# Program management accounts
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A program management account (PMA) is an AWS management account that you use to manage your AWS Channel Program participation and relationships with customer or distribution seller AWS accounts. Each PMA is associated with a single AWS Channel Program (AWS Solution Provider, AWS Distribution, or AWS Distribution Seller).

**Topics**
+ [Creating a program management account](creating-pma.md)
+ [Activating a program management account](activating-pma.md)

# Creating a program management account
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To create a program management account, you will need an AWS management account ID and an active channel program registration.

Member accounts and standalone accounts cannot be used as PMAs. Additionally, you can not use an AWS Management Account that is already onboarded as a payer account in legacy Partner Central Channel Management. You must first offboard the legacy payer account prior to creating a PMA with the same account ID.

Common scenarios for creating a new PMA include:
+ Expanding into a new geographic region with different billing requirements
+ Setting up a dedicated account for a specific business division
+ Separating management of different AWS Channel Programs

**To create a PMA**

1. Navigate to Channel Management in AWS Partner Central.

1. On the program management accounts tab, choose **Create**.

1. Enter AWS management account ID.

1. Select Channel Program type.

1. (Optional) Add descriptive name for the PMA.

1. Submit for activation.

# Activating a program management account
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To activate a PMA, a channel handshake must be accepted by the AWS management account.

**For AWS Partner Central UI users:**
+ The channel handshake is automatically created when you create a PMA
+ The root email address of the AWS management account receives an request email
+ An authorized user must access the invited AWS management account using the unique link provided in the request email
+ Within the AWS console of the invited management account, they can accept or reject the request

**For CLI/SDK users:**
+ You must explicitly send a program management account channel handshake request
+ The root email address of the AWS management account receives an request email
+ The account owner must either access the invited AWS management account and accept/reject through the AWS console using the provided unique link in the request email, or use CLI commands from the invited AWS management account to accept/reject the handshake

**Important**  
The handshake request can only be accepted or rejected by signing in to or accessing the invited AWS management account. The partner who created the PMA in Partner Central must have access to this management account to complete the activation process.