Three tiers, one fee
The services path has three tiers. Below Select, you are a registered AWS partner. The APN fee is USD 2,500 a year, the same at every tier.1
Software companies work differently. The software path has no tiers. An ISV proves its product through the Foundational Technical Review instead.7 This guide covers the services path.
What each tier asks for
- Select. 4 accredited people (2 business, 2 technical), 2 Foundational and 2 Technical certifications, and 3 launched opportunities worth at least USD 1,500 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR) in total.1
- Advanced. 8 accredited people, 4 Foundational and 6 Technical certifications with at least 3 at Professional or Specialty level, 20 launched opportunities worth at least USD 10,000 MRR, and a Partner Business Plan.1
- Premier. 20 accredited people, 10 Foundational and 25 Technical certifications with at least 10 at Professional or Specialty level, 50 launched opportunities worth at least USD 50,000 MRR, an Executive Business Review, and 3 validations that include an MSP, DevOps or CloudOps Competency. You hold all of it for more than six months.1
One rule went away. Since July 10, 2024, public references and CSAT responses no longer count toward keeping your tier or moving up.3
What you get at each tier
- Registered. Partner Central, online training and accreditations, access to ACE and the AWS Marketplace channel programs.1
- Select. The tier badge, a listing in Partner Solutions Finder and the Marketing Central campaigns. On funding: POA for proofs of concept and migrations, and promotional credits to build your solution.12
- Advanced. MDF, a co-branded success story, an APN Blog post, a solution web page listing and Immersion Days. Advanced also opens the Competency, MSP and Well-Architected programs.1
- Premier. Everything above, plus early access to AWS event sponsorship packages.1
New since June 16, 2026: Business Value Realization funding, for Advanced and Premier partners with a qualifying domain Competency. AWS has not published the amounts.5
What changes in 2027
AWS retires the Service Delivery and Service Ready Specializations on June 1, 2027. New applications are already closed.4
If your AWS story rests on one of them, plan your move to a Competency now. A Competency review takes time, and Premier counts Competency validations.
What AWS keeps behind the login
AWS does not publish how often it reviews your tier, the grace period if you slip, how many case studies each tier needs, or the POA and MDF amounts. Those sit in Partner Central.
Your Partner Scorecard shows where you stand against each requirement.6 Open it before every quarterly plan, not after a tier review.
Sources
Checked November 4, 2026.
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