What Happens to Your AWS (Amazon Web Services) Account When You Die
Quick Facts
Billing
Charges continue indefinitely
Root access
Critical to document
Services
EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, Route 53
Step-by-Step Guide
Export data from S3 and databases
Download critical data from S3 buckets, RDS databases, and DynamoDB tables. Use AWS CLI for bulk exports. Prioritize production data.
Stop all running compute resources
Terminate EC2 instances, stop ECS tasks, delete Lambda functions with high invocation rates. Check ALL regions — resources can exist in any region.
Transfer Route 53 domains
Domains registered through Route 53 will not auto-renew on account closure. Transfer to another registrar before closing the account.
Add an IAM user or contact support
Create an IAM user with AdministratorAccess for a trusted person, or contact AWS support with death certificate for estate account closure.
Document Now Checklist
- AWS account ID and root email
- Root credential location (password manager entry)
- List all running services and their AWS regions
- Monthly AWS bill amount
- IAM users with access and their permissions
Last verified: June 2026. Platform policies may change. Verify current procedures directly with AWS (Amazon Web Services). This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Related Guides
GitHub
GitHub has no formal memorialization process. Private repos become permanently inaccessible without account credentials. Add a trusted contact as org owner for any organizations you manage.
Vercel
Add a trusted person to your Vercel team with Admin role. This ensures deployments continue.
Netlify
Add a trusted person to your Netlify team. Team → Members → Invite.
Protect your AWS (Amazon Web Services) account — and all your others
Document your digital life in a zero-knowledge encrypted vault. 1,800+ platform guides. Dead Man's Switch. Everything your family needs.
Start your free trial →