Connect AWS Route 53

This guide walks you through connecting your AWS Route 53 account to Domain Pilot so you can manage all your Route 53 domains from a single dashboard.

Step 1: Create an IAM Policy

First, create a policy with the minimum permissions needed for Domain Pilot.

1. Log in to the AWS Console
2. Navigate to IAM → Policies → Create Policy
3. Switch to the JSON tab and paste the following policy:

{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Action": [
        "route53:ListHostedZones",
        "route53:GetHostedZone",
        "route53:ListResourceRecordSets",
        "route53domains:ListDomains",
        "route53domains:GetDomainDetail"
      ],
      "Resource": "*"
    }
  ]
}

4. Name the policy (e.g., "DomainPilotReadOnly") and click Create policy

Step 2: Create an IAM User

1. Navigate to IAM → Users → Create user
2. Enter a username (e.g., "domain-pilot")
3. Click Next
4. Select Attach policies directly
5. Search for and select the policy you created ("DomainPilotReadOnly")
6. Click Next → Create user

Step 3: Generate Access Keys

1. Click on the user you just created
2. Go to the Security credentials tab
3. Under Access keys, click Create access key
4. Select Third-party service as the use case
5. Acknowledge the recommendation and click Next
6. Add a description (e.g., "Domain Pilot integration") and click Create access key

Step 4: Copy Your Credentials

You'll be shown:

• Access Key ID
• Secret Access Key

Important: The secret access key is only shown once. Copy and save both values securely before closing the page.

Step 5: Connect in Domain Pilot

1. Log in to Domain Pilot
2. Go to Settings → Registrars
3. Click Add Registrar and select AWS Route 53
4. Enter your Access Key ID and Secret Access Key
5. Select your AWS Region (typically us-east-1 for Route 53)
6. Click Connect

Verifying the Connection

Once connected, Domain Pilot will automatically sync your domains. This usually takes a few seconds. You should see all your Route 53 domains appear in the Domains section.

Troubleshooting

"Invalid Credentials" Error

• Ensure you're using the correct Access Key ID and Secret Access Key pair
• Verify the IAM user has not been deleted or the access key deactivated
• Check that you're using the correct AWS region

"Access Denied" Error

• Verify the IAM policy is attached to the user
• Ensure the policy includes route53:ListHostedZones and route53domains:ListDomains permissions
• Check if there are any Service Control Policies (SCPs) blocking access

Only Hosted Zones or Only Registered Domains Appearing

• The policy must include both route53:* and route53domains:* permissions
• Hosted zones and registered domains are separate services in AWS