Can I accept payments without an ID or SSN?

[Pavit]

I am yet to get a ID or SNN so I was wonder if there was a way to accept payments without it

[Kimi]

Hi, @Pavit.

Thanks for reaching out about this. For context, accepting payments on a Shopify store would typically require setting up a payment gateway, which often involves providing some form of identification or tax information, to comply with financial regulations. Which payment gateway are you looking at using for your store? If you're looking to use Shopify Payments in the US, for example, the required documents are listed in this guide.

It's possible that some payment gateways don't require an SSN or ID, though these are less common and may have other requirements or documents that you'll need to submit instead. For a list of our alternative payment gateways, you can browse through our website here and type in your region within the provided box. If you're interested in a specific gateway and would like to know more about their eligibility and requirements, please contact their support team directly as they're best equipped to assist you.

Are you perhaps in the process of obtaining your SSN or ID? If so, it might be simplest to wait until you have those documents before setting up a payment gateway on your store. Otherwise, you can consider offering manual payment methods for your customers in the meantime, such as Cash on Delivery (COD) or bank transfer, as explained in this help guide.

[Pavit]

I live in Canada and I don't have a ID. If a customers decides to pay using a card, does checkout allow the payment to go through and does shopify prevent me from getting the funds until I put ID in? 

[Kimi]

@Pavit 

For Shopify Payments, there are several different types of IDs that our verification team can accept for individuals and businesses in Canada. You can check this guide, or the list below, to see if you have any of these on your end:

• Passport
• Driver license: scans of front and back are required
• Certificate of Indian Status card
• Permanent resident card
• Identity card: scans of front and back are required
• Non-driver photo ID
• Photo card

If you have one of the IDs above, you can then also check if you meet the rest of the requirements for using Shopify Payments Canada, as listed here.

Please note that because accounts are typically required to provide some form of identification for verification purposes, not providing one may result in a Shopify Payments account in not being fully activated. This may lead to issues with accepting customer payments and accessing your funds.

So if you're unable to provide the required documentation for Shopify Payments Canada, it might be worth considering using a different payment gateway to see if they'll suit your needs better. As they're fully operated by third-parties outside of our platform however, as previously explained please ensure that you reach out to their support team with any of your questions or concerns. They can provide more specific guidance based on your situation.

[TheRibbony]

Hello Kimi,

Here is my situation. I live in Canada as a permanent resident and am originally from South Korea. I have an LLC and an EIN to open my Shopify store based in the U.S. However, I can't process the payment gateway without an SSN. I am trying to get an SSN, but my agency suggested that I could get an IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead of an SSN. If the SSN is for tax purposes, can I use an ITIN to open my Shopify store properly? 

Thank you.