How to Set Up Amazon SES for Your Domain
This guide walks you through setting up Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) — from creating your identity, verifying your email and domain, adding DNS records, to requesting production access so you can send emails at scale.
Step 1: Start the setup
Go to the Amazon SES console and click Get started on the "Start using Amazon Simple Email Service" card.
Step 2: Add your email address
Enter the email address you want to send from (e.g. [email protected]). AWS will send a verification link to this address.
Click Next.
Step 3: Add your sending domain
Enter your sending domain (e.g. yourdomain.com). Optionally set a MAIL FROM domain — leave the "Behavior on MX failure" as Use default MAIL FROM domain unless you have a specific reason to reject messages on MX failure.
Click Next.
Step 4: Select a pricing plan
Choose the plan that fits your sending needs:
Essentials – outbound sending + basic inbound routing (best for most new senders)
Pro – adds Virtual Deliverability Manager (global), dedicated IPs, email validation
Enterprise – adds global endpoints, tenants, Spamhaus add-on
Click Next once you've selected a plan (Essentials is the current/default plan).
Step 5 (Optional): Deliverability enhancements
Turn on Virtual Deliverability Manager, Engagement tracking, and Optimized shared delivery to improve inbox placement and get delivery insights. You can also enable Auto Validation to automatically suppress sends to invalid addresses.
Click Next.
Step 6 (Optional): Create your Dedicated IP pool
If you need dedicated sending IPs, toggle Yes, enable Dedicated IPs. Otherwise, leave this off and click Next.
Step 7 (Optional): Add tenant management
If you're managing email sending for multiple customers/business units from one SES account, enter a Tenant Name here. Otherwise, skip this step.
Step 8: Review and get started
Review all your selections — email address, sending domain, pricing plan, deliverability settings, dedicated IP, and tenant management status.
Click Get started.
Part 2: Verify Your Email Address
Check the inbox of the email address you entered in Step 2. You'll receive an email from Amazon Web Services with the subject "Email Address Verification Request in region [your region]".
Click the verification link in the email.
You'll land on an AWS confirmation page letting you know the address was verified successfully.
Part 3: Verify Your Domain (Add DNS Records)
After completing the wizard, you'll land on the Get set up dashboard. Since you're in the Sandbox for your selected region, you'll see an Open tasks list — including Verify sending domain, which will show "Verification pending" until DNS records are added.
Get your DNS records
Click Get DNS Records to open the DNS records modal. This shows the DKIM records (3 CNAME records), MAIL FROM records (if configured), and DMARC record (TXT) you need to add to your domain's DNS settings.
Add the records to your DNS provider
Log in to your domain registrar / DNS provider (e.g. GoDaddy) and add each record exactly as shown — matching Type, Name, and Value.
⏱️ DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24–48 hours to propagate. Once propagated, SES will automatically detect and verify your domain.
Once your domain records are added, return to the Get set up page to confirm remaining open tasks.
Part 4: Request Production Access
By default, your account is in the SES Sandbox — you can only send to verified addresses, with a limit of 200 emails/24 hours at 1 email/second. To send to any recipient at scale, request production access.
From Get set up or Account dashboard, click Request production access.
Fill out the Request details form:
Mail type — Marketing or Transactional
Website URL — your site, so AWS can review the type of content you'll send
Additional contacts (optional)
Preferred contact language
Check the acknowledgement box agreeing to the AWS Service Terms and Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).
Click Submit request.
You'll see a confirmation banner: "Successfully submitted request for production access. It may take up to 24 hours to review the details of your request." Your account status will change to Under review.
Part 5 — Create an IAM Access Key (for API/SMTP integration)
To connect SES with a third-party tool like Movermate, you'll need an Access Key ID and Secret Access Key.
1. Go to IAM → Security credentials
Navigate to IAM in the AWS console, then open the Security credentials tab. Scroll to the Access keys section.
2. Click Create access
3. Acknowledge the root user access key warning
AWS will warn that root user access keys aren't recommended. Check the box confirming you understand, then click Create access key.
4. Retrieve your access key
Your Access key and Secret access key will be generated. Click Show to reveal the secret key.
Important: This is the only time the secret access key can be viewed or downloaded. Copy both values somewhere secure, or click Download .csv file, before continuing.
Click Done once you've saved your credentials.
Part 6 — Connect Amazon SES to Movermate
1. Go to Settings → App Integration
In Movermate, open Settings, then click App Integration.
2. Find Amazon SES and toggle it on
Scroll to the Amazon SES card and click the toggle to begin the connection.
3. Fill in the connection details
In the Connect Amazon SES to Movermate popup, enter:
AWS Region — the region you set up SES in (e.g. Europe (Stockholm))
Access Key ID — from Part 5, step 4
Secret Access Key — from Part 5, step 4
Sender Name — the name recipients will see
Sender Email — the verified email address from Part 2
4. Click Connect Amazon SES
Movermate will validate your credentials and complete the connection.
Note: Make sure the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key are kept private — anyone with these credentials can send email through your verified SES identity.
Need help?
For any enquiries, contact the Movermate Product Experts at
📧 [email protected]
We’re here to help.