{"registry_version":"2026.1025.387","generated_at":"2026-10-25T06:27:00Z","content_sha256":"089d16f627d9365e3d0663cc8069203706d7cb23a76c332226e29686968811a5","signed":true,"signature":{"key_id":"ed25519:74ca19268e364242","algorithm":"ed25519","expires_at":"2026-11-24T06:27:09Z","expired":false,"manifest":"/registry/manifest.json"},"entry_sha256":"e16d5f5cdc591e11298edaea80d4e39741a8a64db9770d4ce8f113d3ae69ec3b","entry":{"id":"paypal/developer-and-business","name":"PayPal Developer and Business account (REST API credentials)","vendor":"PayPal","summary":"A verified PayPal Business account plus a REST app in the PayPal Developer Dashboard, giving a sandbox and a live client ID and secret for PayPal Checkout and other REST APIs.","aliases":["paypal","paypal-rest-api","paypal-checkout"],"category":"payments","group":"B","homepage":"https://developer.paypal.com/","docs":["https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/","https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/production/","https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/sandbox/"],"status":"researched","last_verified":null,"last_researched":"2026-10-25","sources":[{"id":"rest-intro","url":"https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/","title":"PayPal REST APIs - Get started","accessed":"2026-10-25","supports":"Client ID and secret come from Apps & Credentials (Default Application or Create App); credentials are exchanged for an OAuth 2.0 access token; sandbox includes a personal and business test account; a PayPal Business account is needed to go live.","kind":"official"},{"id":"go-live","url":"https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/production/","title":"PayPal - Go live","accessed":"2026-10-25","supports":"Live credentials need a verified Premier or verified Business account; the production host is api-m.paypal.com; app review is said to happen within 24-72 hours, first come first served with no expedited review; reviewer questions arrive by email; some features (e.g. Mass Pay, reference transactions) need allowlisting via Customer Service.","kind":"official"},{"id":"sandbox","url":"https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/sandbox/","title":"PayPal sandbox testing guide","accessed":"2026-10-25","supports":"Sandbox accounts are fictitious; going live means switching credentials and endpoints.","kind":"official"},{"id":"create-rest-creds","url":"https://www.paypal.com/ca/cshelp/article/how-do-i-create-rest-api-credentials-ts1949","title":"How do I create REST API credentials? (PayPal Help Center)","accessed":"2026-10-25","supports":"Steps - log in to the Developer Portal with the PayPal login, Apps & Credentials, Sandbox or Live tab, Create App, choose Merchant or Platform type, then request feature permissions (Subscriptions, Payouts, Vault and so on).","kind":"official"},{"id":"user-agreement","url":"https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/paypal/useragreement-full","title":"PayPal User Agreement (US, last updated 14 September 2026)","accessed":"2026-10-25","supports":"Restricted activities (false or misleading information, refusing to confirm identity, controlling an account linked to a restricted account); PayPal may hold balances for up to 180 days if needed to protect against liability or after an Acceptable Use Policy breach.","kind":"official"},{"id":"aup","url":"https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/paypal/acceptableuse-full","title":"PayPal Acceptable Use Policy (US, last updated 29 October 2022)","accessed":"2026-10-25","supports":"Prohibited activities and the list of activities requiring PayPal pre-approval (airlines and charters, charities/non-profits, dealers in jewels and precious metals, payment facilitators and others).","kind":"official"},{"id":"fees","url":"https://www.paypal.com/us/business/paypal-business-fees","title":"PayPal Merchant Fees (US)","accessed":"2026-10-25","supports":"US standard domestic rates, e.g. PayPal Checkout 3.49% + fixed fee; donations 2.89% + fixed fee.","kind":"official"}],"allowed_domains":["paypal.com"],"account_model":{"summary":"One PayPal login opens both paypal.com and the Developer Dashboard. Live REST apps belong to a verified Business (or Premier) account; sandbox apps are tied to fictitious sandbox business accounts created automatically.","accounts":[{"name":"PayPal Business account","kind":"organisation","owned_by":"the business (or sole trader)","required":true,"note":"Must be verified before live credentials are issued."},{"name":"PayPal Developer Dashboard","kind":"developer","parent":"PayPal Business account","required":true,"note":"Same login as paypal.com; holds Sandbox and Live tabs of Apps & Credentials."},{"name":"Sandbox business and personal test accounts","kind":"other","parent":"PayPal Developer Dashboard","required":false,"note":"Fictitious accounts for testing; created for new developer accounts and managed under Testing Tools."},{"name":"REST app (Merchant or Platform)","kind":"project","parent":"PayPal Developer Dashboard","required":true,"note":"Each app has its own client ID and secret, separately for sandbox and live."}],"notes":["Sandbox credentials never work against the live host, and live credentials never work in sandbox.","Platform (marketplace) app types and some features such as Payouts need extra approval from PayPal."]},"prerequisites":[{"need":"A business bank account in the business's name to link and confirm with PayPal","note":"Needed to verify the Business account and withdraw funds. [to verify exact verification checklist per country]"}],"have_ready":[{"kind":"domain_email","description":"A business email address you control","why":"The PayPal Business account login and PayPal notices (including reviewer questions) go to this address.","needed_for":["business-account"],"auto_check":"domain_email_mx"},{"kind":"company_documents","description":"Legal business name, business type, and registration details as on official documents","why":"PayPal asks for business details when opening a Business account and may ask for confirmation of identity; giving false or misleading information is a restricted activity.","needed_for":["business-account","verify-account"],"auto_check":"name_consistency","source":"user-agreement"},{"kind":"government_id","description":"Photo ID of the account holder or beneficial owners, in case PayPal asks to confirm identity","why":"Refusing to provide confirmation of identity is a restricted activity under the User Agreement.","needed_for":["verify-account"],"auto_check":"none","source":"user-agreement"},{"kind":"bank_account","description":"Bank account in the business name","why":"Used to verify the account and to withdraw funds. [to verify]","needed_for":["verify-account"],"auto_check":"none"},{"kind":"live_website","description":"The website or app where PayPal Checkout will appear, with what you sell and contact details","why":"PayPal reviews what you sell against the Acceptable Use Policy; some categories need pre-approval.","needed_for":["business-account"],"auto_check":"website_live","source":"aup"},{"kind":"phone_for_2fa","description":"A phone for two-step verification on the PayPal login","needed_for":["business-account"],"auto_check":"none"}],"steps":[{"id":"business-account","title":"Open (or upgrade to) a PayPal Business account","summary":"You sign up for a PayPal Business account on paypal.com yourself, entering the legal business details and accepting the User Agreement. verapli can highlight fields but never creates the account or accepts terms.","route":"guided","depends_on":[],"gate":"human_terms","url":"https://www.paypal.com/business","recovery":[{"hiccup":"The business category you sell in is listed as needing pre-approval (e.g. charities, airlines, precious metals, payment facilitation).","fix":"Contact PayPal Sales before taking payments; taking such payments without approval is itself prohibited.","source":"aup"}]},{"id":"verify-account","title":"Verify the Business account","summary":"Confirm your email, link and confirm a bank account, and answer any identity or business-information requests in the PayPal account. Live credentials need a verified account.","route":"guided","depends_on":["business-account"],"gate":"human_identity","url":"https://www.paypal.com/myaccount/summary","lead_time":{"official":{"text":"PayPal states only that the account used to get live credentials must be verified; no official duration is published. [to verify]","source":"go-live"}},"recovery":[{"hiccup":"The account is limited, or PayPal asks for documents.","fix":"Respond through the Resolution Center with documents that match the legal name exactly; do not open a second account to work around it, since controlling an account linked to a restricted one is itself a restricted activity.","source":"user-agreement"}]},{"id":"developer-dashboard","title":"Log in to the PayPal Developer Dashboard","summary":"Log in at developer.paypal.com with the same PayPal Business login. Sandbox test accounts appear under Testing Tools.","route":"guided","depends_on":["business-account"],"gate":"human_login","url":"https://developer.paypal.com/dashboard/"},{"id":"sandbox-app","title":"Create a sandbox REST app and copy its credentials","summary":"In Apps & Credentials on the Sandbox tab, use the Default Application or Create App, choose Merchant (or Platform) and a sandbox business account, then copy the client ID and secret. verapli captures the values by selector.","route":"copilot","depends_on":["developer-dashboard"],"gate":"human_submit","url":"https://developer.paypal.com/dashboard/applications/sandbox","capture":{"env":"PAYPAL_CLIENT_SECRET","kind":"secret"},"sources":["rest-intro","create-rest-creds"]},{"id":"live-app","title":"Create the live REST app and copy live credentials","summary":"Switch the dashboard to Live, Create App, pick the feature permissions you need, and copy the live client ID and secret. Point the integration at api-m.paypal.com.","route":"copilot","depends_on":["verify-account","sandbox-app"],"gate":"human_submit","url":"https://developer.paypal.com/dashboard/applications/live","capture":{"env":"PAYPAL_LIVE_CLIENT_SECRET","kind":"secret"},"sources":["go-live","create-rest-creds"]},{"id":"app-review","title":"Wait for PayPal's app review (if your app is reviewed)","summary":"PayPal may review a newly registered live app; answer any reviewer questions sent by email. Features such as Payouts or reference transactions need separate allowlisting via PayPal.","route":"guided","depends_on":["live-app"],"gate":"third_party_review","lead_time":{"official":{"text":"PayPal's go-live guide says apps are reviewed within 24-72 hours of submission, first come first served, with no expedited review. (This text sits on the legacy go-live page; [to verify] for current REST apps.)","source":"go-live"}},"recovery":[{"hiccup":"A PayPal reviewer posts questions about the app.","fix":"Answer them from the submitting account before continuing production calls.","source":"go-live"},{"hiccup":"A needed feature (e.g. Payouts) is not enabled on the live app.","fix":"Request the permission on the app, or ask PayPal Customer Service to allowlist the feature.","source":"go-live"}],"optional":true}],"outputs":[{"name":"PAYPAL_CLIENT_ID","description":"Sandbox REST app client ID (public identifier)","secret":false,"environments":["development","test"],"from_step":"sandbox-app"},{"name":"PAYPAL_CLIENT_SECRET","description":"Sandbox REST app client secret","secret":true,"environments":["development","test"],"from_step":"sandbox-app"},{"name":"PAYPAL_LIVE_CLIENT_ID","description":"Live REST app client ID","secret":false,"environments":["production"],"from_step":"live-app"},{"name":"PAYPAL_LIVE_CLIENT_SECRET","description":"Live REST app client secret","secret":true,"environments":["production"],"from_step":"live-app"}],"terms_notes":[{"kind":"rules_say","severity":"red","title":"Holds of up to 180 days","text":"PayPal may hold your business balance for up to 180 days if reasonably needed to protect against liability or if you breach the Acceptable Use Policy, and longer under court or regulatory orders.","source":"user-agreement"},{"kind":"rules_say","severity":"red","title":"Linked accounts share the consequences","text":"Controlling an account linked to another account that has engaged in restricted activities is itself restricted, so opening a second account after a limitation can make things worse.","source":"user-agreement"},{"kind":"rules_say","severity":"red","title":"Some businesses need pre-approval","text":"Taking payments for activities that need pre-approval (e.g. charities, airlines and charters, precious metals, payment facilitators) without getting it is prohibited.","source":"aup"},{"kind":"rules_say","severity":"amber","title":"Accurate information and identity checks","text":"Giving false, inaccurate or misleading information, or refusing to confirm your identity, are restricted activities that can lead to limitation.","source":"user-agreement"},{"kind":"rules_say","severity":"yellow","text":"Sandbox and live are fully separate; sandbox credentials and app ids do not work in production.","source":"go-live"}],"pricing_notes":{"free_tier":"No charge for a developer account or sandbox.","costs":"US standard domestic rates include PayPal Checkout 3.49% + fixed fee and donations 2.89% + fixed fee; rates differ by country.","source":"fees"},"stripe_projects":false,"api_provisioning":{"available":"partial","notes":"The Business account and live app must be set up by a person in the PayPal web UI. Once credentials exist, the REST APIs (orders, payments, webhooks) are used through OAuth 2.0 client credentials.","docs":["https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/"],"source":"rest-intro"},"detect":{"env_names":["PAYPAL_CLIENT_ID","PAYPAL_CLIENT_SECRET"],"packages":["@paypal/react-paypal-js","@paypal/paypal-js","@paypal/paypal-server-sdk"]}}}