How to Create an AWS Account Without a Phone Number
You can't create a standalone AWS account without a phone number. Phone verification is a required step, by text message or automated voice call. There are only a few legitimate ways around using your own mobile: a landline or office number, an account created inside an existing AWS Organization, or a virtual number that happens to pass.
The phone is only one hurdle. AWS also asks for a payment card at sign-up, so someone who has neither will get stuck at the same stage.
Why AWS asks for a phone number
Amazon Web Services lets anyone spin up servers that cost real money, and that attracts abuse: crypto-mining on stolen cards, spam infrastructure, and so on. The phone check is one of the filters. It ties each new account to a reachable number before any resources can be launched.
During sign-up you enter a number, pick text message (SMS, short message service) or voice call, and finish a quick check. With the voice option, AWS displays a four-digit PIN on screen and calls you. You type that PIN on your keypad. No code is texted to you at all, which matters for the options below.
The realistic options compared
| Option | Works for | Main tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Landline or office number (voice call) | Anyone who has access to one | Needs you to answer a live call; some desk systems can't accept the PIN keypad entry |
| Member account inside an AWS Organization | People joining a company or already owning an account | The management account owner controls it and its billing |
| Virtual phone number | Users with no other number available | Hit-and-miss; AWS may reject numbers it recognizes as internet-based |
| Borrowing a trusted person's number | Short, one-off verification | That number is now attached to your account for recovery |
When each option fits
You have a landline, or can use a work line
This is the cleanest path if you don't want to give out a mobile number. Choose the voice call option, keep the phone next to you, and enter the PIN when it rings. Most home landlines handle this fine. Office phone systems with extensions often don't, because the call lands on a switchboard menu instead of your handset.
You only need AWS for a job or a project
Often you don't need your own account at all. If your employer or client runs AWS, they can invite you through IAM (Identity and Access Management) or IAM Identity Center, and you log in with credentials they issue. No phone check, no card. Ask before you sign up for something you may not need.
Companies that use AWS Organizations can also create member accounts directly from their management account. Those accounts don't go through the phone and card sign-up that a brand-new standalone account does, because billing rolls up to the parent. The catch is obvious: they belong to the organization, not to you.
You have no other number and need a personal account
Here a virtual number is the remaining route. We cover how this plays out in detail in our guide to virtual phone numbers for AWS sign-up verification. The short version: a number that receives SMS from short, automated senders can work, but acceptance varies by number type and changes over time.
If you go this way, use a number you can keep for the life of the account. A service like PVACodes offers rental numbers for many apps and countries, though availability varies. A one-time throwaway is a poor fit for AWS specifically, because you'll want that number for account recovery later.
Step by step: signing up with a non-mobile number
- Go to the AWS sign-up page and enter your email address and a unique account name.
- Verify your email with the code AWS sends, then set a password.
- Choose Personal or Business for the account type and fill in your contact details. The phone field here is where your landline, office line, or rented number goes.
- Add your payment card. AWS may place a small temporary authorization to confirm it's valid.
- On the identity verification step, pick voice call if you're using a landline, or text message if your number receives SMS.
- Enter the number, solve the captcha, and complete the check.
- Select a support plan (the free Basic plan is fine) and finish.
The limitation most guides skip
Getting through verification once doesn't settle the matter. AWS can ask for re-verification later, and if you lose access to the number, account recovery gets painful. A rented virtual number that expires is the classic way people lock themselves out of root access months later, usually right when they need to change a payment method.
Also, a verification failure doesn't tell you much. If the call never comes or the text doesn't arrive, you may just see the page stall or a generic error such as "We could not verify your phone number." Retrying the same number three or four times in a row can make it worse, since repeated attempts look like abuse. Wait before you retry, or switch from SMS to voice.
And the card requirement stays. Prepaid and virtual cards are sometimes declined at this step, depending on the issuer. Removing the phone obstacle doesn't help if the payment step fails next.
What not to do
Don't buy a pre-made AWS account from a marketplace. They're commonly resold from stolen cards or compromised logins, they get suspended without warning, and you'd have no standing to recover one. Don't try to create multiple accounts to stack free credits either; AWS ties accounts together by phone, card, and other signals, and violations of its terms can get all of them closed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use AWS without a phone number at all?
Yes, but only as a user in someone else's account. If an employer, school, or client gives you IAM credentials, you can work in AWS without signing up yourself. A standalone account of your own always needs phone verification.
Does AWS accept landline numbers?
Generally yes, through the voice call option. AWS calls and asks you to enter the on-screen PIN. The call has to reach a person who can use the keypad, so extension-based business phone systems often fail.
Will a Google Voice number work for AWS?
Sometimes. Results are inconsistent because AWS may flag internet-based numbers. Voice call verification tends to be more forgiving than SMS in these cases, but there's no guarantee for any specific number.
Is a card required if I only want the free tier?
Yes. AWS asks for a valid payment method at sign-up even if you plan to stay within free usage. You're only billed if you exceed free limits or use paid services, so set up a billing alert early.
Why is AWS not calling me?
Check that the number includes the correct country code, that your phone isn't set to block unknown callers, and that the call isn't going to voicemail. Then wait a few minutes before retrying, since quick repeated attempts can trigger temporary blocks.
Can I change the phone number on my AWS account later?
Yes. Once you're signed in, you can update contact details under the account settings page. Do it before the old number goes away, because losing both the number and the email can make root access hard to regain.
Is it safe to use someone else's number to verify?
It works technically, but that person's number becomes tied to your account's recovery. If they change numbers or you part ways, you'll have a problem. Use someone you trust, and update the number afterward.
Do I need a phone number for a member account in AWS Organizations?
Not in the same way. Member accounts created from a management account don't repeat the standalone phone and card sign-up. The management account's payer handles billing and controls the structure.
If you have a landline or an employer who can invite you into their AWS setup, take that route; it's the least risky. Use a rented virtual number only when nothing else is available, and pick one you can hold long-term, since you'll need it again for recovery. Skip all of this if your real obstacle is the payment card, because no phone workaround solves that. Your next step is simple: try the voice call option on the sign-up screen with the most stable number you have.