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Guide

Moving to Production Access

Learn how to move out of the AWS SES sandbox and start sending emails to any recipient.

2 min read

What is the SES Sandbox?

When you first set up AWS SES, your account is placed in sandbox mode. This is a safety measure to prevent abuse. You'll see this warning banner in your SES console:

SES sandbox warning banner in AWS console

While in the sandbox, you have these restrictions:

  • Verified recipients only — You can only send to email addresses you've manually verified
  • 200 emails per day — Maximum of 200 messages in a 24-hour period
  • 1 email per second — Sending rate is limited to 1 message per second

Once you have production access, you can send to any recipient (your "From" address must still be verified).

Before You Request

Verify your domain first for faster approval

AWS recommends verifying your sending domain before requesting production access. This significantly speeds up the approval process. See our Domain Verification guide for instructions.

Option 1: AWS Console

  1. Open the Amazon SES console
  2. Navigate to Account dashboard
  3. Click "Request production access" in the sandbox warning banner
  4. Fill out the form:
    • Email type: Transactional or Marketing (choose what applies to most of your emails)
    • Website URL: Your application's URL
    • Contact emails: Up to 4 email addresses for account communications
  5. Check the acknowledgement box and submit
Requesting production access in SES console

Option 2: AWS CLI

You can also request production access using the AWS CLI:

GNU Bashterminal.sh
aws sesv2 put-account-details \  --production-access-enabled \  --mail-type TRANSACTIONAL \  --website-url https://yourapp.com \  --additional-contact-email-addresses you@yourapp.com \  --contact-language EN

Replace TRANSACTIONAL with MARKETING if you primarily send marketing emails.

What to Expect

Review Timeline

AWS typically responds within 24 hours. If they need additional information, the review may take longer. You cannot edit your request while it's under review.

Once approved, the sandbox warning will disappear from your dashboard:

SES dashboard after production access is approved

Tips for Faster Approval

  • Verify your domain first — This is the biggest factor in approval speed
  • Use a real website URL — Helps AWS understand your use case
  • Provide accurate contact info — In case AWS needs to reach you
  • Acknowledge the terms — Confirm you'll only send to opted-in recipients and handle bounces/complaints properly

Next Steps

Verify Your Domain

Set up DKIM, SPF, and DMARC for better deliverability.

Domain Verification
Send Your First Email

Once approved, start sending with the Wraps SDK.

Email Quickstart