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</script></head><body><div id="main"><div style="display: none"><a href="/pdfs/accounts/latest/reference/AWSAccountManagementReferenceGuide.pdf#getting-started" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Open PDF"></a></div><div id="breadcrumbs" class="breadcrumb"><a href="/index.html">Documentation</a><a href="/organizations/index.html">AWS Account Management</a><a href="accounts-welcome.html">User Guide</a></div><div id="page-toc-src"><a href="#getting-started-step1">Step 1: Create your account</a><a href="#getting-started-step2">Step 2: (Recommended) Install the AWS CLI</a><a href="#getting-started-step3">Step 3: (Recommended) Set up the AWS MCP Server</a></div><div id="main-content" class="awsui-util-container"><div id="main-col-body"><awsdocs-language-banner data-service="$ctrl.pageService"></awsdocs-language-banner><h1 class="topictitle" id="getting-started">Getting started with an AWS account</h1><div class="awsdocs-page-header-container"><awsdocs-page-header></awsdocs-page-header><awsdocs-filter-selector id="awsdocs-filter-selector"></awsdocs-filter-selector></div><p>If you're new to AWS, you need to sign up for an AWS account. When you do so, AWS
        will create an account using the details you provide and assign it to you.</p><p>To sign up for an AWS account, you'll need to provide the following information:</p><div class="itemizedlist">
         
         
         
         
    <ul class="itemizedlist"><li class="listitem">
            <p><b><span>Root user email
                        address</span></b> – The email address is used as the sign-in
                name for the <a href="./root-user.html">root user</a> and is required for account
                recovery. You must be able to receive email messages that are sent to this address.
                Before you can perform certain tasks, you must verify that you have access to email
                sent to this address.</p>
        </li><li class="listitem">
            <p><b>AWS account name</b> – The name of the
                account appears in several places, such as on your invoice, and in consoles such as
                the Billing and Cost Management dashboard and the AWS Organizations console. We recommend that you use a standard
                way to name your accounts so that you can give your accounts names that are easy to
                recognize. For company accounts, consider using a naming standard such as <em>organization</em>-<em>purpose</em>-<em>environment</em> (for example,
                    <em>AnyCompany</em>-<em>audit</em>-<em>prod</em>). For personal
                accounts, consider using a naming standard such as <em>first
                    name</em>-<em>last name</em>-<em>purpose</em> (for example, <em>paulo-santos-testaccount</em>).</p>
        </li><li class="listitem">
            <p><b>Address</b> – If your contact and billing
                address is in India, the user agreement for your account is with Amazon Web Services India Private Limited (AWS India), a
                local AWS seller in India. You must provide your CVV as part of the verification
                process. You might also have to enter a one-time password, depending on your bank.
                AWS India charges your payment method 2 INR as part of the verification process.
                AWS India refunds the 2 INR after verification is complete.</p>
        </li><li class="listitem">
            <p><b>Phone number</b> – This number is used for
                identity verification purposes and to confirm the ownership of your account. You must
                be able to receive calls and SMS messages at this phone number.</p>
            <div class="awsdocs-note awsdocs-important"><div class="awsdocs-note-title"><awsui-icon name="status-warning" variant="error"></awsui-icon><h6>Important</h6></div><div class="awsdocs-note-text"><p>If this account is for a business, use a corporate phone number so that your
                    company can retain access to the AWS account even when an employee changes
                    positions or leaves the company.</p></div></div>
        </li></ul></div>
        <h2 id="getting-started-step1">Step 1: Create your account</h2>
        <p>These instructions are for creating an AWS account outside of India. For creating an
            account in India, see <a href="./managing-accounts-india.html#create-india-account">Create an AWS account with AWS India</a>. For creating an account that's part of an organization
            managed by AWS Organizations, see <a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/organizations/latest/userguide/orgs_manage_accounts_create.html">Creating a member account in an
                organization</a> in the <em>AWS Organizations User Guide</em>.</p>
        <awsdocs-tabs><dl style="display: none">
            <dt>AWS Management Console</dt><dd tab-id="aws-management-console">
                    <div class="procedure"><h6>To create an AWS account</h6><ol><li>
                            <p>Open the <a href="https://signin.aws.amazon.com/signup?request_type=register" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Sign up for AWS</span><awsui-icon class="awsdocs-link-icon" name="external"></awsui-icon></a> page.</p>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>Enter the root user email address and AWS account name, and then choose
                                    <b>Verify email address</b>. This sends a
                                verification code to your email address.</p>
                            <div class="awsdocs-note awsdocs-important"><div class="awsdocs-note-title"><awsui-icon name="status-warning" variant="error"></awsui-icon><h6>Important</h6></div><div class="awsdocs-note-text"><p>If this account is for a business, use a secure corporate
                                    distribution list (for example, <code class="code">it.admins@example.com</code>)
                                    so that your company can retain access to the AWS account even
                                    when an employee changes positions or leaves the company. Because
                                    the email address can be used to reset the account's root user
                                    credentials, protect access to this distribution list or
                                    address.</p></div></div>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>Enter your verification code, and then choose
                                    <b>Verify</b>.</p>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>Enter a strong password for your root user, confirm it, and then choose
                                    <b>Continue</b>. AWS requires that your password
                                meet the following conditions:</p>
                            <div class="itemizedlist">
                                 
                                 
                                 
                            <ul class="itemizedlist"><li class="listitem">
                                    <p>It must have a minimum of 8 characters and a maximum of 128
                                        characters.</p>
                                </li><li class="listitem">
                                    <p>It must include a minimum of three of the following mix of
                                        character types: uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and ! @ # $ % ^
                                        &amp; * () &lt;&gt; [] <span>{</span>} | _+-= symbols.</p>
                                </li><li class="listitem">
                                    <p>It must not be identical to your AWS account name or email
                                        address.</p>
                                </li></ul></div>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>Choose your account plan. For more information, see <a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awsaccountbilling/latest/aboutv2/free-tier-plans.html">Free
                                    Tier plans</a>.</p>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>Enter your contact information, then read and accept the <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/agreement/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>AWS Customer
                                    Agreement</span><awsui-icon class="awsdocs-link-icon" name="external"></awsui-icon></a>. Make sure you understand the terms before
                                accepting.</p>
                            <div class="awsdocs-note awsdocs-important"><div class="awsdocs-note-title"><awsui-icon name="status-warning" variant="error"></awsui-icon><h6>Important</h6></div><div class="awsdocs-note-text"><p>If this account is for a business, it's a best practice to enter a
                                    company phone number rather than a number for a personal phone.
                                    Configuring the account's root user with an individual email address or
                                    a personal phone number can make your account insecure.</p></div></div>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>Enter your billing information. If you want to use a different
                                billing address for your AWS billing information, choose
                                    <b>Use a new address</b>.</p>
                            <p>You can't proceed with the sign-up process until you add a valid
                                payment method.</p>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>You might need to confirm your identity:</p>
                            <ol><li>
                                    <p>For <b>Country or region code</b>, enter a phone number that can
                                        be reached in the next few minutes.</p>
                                </li><li>
                                    <p>For <b>Phone number</b>, enter a phone number that can be reached in the next few minutes.</p>
                                </li><li>
                                    <p>Choose <b>Send SMS</b>.</p>
                                </li><li>
                                    <p>When the automated system contacts you, enter the code you
                                        receive and then choose
                                        <b>Continue</b>.</p>
                                </li></ol>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>Choose one of the available AWS Support plans. For a description of the
                                available Support plans and their benefits, see <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/features" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Compare Support
                                    plans</span><awsui-icon class="awsdocs-link-icon" name="external"></awsui-icon></a>.</p>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>Choose <b>Complete sign up</b>. A confirmation page
                                appears that indicates that your account is being activated.</p>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>Check your email and spam folder for an email message that confirms
                                your account was activated. Activation usually takes a few minutes but
                                can sometimes take up to 24 hours.</p>
                        </li><li>
                            <p>After you receive the activation message, you can sign-in to the
                                <a href="https://console.aws.amazon.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>AWS Management Console</span><awsui-icon class="awsdocs-link-icon" name="external"></awsui-icon></a> to start using AWS services. For general information
                                about how to manage your account settings, see <a href="./managing-accounts.html">Configure your AWS account</a>.</p>
                        </li></ol></div>
                    <p>For multiple AWS accounts managed through AWS Organizations, assign administrative
                        access to an administrative user in IAM Identity Center. For instructions, see <a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/get-started-assign-account-access-admin-user.html">Set up AWS account access for an IAM Identity Center administrative user</a> in
                        the <em>IAM Identity Center User Guide</em>.</p>
                </dd>
            <dt>AWS CLI &amp; SDKs</dt><dd tab-id="aws-cli-&amp;-sdks">
                    <p>You can create member accounts in an organization that is managed by AWS Organizations
                        by running the <a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/organizations/latest/APIReference/API_CreateAccount.html">CreateAccount</a> operation
                        while signed in to the organization's management account.</p>
                    <p>You can't create a standalone AWS account outside of an organization by
                        using an AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) or AWS API operation.</p>
                </dd>
        </dl></awsdocs-tabs>
     
        <h2 id="getting-started-step2">Step 2: (Recommended) Install the AWS CLI</h2>
        <p>Install the AWS CLI by following the instructions at <a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com//cli/latest/userguide/getting-started-install.html">Installing the
                AWS CLI</a>. You need version 2.32.0 or later.</p>
        <p>You can use the AWS CLI to have an agent manage AWS resources on your behalf.</p>
        <p>After you install the AWS CLI, use the following command to sign in
            programmatically:</p>
        <pre class="programlisting"><div class="code-btn-container"><div class="btn-copy-code" title="Copy"><awsui-icon name="copy"></awsui-icon></div></div><!--DEBUG: cli (bash)--><code class="bash ">aws login</code></pre>
        <p>This automatically rotates your credentials every 15 minutes, keeping your session
            valid for up to 12 hours without manual intervention.</p>
        <p>Use the following command to verify your credentials are working:</p>
        <pre class="programlisting"><div class="code-btn-container"><div class="btn-copy-code" title="Copy"><awsui-icon name="copy"></awsui-icon></div></div><!--DEBUG: cli (bash)--><code class="bash ">aws sts get-caller-identity</code></pre>
        <p>For more information about accessing your AWS account, see <a href="./accounts-access-account.html">Accessing your AWS account</a>.</p>
     
        <h2 id="getting-started-step3">Step 3: (Recommended) Set up the AWS MCP Server</h2>
        <p>The AWS MCP Server is a managed server that gives agents access to AWS through the
            Model Context Protocol (MCP). Agents can search AWS documentation and retrieve service
            information without authentication. To execute AWS API calls, run Python scripts in a
            sandboxed environment, or follow curated skills, agents authenticate through your
            existing IAM credentials. For more information, see <a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com//agent-toolkit/latest/userguide/what-is-agent-toolkit.html">What is the AWS
                Agent Toolkit?</a></p>
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