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# Account Creation

* [Previous](https://developer.avalara.com/communications/dev-guide_rest_v2/getting-started/)
* [Next](https://developer.avalara.com/communications/dev-guide_rest_v2/getting-started/authentication/)

During the onboarding process, Avalara creates a [Customer Portal](https://communications.avalara.net) account, which includes your Communications REST v2 account. If you don’t have a Customer Portal account, contact your Customer Account Manager to obtain a Customer Portal **Username** and **Client ID**.

When Avalara creates the Customer Portal account, you are sent an **AvaTax for Communications (AFC) Portal Account Activation** email with a link to activate your Customer Portal account. Follow the instructions in the email and you are all set! The Customer Portal password is the same password you use for REST v2 [authentication](https://developer.avalara.com/communications/dev-guide_rest_v2/getting-started/authentication/).

#### Note

Customer Portal Accounts are created in two environments: [Sandbox](https://communicationsua.avalara.net) and [Production](https://communications.avalara.net). To ensure that your API credentials are unique for Sandbox and Production, you must provide a different email address for each environment. This helps to prevent accidentally committing test data to your Production environment.

The **AvaTax for Communications (AFC) Portal Account Activation** email is sent from each [environment](https://developer.avalara.com/communications/dev-guide_rest_v2/getting-started/environments-endpoints/). When you set your password, note which environment you are working in so you can avoid any password problems.

* [Previous](https://developer.avalara.com/communications/dev-guide_rest_v2/getting-started/)
* [Next](https://developer.avalara.com/communications/dev-guide_rest_v2/getting-started/authentication/)

> **Note**
>
> Part of the **Communications REST v2 Developer Guide** integration guide. [Open the full "Account Creation" milestone on Avalara](https://developer.avalara.com/products/communications/integration-guides/dev-guide_rest_v2/getting-started/) to see every page in this section.