Before You Apply
Get your paperwork in order before touching the Relay website. The application pulls from FMCSA data automatically, but you'll also need to upload documents manually. Have these ready:
- USDOT number and MC number
- Certificate of insurance meeting Amazon's minimums ($1M auto liability, $100K cargo, $1M general liability) — your insurance agent needs to add Amazon.com Services LLC as an additional insured
- W-9 (for payment setup)
- Voided check or bank letter for ACH setup
If your insurance doesn't already meet Amazon's requirements, start there. Getting a certificate of insurance updated takes time depending on your agent, and you can't complete onboarding without it.
Creating Your Carrier Account
Go to relay.amazon.com and click "Sign Up." You'll create an Amazon business account tied to your carrier company — this is separate from any personal Amazon account you might have. Use a business email you'll actually monitor, because Amazon sends operational notifications, compliance requests, and payment summaries to this address.
Enter your MC number during signup. Amazon will pull your authority status, insurance on file with FMCSA, and safety data automatically. If your FMCSA records aren't current, update them at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov before applying. Discrepancies between what you enter and what FMCSA shows can stall your application.
The Carrier Profile
Once your basic account is created, you'll fill out your carrier profile. This includes:
- Fleet size — number of power units and trailers
- Operating regions — where your equipment runs. Be accurate here. If you only operate in the Southeast, don't claim national coverage just to see more loads. Amazon will book loads based on your stated regions.
- Equipment types — 53-foot dry van is the primary requirement. Reefer is used on some lanes.
- Driver count — approximate number of drivers you employ or lease to
Document Upload and Review
Upload your certificate of insurance and W-9 through the carrier portal. Amazon's carrier onboarding team reviews these manually. Turnaround is typically 3–7 business days, though it can be longer during periods when Amazon is actively recruiting carriers. You'll get an email when your account is approved or if something is missing.
Common reasons applications stall: insurance certificate not showing Amazon as additional insured, insurance limits below minimums, W-9 name not matching the legal entity on your MC authority, or a safety rating issue flagged during FMCSA review.
Setting Up the Carrier Portal
Once approved, spend time in the carrier portal before you try to book anything. The portal (accessed via web browser, not the driver app) is where dispatchers live. Key things to configure:
- User accounts — add your dispatchers as users with appropriate permissions. Don't run everything from one login.
- Driver profiles — each driver needs to be added with their CDL information, medical card expiration, and contact details. Drivers can't check in at Amazon facilities if they're not in the system as active drivers under your carrier account.
- Preferred regions — set which load origin regions you want to see in your load board
The Driver App
Your drivers download the Amazon Relay app on their personal phones (iOS or Android). They log in with credentials you create for them through the carrier portal. The app is what drivers use day-to-day: viewing their assigned loads, navigating to facilities, checking in at gates, and getting dock assignments. Make sure drivers go through the app tutorial before their first load — the check-in flow isn't complicated, but the first time at an Amazon facility with an unfamiliar app is not the time to figure it out.
Booking Your First Load
Load booking happens in the carrier portal under the "Find Loads" section. You'll see available loads in your preferred regions with origin, destination, pickup time, and rate displayed. Loads can be claimed immediately (first-come, first-served) or, for blocks, bid through a separate process.
For your first loads, start with straightforward point-to-point trips rather than blocks. Trips give you a chance to learn the facility check-in process, understand how the app handles load progression, and identify any operational gaps before you're committed to recurring block work. Pick loads originating from facilities you can reach without positioning cost, and make sure your assigned driver has the app installed and tested before the pickup appointment.
Getting Paid
Payment setup happens during onboarding — you'll enter your bank account details for ACH transfer. Amazon processes payments weekly. Your first payment usually arrives 1–2 weeks after your first completed load, depending on where you fall in Amazon's weekly payment cycle. You can view load-level payment details in the carrier portal under the settlements section. If a load shows as completed but payment seems delayed, the portal's settlement view is where you check status before contacting support.