diff --git a/providers/dns/route53/route53.go b/providers/dns/route53/route53.go
index daa81aeb..01293166 100644
--- a/providers/dns/route53/route53.go
+++ b/providers/dns/route53/route53.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/client"
+	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/credentials"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/credentials/stscreds"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/request"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/session"
@@ -28,15 +29,22 @@ const (
 	EnvRegion          = envNamespace + "REGION"
 	EnvHostedZoneID    = envNamespace + "HOSTED_ZONE_ID"
 	EnvMaxRetries      = envNamespace + "MAX_RETRIES"
+	EnvAssumeRoleArn   = envNamespace + "ASSUME_ROLE_ARN"
 
 	EnvTTL                = envNamespace + "TTL"
 	EnvPropagationTimeout = envNamespace + "PROPAGATION_TIMEOUT"
 	EnvPollingInterval    = envNamespace + "POLLING_INTERVAL"
-	EnvAssumeRoleArn      = envNamespace + "ASSUME_ROLE_ARN"
 )
 
 // Config is used to configure the creation of the DNSProvider.
 type Config struct {
+	// Static credential chain.
+	// These are not set via environment for the time being and are only used if they are explicitly provided.
+	AccessKeyID     string
+	SecretAccessKey string
+	SessionToken    string
+	Region          string
+
 	HostedZoneID  string
 	MaxRetries    int
 	AssumeRoleArn string
@@ -301,10 +309,23 @@ func (d *DNSProvider) getHostedZoneID(fqdn string) (string, error) {
 }
 
 func createSession(config *Config) (*session.Session, error) {
+	if err := createSessionCheckParams(config); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	retry := customRetryer{}
 	retry.NumMaxRetries = config.MaxRetries
 
-	sessionCfg := request.WithRetryer(aws.NewConfig(), retry)
+	awsConfig := aws.NewConfig()
+	if config.AccessKeyID != "" && config.SecretAccessKey != "" {
+		awsConfig = awsConfig.WithCredentials(credentials.NewStaticCredentials(config.AccessKeyID, config.SecretAccessKey, config.SessionToken))
+	}
+
+	if config.Region != "" {
+		awsConfig = awsConfig.WithRegion(config.Region)
+	}
+
+	sessionCfg := request.WithRetryer(awsConfig, retry)
 
 	sess, err := session.NewSessionWithOptions(session.Options{Config: *sessionCfg})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -320,3 +341,19 @@ func createSession(config *Config) (*session.Session, error) {
 		Credentials: stscreds.NewCredentials(sess, config.AssumeRoleArn),
 	})
 }
+
+func createSessionCheckParams(config *Config) error {
+	if config == nil {
+		return errors.New("config is nil")
+	}
+
+	switch {
+	case config.SessionToken != "" && config.AccessKeyID == "" && config.SecretAccessKey == "":
+		return errors.New("SessionToken must be supplied with AccessKeyID and SecretAccessKey")
+
+	case config.AccessKeyID == "" && config.SecretAccessKey != "" || config.AccessKeyID != "" && config.SecretAccessKey == "":
+		return errors.New("AccessKeyID and SecretAccessKey must be supplied together")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/providers/dns/route53/route53_test.go b/providers/dns/route53/route53_test.go
index 5f115695..f1dd1a29 100644
--- a/providers/dns/route53/route53_test.go
+++ b/providers/dns/route53/route53_test.go
@@ -177,3 +177,133 @@ func TestDNSProvider_Present(t *testing.T) {
 	err := provider.Present(domain, "", keyAuth)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Expected Present to return no error")
 }
+
+func TestCreateSession(t *testing.T) {
+	testCases := []struct {
+		desc             string
+		env              map[string]string
+		config           *Config
+		wantCreds        credentials.Value
+		wantDefaultChain bool
+		wantRegion       string
+		wantErr          string
+	}{
+		{
+			desc:    "config is nil",
+			wantErr: "config is nil",
+		},
+		{
+			desc:    "session token without access key id or secret access key",
+			config:  &Config{SessionToken: "foo"},
+			wantErr: "SessionToken must be supplied with AccessKeyID and SecretAccessKey",
+		},
+		{
+			desc:    "access key id without secret access key",
+			config:  &Config{AccessKeyID: "foo"},
+			wantErr: "AccessKeyID and SecretAccessKey must be supplied together",
+		},
+		{
+			desc:    "access key id without secret access key",
+			config:  &Config{SecretAccessKey: "foo"},
+			wantErr: "AccessKeyID and SecretAccessKey must be supplied together",
+		},
+		{
+			desc:             "credentials from default chain",
+			config:           &Config{},
+			wantDefaultChain: true,
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "static credentials",
+			config: &Config{
+				AccessKeyID:     "one",
+				SecretAccessKey: "two",
+			},
+			wantCreds: credentials.Value{
+				AccessKeyID:     "one",
+				SecretAccessKey: "two",
+				SessionToken:    "",
+				ProviderName:    credentials.StaticProviderName,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "static credentials with session token",
+			config: &Config{
+				AccessKeyID:     "one",
+				SecretAccessKey: "two",
+				SessionToken:    "three",
+			},
+			wantCreds: credentials.Value{
+				AccessKeyID:     "one",
+				SecretAccessKey: "two",
+				SessionToken:    "three",
+				ProviderName:    credentials.StaticProviderName,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			desc:   "region from env",
+			config: &Config{},
+			env: map[string]string{
+				"AWS_REGION": "foo",
+			},
+			wantDefaultChain: true,
+			wantRegion:       "foo",
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "static region",
+			config: &Config{
+				Region: "one",
+			},
+			env: map[string]string{
+				"AWS_REGION": "foo",
+			},
+			wantDefaultChain: true,
+			wantRegion:       "one",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range testCases {
+		t.Run(test.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
+			defer envTest.RestoreEnv()
+			envTest.ClearEnv()
+
+			envTest.Apply(test.env)
+
+			sess, err := createSession(test.config)
+			requireErr(t, err, test.wantErr)
+
+			if err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+
+			gotCreds, err := sess.Config.Credentials.Get()
+
+			if test.wantDefaultChain {
+				assert.NotEqual(t, credentials.StaticProviderName, gotCreds.ProviderName)
+			} else {
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+				assert.Equal(t, test.wantCreds, gotCreds)
+			}
+
+			if test.wantRegion != "" {
+				assert.Equal(t, test.wantRegion, aws.StringValue(sess.Config.Region))
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func requireErr(t *testing.T, err error, wantErr string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	switch {
+	case err != nil && wantErr == "":
+		// force the assertion error.
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	case err == nil && wantErr != "":
+		// force the assertion error.
+		require.EqualError(t, err, wantErr)
+
+	case err != nil && wantErr != "":
+		require.EqualError(t, err, wantErr)
+	}
+}