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PayPal Developer and Business account (REST API credentials)

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.

Researched · not yet run liveLast researched 25 October 2026 · PayPal · 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

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.

  • PayPal Business account organisation owned by the business (or sole trader)Must be verified before live credentials are issued.
  • PayPal Developer Dashboard developer · under PayPal Business accountSame login as paypal.com; holds Sandbox and Live tabs of Apps & Credentials.
  • Sandbox business and personal test accounts otheroptional · under PayPal Developer DashboardFictitious accounts for testing; created for new developer accounts and managed under Testing Tools.
  • REST app (Merchant or Platform) project · under PayPal Developer DashboardEach app has its own client ID and secret, separately for sandbox and live.

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.

Have ready

  • A business bank account in the business's name to link and confirm with PayPal: Needed to verify the Business account and withdraw funds. [to verify exact verification checklist per country]
  • A business email address you control · The PayPal Business account login and PayPal notices (including reviewer questions) go to this address. Needed for: Open (or upgrade to) a PayPal Business account
  • Legal business name, business type, and registration details as on official documents · 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. [5]Needed for: Open (or upgrade to) a PayPal Business account, Verify the Business account
  • Photo ID of the account holder or beneficial owners, in case PayPal asks to confirm identity · Refusing to provide confirmation of identity is a restricted activity under the User Agreement. [5]Needed for: Verify the Business account
  • Bank account in the business name · Used to verify the account and to withdraw funds. [to verify] Needed for: Verify the Business account
  • The website or app where PayPal Checkout will appear, with what you sell and contact details · PayPal reviews what you sell against the Acceptable Use Policy; some categories need pre-approval. [6]Needed for: Open (or upgrade to) a PayPal Business account
  • A phone for two-step verification on the PayPal login Needed for: Open (or upgrade to) a PayPal Business account

Steps

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

  1. Open (or upgrade to) a PayPal Business account

    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.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You accept the terms
    If something goes wrong (1)
    • The business category you sell in is listed as needing pre-approval (e.g. charities, airlines, precious metals, payment facilitation).: Contact PayPal Sales before taking payments; taking such payments without approval is itself prohibited. [6]

    Where: https://www.paypal.com/business

  2. Verify the Business account

    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.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You prove your identity
    • After: Open (or upgrade to) a PayPal Business account
    The provider says
    PayPal states only that the account used to get live credentials must be verified; no official duration is published. [to verify] [2]
    If something goes wrong (1)
    • The account is limited, or PayPal asks for documents.: 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. [5]

    Where: https://www.paypal.com/myaccount/summary

  3. Log in to the PayPal Developer Dashboard

    Log in at developer.paypal.com with the same PayPal Business login. Sandbox test accounts appear under Testing Tools.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You sign in
    • After: Open (or upgrade to) a PayPal Business account

    Where: https://developer.paypal.com/dashboard/

  4. Create a sandbox REST app and copy its credentials

    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.

    • verapli co-pilot
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Log in to the PayPal Developer Dashboard

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

    Where: https://developer.paypal.com/dashboard/applications/sandbox

  5. Create the live REST app and copy live credentials

    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.

    • verapli co-pilot
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Verify the Business account, Create a sandbox REST app and copy its credentials

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

    Where: https://developer.paypal.com/dashboard/applications/live

  6. Wait for PayPal's app review (if your app is reviewed)optional

    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.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: The provider reviews it
    • After: Create the live REST app and copy live credentials
    The provider says
    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.) [2]
    If something goes wrong (2)
    • A PayPal reviewer posts questions about the app.: Answer them from the submitting account before continuing production calls. [2]
    • A needed feature (e.g. Payouts) is not enabled on the live app.: Request the permission on the app, or ask PayPal Customer Service to allowlist the feature. [2]

Terms and gotchas

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

Can get you bannedThe rules say

Holds of up to 180 days

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. [5]

Can get you bannedThe rules say

Linked accounts share the consequences

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. [5]

Can get you bannedThe rules say

Some businesses need pre-approval

Taking payments for activities that need pre-approval (e.g. charities, airlines and charters, precious metals, payment facilitators) without getting it is prohibited. [6]

Can cost moneyThe rules say

Accurate information and identity checks

Giving false, inaccurate or misleading information, or refusing to confirm your identity, are restricted activities that can lead to limitation. [5]

Worth knowingThe rules say

Sandbox and live are fully separate; sandbox credentials and app ids do not work in production. [2]

What you end up with

Env varSecretFormatWhat it is
PAYPAL_CLIENT_IDnot secretSandbox REST app client ID (public identifier)
PAYPAL_CLIENT_SECRETsecretSandbox REST app client secret
PAYPAL_LIVE_CLIENT_IDnot secretLive REST app client ID
PAYPAL_LIVE_CLIENT_SECRETsecretLive REST app client secret

Pricing

  • 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 [7]

For agents

The same entry as JSON: /api/v1/entries/paypal/developer-and-business · requirements /api/v1/requirements/paypal/developer-and-business · terms /api/v1/terms/paypal/developer-and-business.

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

> "What do I need for PayPal Developer and Business account (REST API credentials), and how long will it take?"
  → tools/call requirements { "provider_id": "paypal/developer-and-business" }

Sources

  1. PayPal REST APIs - Get started 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. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  2. PayPal - Go live 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. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  3. PayPal sandbox testing guide Sandbox accounts are fictitious; going live means switching credentials and endpoints. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  4. How do I create REST API credentials? (PayPal Help Center) 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). · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  5. PayPal User Agreement (US, last updated 14 September 2026) 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. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  6. PayPal Acceptable Use Policy (US, last updated 29 October 2022) 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). · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  7. PayPal Merchant Fees (US) US standard domestic rates, e.g. PayPal Checkout 3.49% + fixed fee; donations 2.89% + fixed fee. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official

Provider rules change. This page is generated from verapli registry version 2026.1025.387; spotted something out of date? Tell us. PayPal is not affiliated with verapli.