuck on the sign-in page: check your credentials and browser
If you open Seller Central while signed out, you're taken to Amazon's sign-in page with the heading "Sign in" (ログイン). Under "Need help?" (お困りですか?), the links "Forgot your password?" (パスワードを忘れた場合) and "Other issues with Sign-In" (その他のログインに関する問題) are your starting points for procedures you can try yourself. The on-screen text below is as of September 2026.
STEP1. Double-check your email address and password combination
If you see "There was a problem with your email or mobile number. Please correct it and try again." (メールアドレスまたは携帯電話番号に誤りがあります。訂正してからもう一度試してください。), start by checking the following.
- Whether you've mixed it up with the address for your buyer account, Amazon Pay, or Amazon Business (the official FAQ also points this out)
- If you have multiple Amazon accounts under the same address, whether the password matches your selling account
- Whether a pasted password contains extra spaces
The official Amazon selling services website advises that if you have Amazon Brand Registry, Amazon Ads, or Vendor Central accounts, you should use the same email address and password as your selling account so that access stays in sync.
STEP2. Try a different browser and device
If you see "Please enable cookies to continue" (次に進むにはCookieを有効にしてください), review your browser's cookie settings. The help pages suggest clearing cookies and cache, or signing in from a different browser or device. Supported browsers are the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge on a computer, and the latest versions of the mobile Chrome and Safari apps on a smartphone. Connections over TLS 1.0/1.1 are not supported, so older devices may have their connections refused.
According to the buyer help pages, right after you clear cookies or when you sign in from a new device, you may be asked to enter a six-digit passcode as an extra check. This is not an error.
STEP3. Reset your password with Password Assistance
You can change your password using Password Assistance, which you reach from "Forgot your password?" The new password takes effect immediately and applies to every Amazon-related account associated with the same address. If you have any systems that run using your selling account's registered email address and password (the help pages cite data submission via XML as an example), update those settings too. Also check the credentials registered in any external tools that log in with an ID and password.
STEP4. If you're on global registration, try signing in from the North America store
According to the Japanese help pages, selling accounts registered in Japan since January 2020 are unified with accounts for the North American and European stores (global registration). If you can't get into the Japan store, the help pages suggest signing in to the North America store and then selecting Japan from the store name at the top of the page.
If none of this resolves it, the help pages say the combination may not be associated with an active account, and that you should contact Amazon unless you deactivated the account yourself. Technical Support is, as a rule, a channel you use after signing in. To contact Amazon while you can't log in, follow the instructions on "Get help signing in to Seller Central" (セラーセントラルへのサインインのヘルプ), which you can also open from "If you can't log in" (ログインができない場合) on the official Amazon selling services website, and fill in the form with details such as the error message and the steps you've tried. This isn't something we could confirm in the help pages, but if a colleague at your company can still log in with a different user account, it may also be worth asking them to make the inquiry on your behalf. For checks that include logging in as a buyer, see also what to check when you can't log in to Amazon.
Stuck at two-step verification or passkey
Two-step verification is mandatory for all users on Seller Central. Codes are delivered by text message (SMS), voice call, or authenticator app; they cannot be received by email.
| Situation | What to try first | If that doesn't work |
|---|---|---|
| The code doesn't arrive | Clear your cache and enter the latest code | Use "Didn't receive the code?" (コードが届きませんか？) to receive it by a backup method (such as a voice call) |
| Your phone was lost or stolen | Try signing in with a backup method or a trusted device | Submit identity documents through the "If 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) procedure |
| The passkey returns an error (for example, when you see "Sign in with your password or try your passkey again later" (パスワードを使ってサインインするか、後でもう一度パスキーを試してください)) | Delete your cache and cookies | Try another registered device. If you're locked out, contact Technical Support |
| You lost your passkey device and have no backup | Check whether you registered any other method | Present identity documents to Customer Service or Selling Partner Support. Once verification is approved, passkey authentication is turned off |
The identity document procedure involves uploading an image of a government-issued ID. The Seller Central help pages say it takes "up to 48 hours" and the buyer help pages say "1-2 days"; both are estimates. After it's complete, you'll need to add your two-step verification phone number again to get into Seller Central. You can check this setting under Settings (設定) → Login Settings (ログイン設定) → Advanced Security Settings (高度なセキュリティ設定) → Edit (編集).
Passkeys (sign-in using a fingerprint, face recognition, or PIN) are recommended in the help pages, which note that they may become mandatory for some features in the future. If a passkey is required and you haven't set one up, setup instructions will appear, but this is not an error. If your buyer and selling accounts use the same login credentials, the same setting applies to both.
Shared logins tend to get stuck at authentication
When several people use one set of login credentials, no one can work while the person holding the two-step verification device is away. On the Professional selling plan, create a separate login for each person under User Permissions (ユーザー権限). Each user you add needs a new email address that has never been used with any Amazon account.
You can log in, but pages or tools don't work
Some pages don't appear: user permissions and stores
The pages you can view are determined by your user permissions and access rights, and they also vary depending on whether you're on the Individual or Professional plan, whether you use FBA, and which store you're logged in to. Note that only Professional sellers can use the User Permissions feature. For invited employees (secondary users), the range they can use is set per tool with the permission levels "None," "View," and "View & Edit." Ask the primary user (account administrator) to grant the permissions you need under Settings → User Permissions.
If you sell in multiple stores, also check that you've selected the right store in the account selector near the top left of the page. If you're thinking of switching from the Professional to the Individual plan, check in advance what happens to users you've added (checklist before switching from the Professional to the Individual selling plan).
Only an external tool shows "Unauthorized"
Many external tools for inventory management and repricing access Amazon data through SP-API. The API specifications list causes of access denial such as "Unauthorized" and "Expired Token" (the token has expired). If you can get into Seller Central but only the tool has stopped, the cause is most likely in the authorization/approval or credentials between the tool and Amazon.
- Check whether there are any alerts on your Seller Central home page (under the agreement, if your API access is suspended or terminated, the tool's credentials may no longer be recognized)
- Check whether authorization or approval has expired or been removed, both for tools that use SP-API and for service providers such as agencies and outsourcing firms. You can check a service provider's approval status under "Manage Your Services" (サービスの管理) in Seller Central. We were unable to confirm, in this survey, the screen or steps for checking the authorization of an SP-API tool itself, so ask the tool's provider
- Send the tool provider the full text of the error, and confirm the authorization/approval expiration and the steps to set it up again
- Tools that log in with an ID and password and read the pages (screen scraping) can be affected by two-step verification, so ask the provider whether they support SP-API
Amazon's older developer documentation included a note that authorization for some apps migrated from MWS (hybrid apps) expires after one year, requiring sellers to reauthorize annually. However, whether the same mechanism applies to current SP-API apps in general is something we could not confirm in this survey. Rather than assuming either way, check with the tool provider whether the authorization has an expiration and whether it needs to be reset.
Access granted to "service providers" such as agencies, consultants, and outside vendors, on the other hand, is valid for 365 days from approval, and you can extend it by another 365 days by "reapproving" it while it's still valid. Once it expires or is removed, you have to approve it again from scratch, and the integration may stop in the meantime. Only the account owner or an administrator can approve or reapprove. Removing access takes effect immediately and can't be undone, so confirm the target before you act. The authorization mechanism and expiration may also differ depending on the tool, such as private apps.
When suspension, account closure, or unauthorized access is behind it
Red or yellow alerts appear on the home page
Once you can log in, check the action cards on the home page (called the "homepage" in the help pages). A "red alert" is an important notice about your status, such as a suspension, while a "yellow alert" warns of a potential risk. The Business Solutions Agreement states that if Amazon immediately suspends or terminates your use of the services for reasons such as a serious violation, it will promptly notify you of the reason and your options to appeal by email, through Seller Central, or by similar means (with exceptions). So check your inbox as well.
Appeals against a suspension are made from "Reactivate your selling account" at the top of the Account Health (アカウント健全性) page, and a response is said to take up to about two days. Whether you can log in, and what you see, may differ depending on the type of suspension. For the overall flow, see an overview from account suspension to reinstatement request; to tell from the notice whether it's a suspension or a closure, see telling suspension apart from closure. The phone line for Professional sellers is covered in preparing to contact Account Health Support.
You closed your selling or buyer account, or it was closed
If you close your selling account yourself, you can no longer log in, and it can't be reactivated. The buyer account is the one people tend to overlook. According to the Japanese help pages, if you close the buyer account created when you registered your selling account, you can no longer sign in to your selling account. The same applies if your buyer account is closed for a policy violation. We cover what to check before closing it in things to confirm before closing your buyer account, and what to do if it stops working in what to check when your buyer account can't be used.
Your buyer account may also be subject to security measures or a temporary "hold." The effect on Seller Central isn't stated explicitly, but if you use the same login credentials, it may be affected.
You suspect account takeover or phishing
If you receive a passcode or sign-in notification you don't recognize, someone else may know your password. Here is what to do, following the help pages.
- Change your login password (if you can't log in, contact Amazon by following the instructions in the sign-in help)
- Check for any changes you don't recognize to your email address, payment information, user permissions, storefront, or listings
- Report suspected phishing emails to the address listed in the help pages, and report the situation to Technical Support
Don't use links in emails that pressure you to act; go to Seller Central directly to check. If you suspect you've suffered harm, also consider consulting the police or a lawyer.
Steps to recovery and records to gather before contacting support
Keep handling orders while you can't log in
If your listings are active, orders may keep coming in while you can't log in. If you have self-fulfilled items, ask another user who can log in to handle shipping and messages; if there's no one, explain that situation when you contact support. What you can and can't do depends on the state of your account, so there's no single answer.
Records to gather before contacting support
Recording the items the help pages ask for, plus the items you used to narrow down the cause, will cut down on back-and-forth.
Records to gather before contacting support
- When it happened, and the stage where you got stuck (①–⑤ in the table in this article)
- The exact message shown (word for word, not paraphrased) and screenshots
- The email address you used to sign in and the URL of the sign-in page
- Your browser and OS type and version, and any other devices you tried
- The steps you tried and the result of each
- The URL of your seller profile page and any previous case IDs
Below is a sample message to send the provider when only an external tool has stopped (a hypothetical example, not a real case).
Since this morning, inventory syncing has been failing, and the tool shows "Unauthorized." I can log in to Seller Central as usual, and there are no suspension or other alerts on the home page. I've attached the full error text and screenshots. Could you tell me the authorization status and the steps to set it up again?
Technical Support asks that you open one case per issue and not create a new case for the same issue while it's under review. For how to explain your situation, see also how to organize your request to Technical Support.
What not to do, and checks to prevent a recurrence
- Creating a new selling account to keep selling: Unless you have a legitimate business reason and all of your accounts are in good standing, you may hold only one account per region you sell in, and breaking this rule could get all of your accounts suspended.
- Closing your buyer account while you keep selling: With global registration, this applies to the buyer account on any store; you'll no longer be able to sign in to your selling account.
- Sharing login credentials with other people, agencies, or external tools: Under the agreement, sellers are responsible for keeping their passwords secure, must not disclose them to anyone other than those they've authorized, and are responsible for any actions taken using their password. Give outside businesses access through approval as a "service provider."
- Altering identity documents or using someone else's: The Seller Code of Conduct requires you to provide accurate information to Amazon, and submitting documents that don't reflect the facts is a policy violation that could lead to suspension or other action. Never do this.
Here are preventive checks. The frequencies are our suggestions, not Amazon requirements.
| Suggested frequency | What to check |
|---|---|
| Once a month | Review the User Permissions list and revoke access that's no longer needed |
| Once a month | The notification addresses under Settings → Notification Preferences (通知設定), and alerts on the home page |
| Before approvals expire | Check when service provider approvals expire and reapprove them while they're still valid; ask the tool provider whether app authorizations expire and need reauthorizing |
| Before changing phones | Your two-step verification phone number and backup methods, and the devices registered for passkeys |
Frequently asked questions
Q. Will my account get locked if I fail to log in several times?
A. We couldn't find the number of attempts or the lockout period in the official help pages. Rather than retrying over and over, it's safer to double-check the combination and, if you're not sure, reset your password with Password Assistance.
Q. If I get an "authorization error," does that mean my account has been suspended?
A. Not necessarily. The causes range widely, from the credentials you entered to external tools. If you can log in, check the home page alerts and notification emails to see whether you've received a suspension notice.
Q. Only one of our employees can no longer log in.
A. An administrator should check under User Permissions whether that user's registration and permissions are still in place. Also check whether the employee has changed their two-step verification device.
Q. I received an email from a tool provider asking me to "please reauthorize."
A. Don't sign in from the link in the email. Go to Seller Central directly. If it's a service provider approval, you can check its status under "Manage Your Services" (サービスの管理). For the authorization status of the tool itself, the reauthorization steps, or anything else that's unclear, contact the provider through the support channel on its official website.
Summary
"Authorization error" is a label you won't find in the Seller Central help pages as of September 2026. In this article, it refers collectively to situations where authentication, permissions, or approval fails somewhere along the way.
- First identify the stage where you're stuck, and record the message word for word
- On the sign-in page, check your credentials, then your browser, then reset your password, in that order
- If you lose your two-step verification device, you must complete the identity verification procedure yourself
- If pages don't appear, check permissions and the store; if only an external tool is affected, check the authorization/approval expiration and the provider's settings
- Also check whether an account closure, suspension, or unauthorized access is behind it
Repeating actions while the cause is still unclear can actually delay recovery. Organize your records and contact the official channels, and if a suspension or warning is involved and you're unsure how to proceed, consider consulting a specialist.
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Further reading
Unable to log in to Amazon: checks for buyers and sellers Read article → 
When you cannot use your Amazon buyer account: checking the reason for a suspension or temporary suspension and preparing a support inquiry Read article → 
Responding to Amazon misconduct warnings: preparing for additional virtual identity verification Read article →