Is it an requirement to manually verify each recipient email?

I'm sending emails with AWS SES and Laravel.

At first it returns this error:

Email address is not verified. The following identities failed the check in region US-EAST-1: email@examplesite.com

So the only way I can make it works is to manually add and verify the email address via AWS panel.

Is that correct? It means that any address that I can send transaction emails I'll need to do this verify process?

Using sendgrid I just need to validate the sender email and then I can mail any recipient I want.

Solution

You're still in the SES Sandbox. You will need to ask AWS to remove you from the sandbox. The instructions are here but at a high level you need to open a case with AWS to request that they remove the sandbox restrictions.

You will know you're no longer in SES sandbox mode when you can send to unverified addresses.