How do I create an AWS GovCloud (US) account?

Resolution

Use the AWS Management Console to create an AWS GovCloud (US) account. To create an additional AWS GovCloud (US) account, run the AWS Organizations create-gov-cloud-account AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) command.

Use the AWS Management Console to create an AWS GovCloud (US) account

Prerequisites:

• The account holder is a US entity that's located and incorporated to do business in the United States.
• The account holder is a US person who is either a US citizen or active green card holder.
• The account holder handles International Traffic and Arms Regulation (ITAR) export controlled data.

Complete the following steps:

1. Log in to your account as the AWS account root user.
   Note: To reset a password, see Reset a lost or forgotten root user password.
2. Open the AWS Management Console.
3. Choose Account.
4. Under the Other settings section, choose the AWS GovCloud link.
   Note: The AWS GovCloud (US) sign up portal prompts you to verify information and accept the AWS GovCloud (US) legal agreement.
5. Select an AWS Support plan.
6. Accept the AWS GovCloud (US) terms and conditions.
7. Choose Return to account settings.

After you submit your request, you receive an email with the subject line AWS GovCloud (US) Access Request Received. If AWS approves your request, then you receive another email with the subject line AWS GovCloud (US) Access Approved.

AWS uses automated controls to prevent fraudulent accounts. If AWS denies your request to create a new AWS GovCloud (US) account, then contact AWS Support.

Use the Organizations AWS CLI command to create an additional AWS GovCloud (US) account

Note: If you receive errors when you run AWS CLI commands, then see Troubleshooting errors for the AWS CLI. Also, make sure that you're using the most recent AWS CLI version.

Prerequisites:

• You have an existing account in the AWS GovCloud (US) Region to use as the management account for the additional AWS GovCloud (US) account.
• Your account is in the AWS GovCloud (US) Region that's associated with a management account of an organization in the commercial Region.
• Your AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) user or role has the organizations:CreateGovCloudAccount permission.

For information about how AWS Organizations works with AWS GovCloud (US), see AWS Organizations in AWS GovCloud (US).

The create-gov-cloud-account command creates two accounts and a role for each account. One account resides in your organization and is located in the commercial Region for billing and support purposes. The other account is in the AWS GovCloud (US) Region and is associated with the account that's in the commercial Region. The management account can assume the roles for each account.

To create the additional AWS GovCloud (US) account and the account that's in the commercial Region, complete the following steps:

1. From your Organizations management account, run the following create-gov-cloud-account command:

   aws organizations create-gov-cloud-account --email example@example.com —account-name GovCloudExampleAccount

   Note: Replace GovCloudExampleAccount with the name of your existing AWS GovCloud (US) account. The command is asynchronous and takes a few minutes to complete.

2. From the preceding command's output, note the create-account-request-id for each account.

3. To get the account numbers for your new accounts, run the following describe-create-account-status command and include the account IDs:

   aws organizations describe-create-account-status —create-account-request-id car-examplecreateaccountrequestid111

   Example output:

   {
       "CreateAccountStatus": {
           "Id": "car-examplecreateaccountrequestid111",
           "AccountName": "GovCloudExampleAccount",
           "State": "SUCCEEDED",
           "RequestedTimestamp": "2025-06-16T00:00:00.000000+00:00",
           "CompletedTimestamp": "2025-06-16T00:00:00.000000+00:00",
           "AccountId": "123456781234",
           "GovCloudAccountId": "123456781234"
       }
   }
   

Note: You can invite the new AWS GovCloud (US) account only to an organization that's in the AWS GovCloud (US) Region.

Access the new AWS GovCloud (US) account in the AWS GovCloud (US) Region

Complete the following steps:

1. Log in to the GovCloud (US) management account.
2. Assume the OrganizationAccountAccessRole role in your new AWS GovCloud (US) management account.

Note: When you create the account, AWS Organizations automatically creates the OrganizationAccountAccessRole role. To change the role name, run the create-gov-cloud-account command and use the RoleName parameter. To get the RoleName syntax, see Request syntax.