### [Error: Email Address Not Verified (Amazon SES)](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/email-address-not-verified-amazon-ses/)

**Published:** May 14, 2026
**Author:** David Ozokoye

**Content:**

**Note**: This guide applies to the [Amazon SES mailer](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-set-up-the-amazon-ses-mailer-in-wp-mail-smtp/ "Amazon SES") in WP Mail SMTP.

## What This Error Means

Amazon SES requires email addresses or domains to be verified before they can send mail. All new AWS accounts start in **Sandbox mode**, which means both the From address and the To address must be verified. In production mode, only the From address or domain needs verification.

## Common Causes

- The From Email in WP Mail SMTP doesn’t match any verified identity in Amazon SES (typo or wrong address)
- SES account is in Sandbox mode, so the test recipient email also needs to be verified (most common for new setups)
- SES account is still in Sandbox mode and needs production access to send to any recipient
- From email address or domain not verified in Amazon SES
- You verified the sending identity in a different AWS region than the **Closest Region** in WP Mail SMTP

## How to Fix

Here is the complete step-by-step guide to resolving the error.

### Method 1: Check the From Email Address

The most common cause is a From Email in WP Mail SMTP that doesn’t match any verified identity in Amazon SES, often a simple typo.

To start, navigate to **WP Mail SMTP » Settings**.

![WP Mail SMTP settings page](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/wp-mail-smtp-settings.png)Check the **From Email** field at the top of the page.

![From email](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/from-email.png)Scroll down to the **SES Identities** section and confirm that either the exact From Email address appears in the list with a **Success** status, or the domain part of the From Email (everything after the @) appears as a verified domain.

![SES Identities list in WP Mail SMTP showing verified identities](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SES-identities-in-WP-Mail-SMTP.png)If the From Email doesn’t match any verified identity, correct it to match one and click **Save Settings**.

After that, [send a test email](#send-a-test-email) to ensure everything works as expected.

If the error is gone, you’re done. If it persists, continue second troubleshooting method.

### Method 2: Verify the Sending Identity

If the From Email is correct but the identity itself is missing or pending in the SES Identities table, verify it now. If the identity already shows **Success**, skip to Step 3.

Go to **WP Mail SMTP » Settings** and scroll down to the **SES Identities** section.

If the identity shows **Pending**, the DNS records may not be in place yet. Click **View DNS** to see the required CNAME records and add any that are missing to your domain’s DNS settings. Skip to step 4 below to wait for propagation.

If your From Email address or domain doesn’t appear in the table at all, click **Add New**.

![Add New SES Identity button in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/add-new-ses-identity.png)**To verify a domain (recommended):**

Select the **Verify Domain** option. Then enter your domain in the **Please enter a domain** field and click **VERIFY**.

![Verify SES domain overlay in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Verify-SES-domain-.png)The plugin displays three CNAME records. Add all three Name and Value pairs to your domain’s DNS settings.

![CNAME records displayed for SES domain verification](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Amazon-SES-text-records.png)**Note**: If you need help with locating or adding your DNS records, be sure to check our tutorial on [adding DNS records for WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-add-dns-records-for-wp-mail-smtp-setup/ "Adding Your DNS Records").

DNS propagation can take up to **24–48 hours**, though it’s usually faster.

After adding the DNS records, return to **WP Mail SMTP » Settings** and refresh the page. The domain should show as verified.

![Verified SES domain identity in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Verified-SES-Identity-Domain.png)**To verify an email address (simpler):**

Select the **Verify Email Address** option. Then enter the email address in the **Please enter a valid email address** field and click **VERIFY**.

![Verify SES email address overlay in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Verify-SES-with-Email.png)Check your email inbox for a verification email from AWS.

Click the verification link within **24 hours**.

Once verified, return to **WP Mail SMTP » Settings** and refresh the page. The email should show as verified.

If the error is gone, you’re done. If it persists, continue to Method 3.

### Method 3: Verify the Test Recipient

If you just finished setting up Amazon SES and are sending your first test email, your account is almost certainly in Sandbox mode. In Sandbox mode, the **recipient** email address must also be verified, not just the sender.

To verify the recipient email address, go to **WP Mail SMTP » Settings** and scroll down to the **SES Identities** section.

Once there, click **Add New**.

![Add New SES Identity button in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/add-new-ses-identity.png)Next, select the **Verify Email Address** option. Go ahead and enter the **recipient’s** email address (the address you’re trying to send to) in the **Please enter a valid email address** field.

![Verify SES email address overlay in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Verify-SES-with-Email.png)Once done, click **VERIFY**.

Check the recipient’s inbox for a verification email from AWS. Click the verification link within **24 hours** (the link expires after that).

After verifying the email, [send a test email](#send-a-test-email) to ensure everything works as expected.

If the error is gone, you’re done, but you’ll need to verify every new recipient while in Sandbox mode. To remove this restriction permanently, continue to method 4.

### Method 4: Request Production Access

While in Sandbox mode you have to verify every recipient individually. Requesting production access removes this restriction so you can send to any email address.

Navigate to the **Amazon Service Quotas** dashboard (console.aws.amazon.com/servicequotas).

1. 

![Amazon Service Quotas dashboard](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-dashboard.png)Click the **Region** dropdown in the top-right corner.

![Click the Region dropdown in Amazon Service Quotas](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-click-region-dropdown.png)Select the region that matches the **Closest Region** in WP Mail SMTP.

![Select the matching AWS region](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-select-region.png)Click **AWS services** in the left sidebar.

![Click AWS services in the sidebar](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-click-aws-services.png)Type **Amazon Simple Email Service** in the search bar.

![Type Amazon Simple Email Service in the search bar](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-type-ses-search.png)Click the **Amazon Simple Email Service (Amazon SES)** result.

![Click the Amazon SES result](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-click-ses-result.png)Select the option next to **Sending quota**.

![Select Sending quota in Amazon Service Quotas](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-select-sending-quota.png)Click **Request increase at account level**.

![Click Request increase at account level](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-click-request-increase.png)Enter your desired daily sending quota in the **Increase quota value** field (e.g. **500**).

![Enter the quota value](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-enter-quota-value.png)Click **Request**.

![Click Request to submit the quota increase](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-click-request.png)AWS typically reviews and approves production access requests within one business day. Once approved, you can send to any email address without recipient verification.

### Send a Test Email

After resolving the issue, make sure to send a test email to ensure everything works as expected.

To do so, go to **WP Mail SMTP » Tools** and click the **Email Test** tab.

![Email Test tab in WP Mail SMTP Tools](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Email-test-tab-in-WP-Mail-SMTP.png)Next, enter a recipient email in the **Send To** field. Leave the **HTML** toggle ON.

Once done, click **Send Email**.

![Send Email button in the Email Test tab](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/wp-mail-smtp-send-test-email-1.png)Look for the success message, then check your inbox to confirm the email arrived.

## Notes

- Verifications are region-specific. If WP Mail SMTP is set to **US East (N. Virginia)**, verify identities in that same region. If the **Closest Region** doesn’t match, you’ll get this error even with verified identities.
- The verification email link expires within 24 hours. Use **Resend** in the SES Identities table on a pending email identity to re-trigger it.
- Use **View DNS** on a pending domain identity to re-display the CNAME records if needed.

That’s It! You now know how to fix the ‘Email Address Not Verified’ error in Amazon SES and get your emails sending again through WP Mail SMTP.

**Categories:** Amazon SES Errors, Error Library

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