SES sandbox and production access

Every new AWS SES account starts in sandbox mode. This limits who you can send to and how much you can send.

Sandbox limitations

• You can only send to verified email addresses (you must manually verify each recipient in the SES console)
• Daily sending quota is 200 emails per 24 hours
• Maximum send rate is 1 email per second

These limits make sandbox mode unusable for real campaigns. You need production access before launching.

Requesting production access

1. Open the AWS SES Console
2. Look for the banner indicating sandbox mode, or go to Account dashboard
3. Click Request production access
4. Fill out the form:
   • Mail type — select "Marketing" (or "Transactional" if applicable)
   • Website URL — your website or landing page
   • Use case description — explain what you're sending and to whom. Be specific: "We send a weekly product newsletter to users who opted in through our website signup form."
   • Additional contacts — an email address AWS can contact for follow-up

AWS typically reviews and approves requests within 24 hours, though it can take longer.

Tips for approval

• Be specific about your use case — generic descriptions are more likely to be rejected
• Mention opt-in — explain that your recipients have explicitly opted in
• Include your unsubscribe process — mention that Sendra automatically includes unsubscribe links
• Start with modest volumes — request limits appropriate for your actual needs

After approval

Once approved:

• You can send to any email address (not just verified ones)
• Your daily quota increases (typically 50,000 to start)
• You can request further quota increases as your volume grows

How Sendra detects sandbox mode

During onboarding, Sendra checks your SES account status and warns you if you're still in sandbox mode. You can proceed with setup, but you'll need production access before sending campaigns to unverified addresses.