Stripe regularly reviews and updates its verification requirements to stay current with financial regulations and ensure businesses that use Stripe are compliant. For Canadian businesses accepting card payments or making transfers, and for any individuals who ultimately own, control, or direct the business, we’re updating how we collect, validate, and verify business information. As a result, you may need to provide updated information. Our goal is to help ensure safe and uninterrupted access to the payments ecosystem for you.
Please read on to learn what new information will be collected and what are valid inputs.
Log in to your Dashboard to see the actions you need to take, and review the resources below to learn more about the type of information you may need to provide.
Depending on your business type, you may need to provide some or all of the following information:
Note that we've also added clarity to the existing Tax ID requirement:
We will also be performing the following verifications:
We’ll send you an email to let you know if you need to provide additional information. You’ll also see a prompt for additional information in your Stripe Dashboard.
We ask for person verification when we’re unable to verify the identity of an individual or account representative using the information provided in your Stripe account application.
If the individual’s information in your Stripe account is incorrect (e.g., it includes a typo or other error), you can update it via the Dashboard, and we’ll try to verify them automatically. We recommend checking the information on your account periodically to ensure it’s up to date.
If the information is correct, you can resolve the verification check by completing either of the following tasks:
If we’re unable to verify your business or legal entity based on the information available on your Stripe account, you may need to update the existing details or provide additional information.
If the business information in your Stripe account is incorrect (e.g., it includes a typo or other error), you can update it via the Dashboard and we’ll try to verify it automatically.
If the information provided is accurate, you can complete the verification check by uploading an acceptable document that contains the business name and business address which matches the name and address on the Stripe account.
If your business operates in multiple locations under one legal entity, you must provide your business’s registered address. Businesses with multiple legal entities (e.g., multiple subsidiaries or affiliates) must set up separate Stripe accounts for each entity—this will enable you to accommodate international operations, set up financial isolation for different business units, and handle acquisitions.
Each legal entity will have its own verification requirements, and Stripe will check the business name, address, and director information against the information available with the provincial and/or federal registries of businesses. If the information provided to Stripe does not match the information in the registry, you may be required to update the information or provide documents to resolve Business Verification issues.
Update your business information in your Stripe Dashboard, and we’ll review it automatically. If we can't verify the new information, you’ll have a 14-day grace period to resolve any issues and complete the verification. During this period, your account will continue to function as normal. However, after this period, your account may be subject to restrictions such as paused payouts or disabled charges.
Stripe requires a valid physical Canada address. Due to our financial partner rule, we cannot accept a P.O. Box as a valid address.
We ask you to provide information about your company directors if we’re unable to verify them independently.
To resolve this request, first ensure that all the director names are correctly entered on your Stripe account and marked as directors. Then, upload an acceptable document that lists all directors at the company. The document must clearly identify which individuals are directors, and the names must match those listed on your Stripe account.
See our Beneficial Ownership Requirements: Canada support article to learn more about what we look for when verifying the directorship of your company. A list of acceptable verification documents for Canada, along with document guidelines, can be found in our docs: Acceptable verification documents by country.
See Updating the business representative through the Dashboard. These steps may vary depending on the type of Stripe account you have. Note that any new representative or directorship information will have to undergo the verification process and may require supporting documentation.
If you don’t provide the required information by the due date, your ability to receive payouts and accept payments on your account may be paused. Typically, you have 14 days from the due date to provide updated information before payouts are paused, and 28 days from the due date before payments are paused.
If you're unable to provide the required information, contact Stripe Support and we'll work with you to come up with an alternative solution.
If there are no pending requirements for your account, it is considered verified. If additional information is needed, it typically takes 3-5 business days for Stripe to review your documents. Sometimes we need more information about your business to complete the verification process, such as details about the goods and services you offer. If this happens, we will notify you via email.
It's important to regularly check your Dashboard and email for any notifications or feedback regarding your verification documents.
See: What is the verification status of my account?
As regulatory requirements evolve globally, our onboarding requirements may change. There is no fixed schedule for these changes. As per Stripe's terms of service, it is your responsibility to ensure that information on your Stripe account is accurate and up to date.
Stripe stores verification data securely using access controls and security standards that are at least as stringent as those for handling our own payment compliance and KYC data. We use TLS encrypted connections for data transfer and AES-256 encryption for data at rest. For more information, see: How are you keeping my verification data safe?