How to Publish on Amazon KDP in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide

Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is by far the largest self-publishing platform in the world. It handles Kindle ebooks and print-on-demand paperback (and hardcover, since 2023) for a global Amazon market. The platform is free, the setup takes a few hours, and the first sales can happen the same week.

This guide walks you through publishing your first book on KDP step by step in 2026: account setup, manuscript preparation, cover, metadata, royalties, KDP Select, approval timing, and the common errors that get books rejected or stuck. It assumes no prior KDP experience.

Quick Answer: How to Publish on KDP in 2026

In short: create a KDP account at kdp.amazon.com, submit your tax information (W-8BEN for non-US authors), prepare your manuscript (a reflowable epub or DOCX for ebook, a print-ready PDF for paperback), prepare your cover (a single JPG for ebook, a wraparound PDF for paperback), fill in the book metadata (title, description, 2 categories, 7 keywords, ISBN), choose your royalty plan (35% or 70% for ebook, ~60% for paperback minus print cost) and KDP Select if you want Kindle Unlimited inclusion, then submit for review. Ebooks are usually live within 72 hours, paperback within 24-72 hours. The steps below cover each phase in detail with the 2026 specifics.

Step 1: Create Your KDP Account and Submit Tax Information

Go to kdp.amazon.com and sign in with an existing Amazon account, or create a new account. KDP shares its login with regular Amazon, so the same email and password work.

On first login, KDP asks for:

• Personal information: full legal name, address, phone number. This is the name that will appear as publisher (unless you use a different imprint name).
• Tax information: required before you can publish. KDP needs to know your tax residency to apply the correct royalty withholding.
• Bank information: where royalties are paid. Direct deposit is available in most countries; wire transfer or cheque elsewhere.

Tax information: W-8BEN for non-US authors

If you live outside the United States, you'll fill in a W-8BEN form (or W-8BEN-E if you publish under a company name). This declares you're a non-US person and lets you claim a reduced withholding rate based on your country's tax treaty with the US.

Without a W-8BEN, Amazon withholds 30% of your royalties for the US Internal Revenue Service. With a properly completed W-8BEN and a valid tax treaty, the withholding drops to 0% (France, UK, Germany, Canada and most EU countries have 0% treaties for book royalties) or a lower rate.

The form takes ten minutes online. You'll need your tax identification number (TIN) for your country: the SIREN/SIRET in France, the National Insurance Number or UTR in the UK, the SSN/ITIN in the US.

Bank account: paid monthly

KDP pays royalties monthly, about 60 days after the end of the sales month. Royalties from January are paid around end of March. Each Amazon marketplace (.com, .co.uk, .de, .fr, .ca, .com.au, .co.jp, .com.br, .in, etc.) pays separately, in its local currency.

For small accounts, expect EFT (electronic funds transfer) or wire transfer. Below a threshold (around $100 in most countries), Amazon accumulates the balance until you reach the payout minimum.

Step 2: Prepare Your Manuscript

Your manuscript needs to be ready in the right format before you upload. KDP accepts different files for ebook and paperback.

Ebook (Kindle) format

KDP accepts these ebook formats:

• EPUB3 (recommended): the modern, accessible ebook standard. Best chapter detection, embedded fonts, EU 2025 accessibility compliance.
• DOCX (.docx): KDP converts it automatically, but the result is less polished. Heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2) must be set correctly.
• KPF (Kindle Create file): produced by Amazon's own Kindle Create app. Mac/Windows only.

For a polished result, EPUB3 is the recommended choice. You can produce a valid EPUB3 from a Word manuscript or a Markdown file with several tools: Folio Studio, Vellum (Mac), Atticus, Pandoc or Calibre. See our step-by-step epub creation guide for the full workflow.

Paperback (KDP Print) format

KDP Print requires a print-ready PDF. The specifications are strict:

• PDF/X-compliant (most modern tools produce this by default).
• Embedded fonts: every font used must be embedded in the PDF.
• Trim size: choose one of KDP's standard sizes. The most common for fiction is 5" × 8" (12.7 × 20.3 cm) or 5.06" × 7.81" (12.85 × 19.84 cm). Non-fiction often uses 6" × 9" (15.24 × 22.86 cm).
• Margins: KDP requires a minimum 0.375" (0.95 cm) inside margin (gutter, spine side) and 0.25" (0.64 cm) outside, top and bottom. Larger margins are better readability.
• Bleed: only required if your interior pages have images or color that touch the page edge. Standard novels usually don't need bleed.

The output PDF should look exactly as you want the printed book to look. A specialised tool produces this in one click. Word and Google Docs can produce a PDF but require manual configuration of margins, page numbers, headers and chapter breaks. Compare your options in our book layout software guide.

Step 3: Design or Upload Your Cover

Your book needs a cover. KDP has two cover modes: separate ebook and paperback files, or a combined wraparound (paperback only).

Ebook cover

A single JPG file (or TIFF):

• Recommended dimensions: 1600 × 2560 pixels (1.6:1 aspect ratio).
• Minimum: 1000 × 1600 pixels.
• File size: under 50 MB.
• RGB color (not CMYK).

The ebook cover is what shows up in Kindle search results and Kindle libraries. It needs to be readable as a thumbnail (smartphone search) and as a full-screen image.

Paperback cover

A wraparound PDF that covers the back cover, spine and front cover in a single file. The spine width depends on your page count and paper type.

KDP provides a cover calculator at kdp.amazon.com/cover-calculator: enter your trim size, page count and paper type, and it gives you the exact width and bleed specifications. The output is a PDF template you can use as a guide in InDesign, Affinity Publisher, Photoshop or any cover design tool.

Cover specifications for paperback:

• PDF (not JPG).
• CMYK or RGB: KDP accepts both.
• 300 DPI minimum.
• Bleed: 0.125" (3.2 mm) all four outside edges.

If you don't want to design your own cover, KDP has a free Cover Creator with simple templates. Quality is basic but functional. For a more polished cover, hiring a designer ($150-400) or using an AI cover generator is common.

Step 4: Configure Your Book on KDP

Once your files are ready, log in to KDP, click Create a New Title, and choose ebook or paperback. You'll fill in the book details across several screens.

Title, subtitle and series

• Title: the exact title of your book. Subtitles are allowed and can help discoverability. Don't put marketing language (like "Bestseller!" or "New!") in the title: KDP rejects books that do.
• Series: if your book is part of a series, name the series and number it. Series get a dedicated landing page on Amazon.

Author and contributors

• Primary author: your name (or pen name).
• Contributors: co-authors, translators, illustrators, editors. Adding contributors helps Amazon's catalogue.

Description

The description field is the back-of-book copy that appears on the Amazon product page. You have up to 4,000 characters but most descriptions land around 500-1,500 characters.

Use the formatting allowed by KDP (HTML: <b>, <i>, <br>, <h4>, <p>). Bold the first line as a hook. Break paragraphs with <br>. Don't include external links or contact information: KDP removes them.

Keywords (max 7)

KDP lets you enter up to 7 keywords or short phrases (no character limit per keyword in 2026, but keep them under ~50 characters each). These are not visible to readers but they directly influence which Amazon search results your book appears in.

Use phrases that real readers type, not single words. "Psychological thriller female protagonist" works better than just "thriller". Avoid trademark words ("Star Wars"), competitor names, or generic descriptors that won't help.

Categories (max 2)

Choose 2 categories from KDP's BISAC list. These determine which Amazon sub-bestseller lists your book can rank in. Pick categories that fit your book accurately: a misfit category will rank quickly but won't keep sales because readers bounce.

You can request additional categories (up to 10 total) by emailing KDP support after publication. Most authors do this to cover more sub-niches.

ISBN

KDP gives you two ISBN options:

1. Free KDP-assigned ISBN: instant, registered under "Independently Published" as publisher. You cannot use this ISBN on any other platform.
2. Your own ISBN: bought from Bowker, Nielsen, AFNIL (free in France), or another national agency. Registered under your name (or your imprint).

For ebooks, no ISBN is required. For paperback, an ISBN is required and a free KDP one is acceptable if you only sell through Amazon.

If you plan to distribute through IngramSpark or any non-Amazon channel, you'll need your own ISBN. Don't reuse a free KDP ISBN elsewhere: it's tied to KDP and will fail validation. See our complete ISBN guide for prices and procedures by country.

Step 5: Choose Pricing, Royalties and KDP Select

The pricing screen is where you choose your royalty plan and decide whether to enroll in KDP Select.

Ebook royalties: 35% vs 70%

KDP offers two royalty tiers for ebooks:

• 35%: applies to ebooks priced below $2.99 or above $9.99 (and to ebooks in some marketplaces like India and Brazil regardless of price).
• 70%: applies to ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99 on the main marketplaces (.com, .co.uk, .de, .fr, .es, .it, .nl, .jp, .ca, .com.au).

At the 70% rate, Amazon also charges a small delivery fee based on file size (around $0.15 per MB). A 2 MB ebook at $4.99 in the US earns you about $3.40 in royalties.

Most authors price ebooks in the $2.99-$5.99 range to hit the 70% tier and stay attractive to buyers. The "sweet spot" for fiction is often $3.99.

Paperback royalties

For paperback, the royalty rate is 60% of the list price minus the print cost. The print cost depends on page count and paper (black-and-white vs colour).

Example: a 250-page novel printed in black-and-white on white paper, priced at $14.99 on Amazon.com, has a print cost of about $4.20 (in 2026). Your royalty is ($14.99 × 0.60) - $4.20 = $8.99 - $4.20 = $4.79 per copy sold.

Set your paperback price carefully: too low and you make near zero. The KDP pricing calculator shows your royalty in real time as you adjust the price.

KDP Select (optional, 90-day exclusivity)

KDP Select is Amazon's exclusivity program for ebooks. By enrolling, you agree that your ebook will be available only on Amazon Kindle for 90 days, no Kobo, no Apple Books, no your own website.

In return, your ebook is included in Kindle Unlimited (KU), Amazon's subscription service. KU readers can read your book "for free" and you're paid per page read (around $0.005 per page in 2026, varies monthly). For full-length fiction, KU income can match or exceed à-la-carte sales for some authors.

KDP Select also unlocks promotional tools: Kindle Countdown Deals (timed discounts that keep your 70% royalty) and Free Book Promotions (5 days every 90).

The trade-off: you can't distribute on Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play, or sell directly. For wide-distribution strategies, KDP Select is the wrong choice. For Amazon-focused authors, especially in romance, thriller and erotica genres where KU is dominant, it's often profitable.

KDP Select applies to ebook only. Your paperback can be on KDP Print AND IngramSpark or any other channel, regardless of KDP Select.

Territory: worldwide or selected

You can choose to distribute worldwide (default, recommended) or only in selected markets. Most authors choose worldwide. Limit only if you have a contract that restricts certain regions.

Step 6: Submit and Wait for Approval

Click Publish Your Book. KDP runs an automatic validation:

• Ebook: format check (EPUB3 validity), metadata completeness, cover dimensions, ISBN check. Usually approved within 24-72 hours.
• Paperback: PDF validation, cover wraparound check, spine width verification, page count match. Approval within 24-72 hours.

If KDP finds an issue, you'll get an email with the specific problem. The most common rejections:

• Cover spine width doesn't match page count.
• Ebook table of contents missing or broken.
• Metadata mentions a price or marketing claim ("Free!", "Now $9.99!").
• ISBN already used on another platform under a different publisher name.
• PDF fonts not embedded.

Fix the issue and resubmit. Each resubmission triggers a new 24-72 hour review.

Once approved, your book goes live on Amazon. The product page becomes searchable within minutes. The "Look Inside" preview takes a few extra hours to generate.

Step 7: After Publication: Sales, Updates and Marketing

Once live, your book appears on its Amazon product page. Sales start (or don't) depending on marketing, reviews and discoverability.

Tracking sales and royalties

KDP Reports dashboard shows:

• Sales by marketplace in real time (with about 6-12 hour delay).
• Kindle Unlimited pages read (if enrolled in KDP Select).
• Estimated royalties per marketplace and currency.
• Free downloads during promotions.

Reports are available for all marketplaces in one view. Export to CSV is available.

Updating your book after publication

You can update your manuscript, cover or metadata at any time. After updating:

• Cover and metadata updates go live within 12-24 hours.
• Manuscript updates require a new review (24-72 hours) and Amazon may notify Kindle readers that an update is available for their copy.

Don't make trivial frequent updates: each update can reset your "look inside" preview cache and may trigger a re-review.

Marketing options on KDP

KDP offers a few built-in marketing tools:

• Amazon Ads (Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands): pay-per-click ads on Amazon search results. Manageable from KDP dashboard.
• Kindle Countdown Deals (KDP Select only): timed price discount.
• Free Book Promotions (KDP Select only): 5 free days every 90.

Outside KDP, most self-published authors invest in: a mailing list (Mailchimp, ConvertKit), social media (BookTok, BookTube, Instagram), guest blogging, podcast appearances and book club promotions.

Common KDP Publishing Mistakes to Avoid

A few patterns that get authors stuck or hurt their launch:

1. Reusing the free KDP ISBN on another platform. The free ISBN is tied to KDP. Get your own ISBN if you plan to distribute through IngramSpark, Kobo or any direct sales channel.
2. Skipping the cover calculator for paperback. A 0.1 cm spine error makes the cover misalign on the printed book. Always use the official calculator.
3. Choosing irrelevant categories for fast bestseller flags. You'll rank quickly but readers will return books and your sales-rank drops.
4. Forgetting the W-8BEN form. 30% of your royalties get withheld unnecessarily.
5. Ebook table of contents broken. KDP rejects ebooks without a proper Heading 1 structure for chapters. Test your epub in Kindle Previewer before uploading.
6. Pricing outside the 70% royalty band. A $1.99 ebook earns 35%, not 70%. If you want the 70% rate, price between $2.99 and $9.99.
7. Trademark words in title or keywords. "Harry Potter style", "Game of Thrones inspired" and similar phrases get flagged and removed.

FAQ

How long does it take to publish on KDP from scratch?
From "I want to publish" to "live on Amazon" usually takes one to three weeks for a first-timer: a few days for the manuscript export and cover, a few hours for the KDP setup, then 24-72 hours for KDP approval. Authors who already have a finished manuscript and cover can publish in a single day.

Is publishing on Amazon KDP really free?
Yes. There are no upfront fees: no setup cost, no listing fee, no monthly subscription. Amazon takes its cut from royalties (30% for ebooks at 70%, 40% for paperback). For self-publishers on a strict budget, KDP is genuinely zero-cost to launch.

Do I need an LLC or a company to publish on KDP?
No. KDP accepts publishers as individuals. You publish under your own name (or a pen name), and tax is filed on your personal return as self-employed income. Many authors create an LLC or sole-trader status later for tax reasons, but it's not required to start.

Can I publish a book on KDP if I live outside the United States?
Yes. KDP is available in over 100 countries. You'll fill in a W-8BEN form to declare your tax residency, and royalties are paid in your local currency through bank transfer.

Should I enroll in KDP Select for my first book?
It depends on your distribution strategy. If you're Amazon-focused and want Kindle Unlimited revenue plus promotional tools, KDP Select is usually worth it. If you want to sell on Kobo, Apple Books, your own website or to libraries, skip KDP Select: it forces ebook exclusivity for 90 days.

Can I have the same book on KDP and IngramSpark?
Yes, with one caveat: your ebook can't be on KDP Select and on Kobo/Apple at the same time. Your paperback can be on KDP Print AND IngramSpark in parallel: many authors do this to reach Amazon (KDP Print) and bookshops (IngramSpark) at the same time.

Why was my ebook rejected by KDP?
The most common reasons: invalid table of contents (no Heading 1 styles in the source), embedded fonts missing in the PDF, cover dimensions wrong, ISBN already in use elsewhere, or marketing language in the title field. KDP's rejection email is specific. Fix the issue and resubmit.

How much do KDP authors actually earn?
Very wide range. The median self-published author earns a few hundred dollars per year. Mid-career authors with several titles in a series and a marketing system in place often earn $5,000-$50,000 per year. Top earners in romance and thriller make over $100,000 per year on KDP alone. Income depends heavily on genre, marketing, series length and KDP Select strategy.

Can I unpublish my book later?
Yes. From KDP dashboard, you can move a title to archive (book stays in your KDP account but is removed from Amazon sale) or delete it entirely. Customers who bought the book still have access to it through their Kindle library.

Is KDP the best self-publishing platform in 2026?
For Amazon reach and pure volume, yes: KDP is the dominant ebook and POD paperback platform. For wider distribution (libraries, bookshops, non-Amazon retailers), KDP needs to be combined with IngramSpark and Draft2Digital. See our complete self-publishing guide for a full platform comparison.