Billing Verification (Free Tier)

Note

This page applies only when using AWS Interconnect – multicloud – Free Tier. Paid multicloud does not use the “free trial connection” path — if Free Tier fails, switch to paid (Step 3).

The error

InterconnectValidationException: Unable to create free trial connection.
Your account's billing information could not be verified. Please try again later.

The Free Tier is $0 on AWS for bandwidth, but AWS still checks that the account paying for the account (the management / payer account in Organizations, or the standalone root account) has a valid, verified card on file.

Fix (management / root account)

1. Sign in to the AWS account that owns billing (management account payer, not necessarily the member account where Terraform ran).

2. Open Payment methods (Billing and Cost Management → Payment preferences).

3. Confirm a default payment method exists and shows Verified (not Pending or Failed).

4. If unverified:

   • Update billing address to match your bank exactly
   • Remove and re-add the card; complete any 3-D Secure / bank redirect prompt
   • Ask your bank to allow small AWS authorization charges (often ~USD 1; cancelled immediately)
   • Ensure international / online transactions are enabled on the card

5. Wait up to 24 hours after adding or fixing a card, then retry Step 3 Finish.

6. If it still fails, open a billing support case (free): AWS Support → Create case → Account and billing.

Caution

Organizations note: If Terraform and the DX Gateway are in a member account, billing verification still runs against the organization management (payer) account. Fix payment methods there, not only in the member account.

Payment already shows Verified but error persists?

The console “Verified” badge is not always the same check Interconnect uses for Free Tier eligibility. Work through:

1. Confirm account ID — note the 12-digit account when you click Finish. Interconnect is created in that account; in Organizations, ensure the payer account is the one with verified billing.

2. Account fully active — Billing → Account: no incomplete signup, no past-due invoices, no pending identity verification.

3. Billing history — some new accounts show a verified card but fail product-specific checks until at least one successful charge has posted. Wait 24–72 hours and retry.

4. Card type — prepaid, virtual, or corporate cards with restricted authorizations can fail backend checks even when the UI shows Verified. Try a standard credit card.

5. Free Tier already used — one free 500 Mbps interconnect per AWS Region per CSP; a prior attempt may have consumed the quota even if the connection failed or was deleted.

6. Organizations SCPs — ensure SCPs allow interconnect:* (separate from directconnect:*).

7. Open a billing support case (free) — include the exact error, account ID, region, and that payment methods show Verified. Ask them to enable Free Tier interconnect / resolve the backend billing verification flag.

When to give up on Free Tier

Same error on the management (payer) account after all checks? That usually means Interconnect’s internal free-trial eligibility check is still failing — common with new accounts, invoice/PO billing, or prepaid cards. Only AWS Support can clear the backend flag.

Practical fallback: Use AWS Interconnect – multicloud (paid, 1 Gbps) — it bypasses all Free Tier eligibility checks entirely.

Tip

Account alignment: Create the interconnect in the same AWS account where Terraform created the Direct Connect gateway (terraform output -raw aws_dx_gateway_id). Switching to the management account for billing does not help if the DXGW and VPC live in a member account.