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GoCardless API

Sandbox and live GoCardless accounts, each with its own read-write access token and webhook endpoint secret. Live payouts wait until GoCardless has verified the business, its people and its bank account.

Researched · not yet run liveLast researched 25 October 2026 · GoCardless · provider site

Researched, not yet run live. Built from the provider’s official pages (linked below). A person hasn’t walked this flow end to end yet, so check each step against the source.
Do this with verapliJSON for agents

Who owns what

Sandbox and live are completely separate GoCardless accounts, each with its own dashboard, access tokens, webhook endpoints and API base URL.

  • GoCardless sandbox account developeroptional owned by the personFree; dashboard at manage-sandbox.gocardless.com, API at api-sandbox.gocardless.com.
  • GoCardless live account organisation owned by the businessDashboard at manage.gocardless.com, API at api.gocardless.com; must be verified before payouts.

Partner integrations (acting for other merchants) have their own go-live checklist and app credentials.

Have ready

  • Legal entity details exactly as registered (for UK limited companies, the Companies House record) · GoCardless runs KYC and AML checks on every business that uses it. [4]Needed for: Create your live account, Get verified
  • In-date, full-colour, uncropped passport, driving licence or national ID for a director or the individual · Verification always involves checking at least one individual's identity, sometimes with documents. [5]Needed for: Get verified
  • The director's home (residential) address, and a recent document showing it if asked · GoCardless must verify a registered director's home address; a business address will not verify automatically. [5]Needed for: Get verified
  • Payout bank account in exactly the same name as the legal entity, plus a recent statement if asked · GoCardless must confirm it pays out to the same legal entity it collects for, via a verification payment or a statement. [4]Needed for: Get verified
  • Custom payment pages built to GoCardless's compliance guides (only if you do not use hosted pages) · Custom payment pages must pass a compliance review before you can take real payments. [2]Needed for: Get custom payment pages approved (custom pages only)

Steps

Steps marked “human step” are ones only you can do: verapli never signs in, submits, pays or accepts terms for you.

  1. Create a sandbox account

    You sign up for a free sandbox account yourself.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You sign in

    Where: https://manage-sandbox.gocardless.com/

  2. Create a sandbox access token

    In the sandbox dashboard, open the Developers tab, create an access token, name it and pick Read-Write. Copy it now; it cannot be viewed again.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Create a sandbox account

    verapli captures GOCARDLESS_SANDBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN here by plain code: encrypted in your browser, never shown to AI.

    Where: https://manage-sandbox.gocardless.com/

  3. Add a sandbox webhook endpoint

    Add an HTTPS endpoint URL and a name in the sandbox dashboard, then open the endpoint and copy its secret.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Create a sandbox account

    verapli captures GOCARDLESS_SANDBOX_WEBHOOK_SECRET here by plain code: encrypted in your browser, never shown to AI.

    Where: https://manage-sandbox.gocardless.com/

  4. Create your live account

    You create the live GoCardless account and fill in the onboarding form yourself (or with your GoCardless Account Executive).

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You press submit

    Where: https://manage.gocardless.com/

  5. Get verified

    GoCardless checks the business and at least one individual, and verifies the payout bank account with a small verification payment or a bank statement. Collected funds are not paid out until this is complete.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You prove your identity
    • After: Create your live account
    The provider says
    GoCardless aims to respond to verification queries within 1 working day; all verification contact is in writing. [5]
    If something goes wrong (2)
    • Identity not verified automatically after entering a business address: Enter the director's home address; otherwise expect to upload extra documents. [5]
    • Bank account not verified: Make sure the account name matches the legal entity and the verification payment comes from that entity's account, or upload a statement. [4]

  6. Get custom payment pages approved (custom pages only)optional

    If you build your own payment pages, GoCardless's compliance team must approve them before you take real payments.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: The provider reviews it
    • After: Create your live account

  7. Create a live access token

    In the live dashboard Developers tab, create a Read-Write access token and copy it; it cannot be viewed again. Change your base URL to https://api.gocardless.com.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Create your live account

    verapli captures GOCARDLESS_ACCESS_TOKEN here by plain code: encrypted in your browser, never shown to AI.

    Where: https://manage.gocardless.com/

  8. Add a live webhook endpoint

    Repeat the webhook setup in the live dashboard and copy the live endpoint secret.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Create your live account

    verapli captures GOCARDLESS_WEBHOOK_SECRET here by plain code: encrypted in your browser, never shown to AI.

    Where: https://manage.gocardless.com/

Terms and gotchas

Plain-English summary, not legal advice. Each card links its source.

Can get you bannedThe rules say

No payouts until verified

Your account must be fully verified to receive a payout. GoCardless may also suspend services while verification is in progress or if it cannot be completed. [6]

Can get you bannedThe rules say

Restricted activities

Restricted activities include payday loans, money remittance, currency conversion, debt recovery, unregulated financial advice, crowdfunding and investment opportunities, gambling and lotteries, cryptocurrency, adult entertainment and dating, counterfeit goods, pyramid schemes, firearms, buying social followers, outbound telemarketing, and the travel industry (tour operators, airlines, travel agents). A breach can lead to suspension. [7]

Can cost moneyThe rules say

You carry chargebacks and refund claims

You indemnify GoCardless for chargebacks, claims and refunds initiated by your customers, and for losses from restricted activity or your breach of the terms. [8]

Can cost moneyThe rules say

Token is shown once and grants full access

A read-write access token gives full API access and cannot be viewed again after creation. Keep it out of source control. [1]

Worth knowingThe rules say

Verification is by email only

GoCardless handles all verification communication in writing, not by phone. [5]

What you end up with

Env varSecretFormatWhat it is
GOCARDLESS_SANDBOX_ACCESS_TOKENsecretRead-write access token for the sandbox (api-sandbox.gocardless.com)
GOCARDLESS_SANDBOX_WEBHOOK_SECRETsecretSandbox webhook endpoint secret for checking Webhook-Signature
GOCARDLESS_ACCESS_TOKENsecretRead-write access token for live (api.gocardless.com)
GOCARDLESS_WEBHOOK_SECRETsecretLive webhook endpoint secret for checking Webhook-Signature

Pricing

  • Free tier: The sandbox is free. No setup costs.
  • Costs: UK pricing: Standard 1% + 20p, Advanced 1.25% + 20p, Pro 1.4% + 20p per transaction, excluding VAT. Custom pricing for £1m+ annual revenue.
  • Pricing differs by country and scheme. [to verify for non-UK]

Source [9]

For agents

The same entry as JSON: /api/v1/entries/gocardless/api · requirements /api/v1/requirements/gocardless/api · terms /api/v1/terms/gocardless/api.

Remote MCP (read-only, no auth)
claude mcp add --transport http verapli https://verapli.com/mcp

> "What do I need for GoCardless API, and how long will it take?"
  → tools/call requirements { "provider_id": "gocardless/api" }

Sources

  1. GoCardless Docs – Set up Sandbox and live are separate accounts with their own dashboard, tokens and API URLs; dashboard and base URLs; create a read-write access token in the Developers tab; token cannot be viewed again; token grants full API access · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  2. GoCardless Docs – Go-live checklist Create a live account and live access token; switch base URL to api.gocardless.com; set up a live webhook endpoint; custom payment pages need compliance approval before real payments · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  3. GoCardless Docs – Stay up to date with webhooks Create a webhook endpoint in the dashboard and copy its secret; Webhook-Signature header check; change the secret periodically · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  4. GoCardless Support – Verifying your account KYC and AML checks on all businesses; payout bank account must be in the legal entity's name; verification payment or bank statement · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  5. GoCardless Support – Verification FAQs At least one individual's identity is always verified; director's home address required; verification communication is in writing only · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  6. GoCardless Support – Receiving a payout Your account must be fully verified to receive a payout · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  7. GoCardless – Restricted activities Restricted activities list; breach can lead to suspension · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  8. GoCardless – General Terms Self-serve Merchant indemnifies GoCardless for chargebacks, claims and refunds; suspension during verification; termination for failed KYC or restricted activity · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  9. GoCardless – Pricing (UK) Standard 1% + 20p, Advanced 1.25% + 20p, Pro 1.4% + 20p per transaction, excluding VAT; no setup costs · accessed 25 October 2026 · official

Provider rules change. This page is generated from verapli registry version 2026.1025.316; spotted something out of date? Tell us. GoCardless is not affiliated with verapli.