{"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"},"id":"paypal/developer-and-business","name":"PayPal Developer and Business account (REST API credentials)","vendor":"PayPal","status":"researched","last_verified":null,"last_researched":"2026-10-25","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.","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]"}],"identity_requires":[],"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","source_url":null},{"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_url":"https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/paypal/useragreement-full"},{"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_url":"https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/paypal/useragreement-full"},{"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","source_url":null},{"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_url":"https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/paypal/acceptableuse-full"},{"kind":"phone_for_2fa","description":"A phone for two-step verification on the PayPal login","why":null,"needed_for":["business-account"],"auto_check":"none","source_url":null}],"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","gate":"human_terms","human_only":true,"gate_label":"You accept the terms","depends_on":[],"optional":false,"url":"https://www.paypal.com/business","lead_time":null,"preflight":[],"captures":null},{"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","gate":"human_identity","human_only":true,"gate_label":"You prove your identity","depends_on":["business-account"],"optional":false,"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_url":"https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/production/","source_title":"PayPal - Go live"},"reported":null,"typical_minutes":null},"preflight":[],"captures":null},{"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","gate":"human_login","human_only":true,"gate_label":"You sign in","depends_on":["business-account"],"optional":false,"url":"https://developer.paypal.com/dashboard/","lead_time":null,"preflight":[],"captures":null},{"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","gate":"human_submit","human_only":true,"gate_label":"You press submit","depends_on":["developer-dashboard"],"optional":false,"url":"https://developer.paypal.com/dashboard/applications/sandbox","lead_time":null,"preflight":[],"captures":"PAYPAL_CLIENT_SECRET"},{"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","gate":"human_submit","human_only":true,"gate_label":"You press submit","depends_on":["verify-account","sandbox-app"],"optional":false,"url":"https://developer.paypal.com/dashboard/applications/live","lead_time":null,"preflight":[],"captures":"PAYPAL_LIVE_CLIENT_SECRET"},{"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","gate":"third_party_review","human_only":true,"gate_label":"The provider reviews it","depends_on":["live-app"],"optional":true,"url":null,"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_url":"https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/production/","source_title":"PayPal - Go live"},"reported":null,"typical_minutes":null},"preflight":[],"captures":null}],"gates":[{"step":"business-account","gate":"human_terms","label":"You accept the terms"},{"step":"verify-account","gate":"human_identity","label":"You prove your identity"},{"step":"developer-dashboard","gate":"human_login","label":"You sign in"},{"step":"sandbox-app","gate":"human_submit","label":"You press submit"},{"step":"live-app","gate":"human_submit","label":"You press submit"},{"step":"app-review","gate":"third_party_review","label":"The provider reviews it"}],"lead_times":[{"step":"verify-account","what":"Verify the Business account","official":{"text":"PayPal states only that the account used to get live credentials must be verified; no official duration is published. [to verify]","source_url":"https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/production/","source_title":"PayPal - Go live"},"reported":null},{"step":"app-review","what":"Wait for PayPal's app review (if your app is reviewed)","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_url":"https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/production/","source_title":"PayPal - Go live"},"reported":null}],"outputs":[{"name":"PAYPAL_CLIENT_ID","description":"Sandbox REST app client ID (public identifier)","secret":false,"example_format":null,"environments":["development","test"]},{"name":"PAYPAL_CLIENT_SECRET","description":"Sandbox REST app client secret","secret":true,"example_format":null,"environments":["development","test"]},{"name":"PAYPAL_LIVE_CLIENT_ID","description":"Live REST app client ID","secret":false,"example_format":null,"environments":["production"]},{"name":"PAYPAL_LIVE_CLIENT_SECRET","description":"Live REST app client secret","secret":true,"example_format":null,"environments":["production"]}],"renewals":[],"estimated_minutes":null,"guide_url":"https://verapli.com/guides/paypal/developer-and-business"}