# How do I close my Express account?

Before you close your account, keep in mind:
* Express Stripe accounts can’t be closed with an existing balance.
  * Before closing, negative balances must be brought to zero and positive balances must be paid out to the bank account or debit card on file.
* A closed Stripe account can’t be reopened.
  * We recommend downloading all tax documents available on the account before closing it.
Stripe may retain some personal data even after account closure where permitted by law, including to comply with our legal obligations. For example, Stripe has anti-money laundering and financial regulatory obligations to retain records for certain specified periods. For more information, see our [Privacy policy](https://stripe.com/privacy#5-security-and-retention).
### To close an Express account
The owner of an Express Stripe account can close their account with these steps:
1. Navigate to [Settings on the Express Dashboard](https://connect.stripe.com/app/express/settings).
1. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
1. Click **Close account**.
### What if I don't see the Close account button?
If you don't see the **Close account** button, your platform hasn’t enabled this feature for you. Contact your platform to ask them to close your account. Platforms can close connected Express accounts by making an [API call](https://stripe.com/docs/api#delete_account) with the account ID.