Key Facts
Does AWS require at least 12 months' prior notice before discontinuing a material functionality that the customer is using?
AWS requires at least 12 months' prior notice before discontinuing a material functionality of a Service that is generally available to customers and that the customer is using.
Can customers retrieve their Content during the 30 days following the Termination Date if they have paid all amounts due?
AWS permits customers to retrieve their Content from the Services during the 30 days following the Termination Date, but only if the customer has paid all amounts due.
Will AWS defend the customer against third-party claims?
AWS will defend the customer and their employees, officers, and directors against any third-party claim alleging that the Services infringe or misappropriate that third party's intellectual property rights, and will pay the amount of any adverse final judgment or settlement.
Will AWS pay the amount of any adverse final judgment or settlement for claims alleging that the Services infringe intellectual property rights?
AWS will defend the customer and their employees, officers, and directors against any third-party claim alleging that the Services infringe or misappropriate that third party's intellectual property rights, and will pay the amount of any adverse final judgment or settlement.
How may AWS modify the Agreement?
AWS may modify the Agreement, including any Policies, at any time by posting a revised version on the AWS Site or by otherwise notifying the customer in accordance with Section 11.10.
What may AWS modify by posting a revised version on the AWS Site or by otherwise notifying the customer in accordance with Section 11.10?
AWS may modify the Agreement, including any Policies, at any time by posting a revised version on the AWS Site or by otherwise notifying the customer in accordance with Section 11.10.
May AWS suspend a customer's right to access the Services upon notice?
AWS may immediately suspend a customer's or End User's right to access or use any portion or all of the Services upon notice if AWS reasonably determines that the use poses a security risk.
Can AWS immediately suspend access if AWS reasonably determines that the use poses a security risk?
AWS may immediately suspend a customer's or End User's right to access or use any portion or all of the Services upon notice if AWS reasonably determines that the use poses a security risk.
When will AWS access or use customers' Content?
AWS will not access or use customers' Content except as necessary to maintain or provide the Services, or as necessary to comply with the law or a binding order of a governmental body.
Will AWS access customers' Content except as necessary to maintain or provide the Services?
AWS will not access or use customers' Content except as necessary to maintain or provide the Services, or as necessary to comply with the law or a binding order of a governmental body.
Summary
This agreement sets the rules for using AWS cloud services. AWS can change the agreement at any time by posting an update, and disputes must go to arbitration rather than court. If your account is terminated, you have 30 days to retrieve your data — but only if you have paid everything you owe AWS.
Analysis
The AWS Customer Agreement establishes the terms under which AWS provides cloud services to customers, defining material obligations and limitations on both sides. AWS commits to limiting access to customer Content to service maintenance, legal compliance, and binding governmental orders, and grants customers control over the geographic regions in which their Content is stored. AWS assumes defense and financial responsibility for third-party intellectual property claims against its Services, while customers bear full indemnification responsibility for third-party claims arising from their own or End Users' use. Aggregate liability for either party is capped at fees paid for the specific Services giving rise to the claim in the prior 12 months, disputes are resolved by binding arbitration with a small-claims exception, and AWS retains unilateral authority to modify the Agreement by posting a revised version or notifying customers, as well as to immediately suspend access upon notice when AWS reasonably determines a security risk exists.
What this means for you
As an AWS customer, you are responsible for all activity under your account regardless of who performed it, including employees, contractors, and End Users. AWS will not use your Content for purposes beyond maintaining the services or complying with legal obligations. You can control where your data is stored by selecting AWS regions, and that selection constitutes your consent to storage and transfer in those regions. If your account is terminated and you have an outstanding balance, you will be unable to retrieve your Content during the 30-day post-termination window. AWS must give you at least 12 months' advance notice before removing material functionality of a service you are using.
4 important changes detected
5 versions captured · Last updated: August 2026
What changed
AWS revised its Customer Agreement by removing the label 'AWS Contracting Party' from the regional contracting party table. The updated agreement reorganizes how regional AWS entities and their contact information are presented, with the entity names now appearing directly without the repeated 'AWS Contracting Party' header. This is a formatting and structural clarification that does not materially change which entity you contract with, applicable law, or jurisdiction for disputes.
Why this matters
This change is a formatting and organizational revision to how AWS presents its regional contracting parties and contact information in the Customer Agreement. The updated agreement removes the repeated 'AWS Contracting Party' column header labels while maintaining the same underlying legal structure: which AWS entity you contract with, the applicable governing law, and the applicable courts remain unchanged. No action is required.
View full change record →
What changed
AWS revised its Customer Agreement in an update detected on August 15, 2026, introducing a new rule for determining Account Country when account information is incomplete. The agreement now states that if you have not provided a valid tax registration number, billing address, or payment method, your Account Country is the country/territory where your contact address is located. The change also reformatted the contract structure table identifying AWS Contracting Parties and Governing Laws by jurisdiction, adding column headers for clarity.
Why this matters
The updated terms establish an additional fallback rule for determining your Account Country when you have not provided a valid tax registration number, billing address, or payment method. Under the revised language, your Account Country will be the country/territory where your contact address is located in this scenario. This affects which AWS Contracting Party governs your agreement, which Governing Laws apply, and which courts have jurisdiction over disputes.
View full change record →
June 2, 2026
low
AWS simplified its Mexico customer contracting rules on June 1, 2026. Previously, Mexico-based customers were routed to the Mexico AWS entity based on their payment method and address in two …
View change record →
May 19, 2026
low
AWS updated its Customer Agreement on May 19, 2026, making 39 additions, 15 removals, and 52 modifications across 309 sentences. The most material change was removal of a specific provision …
View change record →