diff --git a/src/registrar/config/settings.py b/src/registrar/config/settings.py
index 5b7af1f26..c2abd85d4 100644
--- a/src/registrar/config/settings.py
+++ b/src/registrar/config/settings.py
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ import environs
 from base64 import b64decode
 from cfenv import AppEnv  # type: ignore
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Final
+
+from botocore.config import Config
 
 # # #                          ###
 #      Setup code goes here      #
@@ -221,9 +224,10 @@ AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID = secret_aws_ses_key_id
 AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY = secret_aws_ses_key
 AWS_REGION = "us-gov-west-1"
 # https://boto3.amazonaws.com/v1/documentation/api/latest/guide/retries.html#standard-retry-mode
-AWS_RETRY_MODE = "standard"
+AWS_RETRY_MODE: Final = "standard"
 # base 2 exponential backoff with max of 20 seconds:
 AWS_MAX_ATTEMPTS = 3
+BOTO_CONFIG = Config(retries={"mode": AWS_RETRY_MODE, "max_attempts": AWS_MAX_ATTEMPTS})
 
 # email address to use for various automated correspondence
 # TODO: pick something sensible here
diff --git a/src/registrar/utility/email.py b/src/registrar/utility/email.py
index 9547bb952..e6de4c330 100644
--- a/src/registrar/utility/email.py
+++ b/src/registrar/utility/email.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ def send_templated_email(template_name: str, to_address: str, context={}):
             region_name=settings.AWS_REGION,
             aws_access_key_id=settings.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID,
             aws_secret_access_key=settings.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY,
+            config=settings.BOTO_CONFIG,
         )
     except Exception as exc:
         raise EmailSendingError("Could not access the SES client.") from exc