diff --git a/packages/amplify_core/lib/src/types/storage/storage_path.dart b/packages/amplify_core/lib/src/types/storage/storage_path.dart
index ef292bbdd2..e26b084463 100644
--- a/packages/amplify_core/lib/src/types/storage/storage_path.dart
+++ b/packages/amplify_core/lib/src/types/storage/storage_path.dart
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class StoragePath {
   /// ### Example
   /// {@template amplify_core.storage.storage_path.from_string.example}
   /// ```
-  /// const p = StoragePath.fromString('/path/to/object.png');
+  /// const p = StoragePath.fromString('path/to/object.png');
   /// ```
   /// {@endtemplate}
   const StoragePath.fromString(String path) : _path = path;
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class StoragePath {
   /// ### Example
   /// {@template amplify_core.storage.storage_path.with_identity_id.example}
   /// ```
-  /// const p = StoragePath.withIdentityId((String identityId) => '/users/$identityId/object.png');
+  /// const p = StoragePath.withIdentityId((String identityId) => 'users/$identityId/object.png');
   /// ```
   /// {@endtemplate}
   factory StoragePath.withIdentityId(
diff --git a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/content_type_infer/content_type_infer_html.dart b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/content_type_infer/content_type_infer_html.dart
index ea8f251c2b..8ea8846d94 100644
--- a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/content_type_infer/content_type_infer_html.dart
+++ b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/content_type_infer/content_type_infer_html.dart
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ void testContentTypeInferTest({
     tearDownAll(() async {
       await Amplify.Storage.removeMany(
         paths: testUploadKeys
-            .map((key) => StoragePath.fromString('/private/$key'))
+            .map((key) => StoragePath.fromString('private/$key'))
             .toList(),
       ).result;
     });
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ void testContentTypeInferTest({
         final result = await s3Plugin
             .uploadFile(
               localFile: file,
-              path: StoragePath.fromString('/private/${testUploadKeys[index]}'),
+              path: StoragePath.fromString('private/${testUploadKeys[index]}'),
               options: const StorageUploadFileOptions(
                 pluginOptions: S3UploadFilePluginOptions(
                   getProperties: true,
diff --git a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/content_type_infer/content_type_infer_io.dart b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/content_type_infer/content_type_infer_io.dart
index 338efbd228..d56b925f56 100644
--- a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/content_type_infer/content_type_infer_io.dart
+++ b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/content_type_infer/content_type_infer_io.dart
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ void testContentTypeInferTest({
     tearDownAll(() async {
       await Amplify.Storage.removeMany(
         paths: testUploadKeys
-            .map((key) => StoragePath.fromString('/private/$key'))
+            .map((key) => StoragePath.fromString('private/$key'))
             .toList(),
       ).result;
     });
diff --git a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/issues/get_url_special_characters_test.dart b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/issues/get_url_special_characters_test.dart
index 430b0bc3b1..2d4e6f026b 100644
--- a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/issues/get_url_special_characters_test.dart
+++ b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/issues/get_url_special_characters_test.dart
@@ -41,11 +41,11 @@ void main() {
     final key = 'Test - ${DateTime.now()}';
     await Amplify.Storage.uploadData(
       data: S3DataPayload.bytes('hello'.codeUnits),
-      path: StoragePath.fromString('/public/$key'),
+      path: StoragePath.fromString('public/$key'),
     ).result;
 
     final getUrlResult = await Amplify.Storage.getUrl(
-      path: StoragePath.fromString('/public/$key'),
+      path: StoragePath.fromString('public/$key'),
     ).result;
     final uri = getUrlResult.url;
 
diff --git a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/use_case_test.dart b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/use_case_test.dart
index 229a4fb60b..217d37992f 100644
--- a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/use_case_test.dart
+++ b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/integration_test/use_case_test.dart
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ void main() {
                   testBytes,
                   contentType: testContentType,
                 ),
-                path: StoragePath.fromString('/public/$testObjectKey1'),
+                path: StoragePath.fromString('public/$testObjectKey1'),
                 options: const StorageUploadDataOptions(
                   metadata: {
                     'filename': testObjectFileName1,
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ void main() {
               .uploadData(
                 data: S3DataPayload.dataUrl(testDataUrl),
                 path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-                  (identityId) => '/protected/$identityId/$testObjectKey2',
+                  (identityId) => 'protected/$identityId/$testObjectKey2',
                 ),
                 options: const StorageUploadDataOptions(
                   metadata: {
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ void main() {
               .uploadFile(
                 localFile: AWSFile.fromData(testLargeFileBytes),
                 path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-                  (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/$testObjectKey3',
+                  (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/$testObjectKey3',
                 ),
                 options: const StorageUploadFileOptions(
                   metadata: {
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ void main() {
             ' currently signed in user', (WidgetTester tester) async {
           final result = await Amplify.Storage.getUrl(
             path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-              (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/$testObjectKey3',
+              (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/$testObjectKey3',
             ),
             options: const StorageGetUrlOptions(
               pluginOptions: S3GetUrlPluginOptions(
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ void main() {
             (WidgetTester tester) async {
           final result = Amplify.Storage.getUrl(
             path: const StoragePath.fromString(
-              '/public/random/non-existent/object.png',
+              'public/random/non-existent/object.png',
             ),
             options: const StorageGetUrlOptions(
               pluginOptions: S3GetUrlPluginOptions(
@@ -404,10 +404,10 @@ void main() {
             (WidgetTester tester) async {
           final result = await Amplify.Storage.copy(
             source: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-              (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/$testObjectKey3',
+              (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/$testObjectKey3',
             ),
             destination: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-              (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/$testObject3CopyKey',
+              (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/$testObject3CopyKey',
             ),
             options: const StorageCopyOptions(
               pluginOptions: S3CopyPluginOptions(
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ void main() {
             (WidgetTester tester) async {
           final result = await Amplify.Storage.remove(
             path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-              (id) => '/private/$id/$testObject3CopyMoveKey',
+              (id) => 'private/$id/$testObject3CopyMoveKey',
             ),
           ).result;
 
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ void main() {
                   testBytes,
                   contentType: testContentType,
                 ),
-                path: StoragePath.fromString('/public/$objectKey'),
+                path: StoragePath.fromString('public/$objectKey'),
                 options: StorageUploadDataOptions(
                   metadata: testMetadata,
                   pluginOptions: const S3UploadDataPluginOptions(
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ void main() {
           expect(metadata, equals(testMetadata));
 
           await s3Plugin
-              .remove(path: StoragePath.fromString('/public/$objectKey'))
+              .remove(path: StoragePath.fromString('public/$objectKey'))
               .result;
         });
       });
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ void main() {
           testWidgets('get properties of object with access level guest',
               (WidgetTester tester) async {
             final result = await Amplify.Storage.getProperties(
-              path: StoragePath.fromString('/public/$testObjectKey1'),
+              path: StoragePath.fromString('public/$testObjectKey1'),
             ).result;
 
             expect(result.storageItem.eTag, object1Etag);
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ void main() {
               (WidgetTester tester) async {
             final result = await Amplify.Storage.getProperties(
               path: StoragePath.fromString(
-                '/protected/$user1IdentityId/$testObjectKey2',
+                'protected/$user1IdentityId/$testObjectKey2',
               ),
             ).result;
 
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ void main() {
               (WidgetTester tester) async {
             final operation = Amplify.Storage.getProperties(
               path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-                (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/$testObjectKey3',
+                (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/$testObjectKey3',
               ),
             );
 
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ void main() {
           testWidgets('get url of object with access level guest',
               (WidgetTester tester) async {
             final operation = Amplify.Storage.getUrl(
-              path: StoragePath.fromString('/public/$testObjectKey1'),
+              path: StoragePath.fromString('public/$testObjectKey1'),
               options: const StorageGetUrlOptions(
                 pluginOptions: S3GetUrlPluginOptions(
                   validateObjectExistence: true,
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ void main() {
               (WidgetTester tester) async {
             final operation = Amplify.Storage.getUrl(
               path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-                (identityId) => '/protected/$identityId/$testObjectKey2',
+                (identityId) => 'protected/$identityId/$testObjectKey2',
               ),
               options: const StorageGetUrlOptions(
                 pluginOptions: S3GetUrlPluginOptions(),
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ void main() {
               (WidgetTester tester) async {
             final operation = Amplify.Storage.getUrl(
               path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-                (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/$testObjectKey3',
+                (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/$testObjectKey3',
               ),
               options: const StorageGetUrlOptions(
                 pluginOptions: S3GetUrlPluginOptions(
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ void main() {
                 '/protected/$user1IdentityId/$testObjectKey2',
               ),
               destination: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-                (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/$testObjectKey2',
+                (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/$testObjectKey2',
               ),
               options: const StorageCopyOptions(
                 pluginOptions: S3CopyPluginOptions(
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ void main() {
                   testBytes,
                   contentType: 'text/plain',
                 ),
-                path: StoragePath.fromString('/private/$fileKey'),
+                path: StoragePath.fromString('private/$fileKey'),
                 options: StorageUploadDataOptions(
                   metadata: {
                     'filename': fileNameTemp,
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@ void main() {
             // Clean up files from this test.
             await Amplify.Storage.removeMany(
               paths: uploadedKeys
-                  .map((key) => StoragePath.fromString('/private/$key'))
+                  .map((key) => StoragePath.fromString('private/$key'))
                   .toList(),
             ).result;
           });
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ void main() {
                   testBytes,
                   contentType: 'text/plain',
                 ),
-                path: StoragePath.fromString('/private/$fileKey'),
+                path: StoragePath.fromString('private/$fileKey'),
                 options: StorageUploadDataOptions(
                   metadata: {
                     'filename': fileNameTemp,
@@ -766,7 +766,7 @@ void main() {
             // Clean up files from this test.
             await Amplify.Storage.removeMany(
               paths: uploadedKeys
-                  .map((key) => StoragePath.fromString('/private/$key'))
+                  .map((key) => StoragePath.fromString('private/$key'))
                   .toList(),
             ).result;
           });
@@ -777,14 +777,14 @@ void main() {
             final result1 = await Amplify.Storage.uploadData(
               data: HttpPayload.string('obj1'),
               path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-                (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/remove-test/obj1',
+                (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/remove-test/obj1',
               ),
             ).result;
 
             final result2 = await Amplify.Storage.uploadData(
               data: HttpPayload.string('obj2'),
               path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-                (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/remove-test/obj2',
+                (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/remove-test/obj2',
               ),
             ).result;
 
@@ -823,14 +823,14 @@ void main() {
           final result1 = await Amplify.Storage.uploadData(
             data: HttpPayload.string('obj1'),
             path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-              (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/remove-test-user-a/obj1',
+              (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/remove-test-user-a/obj1',
             ),
           ).result;
 
           final result2 = await Amplify.Storage.uploadData(
             data: HttpPayload.string('obj2'),
             path: StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-              (identityId) => '/private/$identityId/remove-test-user-a/obj2',
+              (identityId) => 'private/$identityId/remove-test-user-a/obj2',
             ),
           ).result;
 
diff --git a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/lib/main.dart b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/lib/main.dart
index fd96bc950c..0c7d26dac7 100644
--- a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/lib/main.dart
+++ b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3/example/lib/main.dart
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class _HomeScreenState extends State<HomeScreen> {
           platformFile.readStream!,
           size: platformFile.size,
         ),
-        path: StoragePath.fromString('/public/${platformFile.name}'),
+        path: StoragePath.fromString('public/${platformFile.name}'),
         onProgress: (p) =>
             _logger.debug('Uploading: ${p.transferredBytes}/${p.totalBytes}'),
       ).result;
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ class _HomeScreenState extends State<HomeScreen> {
   }) async {
     try {
       await Amplify.Storage.remove(
-        path: StoragePath.fromString('/public/$key'),
+        path: StoragePath.fromString('public/$key'),
       ).result;
       setState(() {
         // set the imageUrl to empty if the deleted file is the one being displayed
diff --git a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/lib/src/model/s3_item.dart b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/lib/src/model/s3_item.dart
index 51a09d3e21..e9977cdcce 100644
--- a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/lib/src/model/s3_item.dart
+++ b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/lib/src/model/s3_item.dart
@@ -71,8 +71,7 @@ class S3Item extends StorageItem
 
     return S3Item(
       key: keyDroppedPrefix,
-      // TODO(Jordan-Nelson): remove when path validation logic is updated
-      path: '/$key',
+      path: key,
       size: object.size?.toInt(),
       lastModified: object.lastModified,
       eTag: object.eTag,
diff --git a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/lib/src/path_resolver/s3_path_resolver.dart b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/lib/src/path_resolver/s3_path_resolver.dart
index dff80af88f..fdf86c52aa 100644
--- a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/lib/src/path_resolver/s3_path_resolver.dart
+++ b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/lib/src/path_resolver/s3_path_resolver.dart
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ class S3PathResolver {
       // ignore: invalid_use_of_internal_member
       _ => path.resolvePath()
     };
-    if (!resolvedPath.startsWith('/')) {
+    if (resolvedPath.startsWith('/')) {
       throw const StoragePathValidationException(
-        'StoragePath must start with a leading "/"',
-        recoverySuggestion: 'Update the provided path to include a leading "/"',
+        'StoragePath cannot start with a leading "/"',
+        recoverySuggestion: 'Remove the leading "/" from the StoragePath',
       );
     }
     return resolvedPath;
@@ -47,16 +47,13 @@ class S3PathResolver {
         paths.whereType<StoragePathWithIdentityId>().isNotEmpty;
     final identityId =
         requiredIdentityId ? await _identityProvider.getIdentityId() : null;
-    return (await Future.wait(
+    return Future.wait(
       paths.map(
         (path) => resolvePath(
           path: path,
           identityId: identityId,
         ),
       ),
-    ))
-        // TODO(Jordan-Nelson): remove once path validation logic is updated.
-        .map((path) => path.substring(1))
-        .toList();
+    );
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/amplify_storage_s3_dart_test.dart b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/amplify_storage_s3_dart_test.dart
index fe4fa15cce..0fca0a8014 100644
--- a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/amplify_storage_s3_dart_test.dart
+++ b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/amplify_storage_s3_dart_test.dart
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import 'test_utils/test_custom_prefix_resolver.dart';
 import 'test_utils/test_path_resolver.dart';
 import 'test_utils/test_token_provider.dart';
 
-const testPath = StoragePath.fromString('/some/path.txt');
+const testPath = StoragePath.fromString('some/path.txt');
 
 void main() {
   const testDefaultStorageAccessLevel = StorageAccessLevel.guest;
@@ -921,9 +921,9 @@ void main() {
     });
 
     group('copy() API', () {
-      const testSource = StoragePath.fromString('/public/source-key');
+      const testSource = StoragePath.fromString('public/source-key');
       final testDestination = StoragePath.withIdentityId(
-        (identityId) => '/protected/$identityId/destination-key',
+        (identityId) => 'protected/$identityId/destination-key',
       );
 
       final testResult = S3CopyResult(
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ void main() {
       setUpAll(() {
         registerFallbackValue(const StorageCopyOptions());
         registerFallbackValue(
-          const StoragePath.fromString('/public/source-key'),
+          const StoragePath.fromString('public/source-key'),
         );
       });
 
diff --git a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/path_resolver/path_resolver_test.dart b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/path_resolver/path_resolver_test.dart
index 4874a36dfd..e37de5bab8 100644
--- a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/path_resolver/path_resolver_test.dart
+++ b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/path_resolver/path_resolver_test.dart
@@ -31,24 +31,23 @@ void main() {
     );
 
     test('should resolve static strings', () async {
-      const path = StoragePath.fromString('/foo/bar/picture.png');
+      const path = StoragePath.fromString('foo/bar/picture.png');
       expect(
         await pathResolver.resolvePath(path: path),
-        '/foo/bar/picture.png',
+        'foo/bar/picture.png',
       );
     });
 
     test('should resolve path with identity Id', () async {
-      final path = StoragePath.withIdentityId((id) => '/foo/$id/picture.png');
+      final path = StoragePath.withIdentityId((id) => 'foo/$id/picture.png');
       expect(
         await pathResolver.resolvePath(path: path),
-        '/foo/mock-id/picture.png',
+        'foo/mock-id/picture.png',
       );
     });
 
-    test('should throw if the path does not start with a leading "/"',
-        () async {
-      const path = StoragePath.fromString('foo/bar/picture.png');
+    test('should throw if the path starts with a leading "/"', () async {
+      const path = StoragePath.fromString('/foo/bar/picture.png');
       expect(
         () => pathResolver.resolvePath(path: path),
         throwsA(isA<StoragePathValidationException>()),
diff --git a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/storage_s3_service/storage_s3_service_test.dart b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/storage_s3_service/storage_s3_service_test.dart
index ad85f2814c..b32696cffb 100644
--- a/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/storage_s3_service/storage_s3_service_test.dart
+++ b/packages/storage/amplify_storage_s3_dart/test/storage_s3_service/storage_s3_service_test.dart
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import '../test_utils/test_path_resolver.dart';
 import '../test_utils/test_token_provider.dart';
 
 const testDelimiter = '#';
-const testPath = StoragePath.fromString('/some/path.txt');
+const testPath = StoragePath.fromString('some/path.txt');
 
 class TestPrefixResolver implements S3PrefixResolver {
   @override
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ void main() {
 
         expect(
           storageS3Service.getProperties(
-            path: const StoragePath.fromString('/a key'),
+            path: const StoragePath.fromString('a key'),
             options: testOptions,
           ),
           throwsA(isA<StorageKeyNotFoundException>()),
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ void main() {
 
         expect(
           storageS3Service.getProperties(
-            path: const StoragePath.fromString('/a key'),
+            path: const StoragePath.fromString('a key'),
             options: testOptions,
           ),
           throwsA(isA<NetworkException>()),
@@ -930,8 +930,8 @@ void main() {
 
     group('copy() API', () {
       late S3CopyResult copyResult;
-      const testSource = StoragePath.fromString('/public/source');
-      const testDestination = StoragePath.fromString('/public/destination');
+      const testSource = StoragePath.fromString('public/source');
+      const testDestination = StoragePath.fromString('public/destination');
 
       setUpAll(() {
         registerFallbackValue(
@@ -1079,7 +1079,7 @@ void main() {
 
     group('remove() API', () {
       late S3RemoveResult removeResult;
-      const testPath = StoragePath.fromString('/object-to-remove');
+      const testPath = StoragePath.fromString('object-to-remove');
 
       setUpAll(() {
         registerFallbackValue(