Shopify Payments account verification updates in Europe and the United Kingdom

Verification requirements for Shopify Payments accounts in Europe and the United Kingdom (UK) are being updated throughout 2026. These updates align with local financial regulations, including requirements from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI). If your Shopify Payments account is affected, then you receive a notification in your Shopify admin and by email.

If you receive a prompt to update or confirm your Shopify Payments account details, then complete the process as soon as possible to avoid disruptions to your Shopify Payments account.

Scope and timeline for verification updates

The following details summarize who's affected by these updates, what's changing, and when to expect the updates:

• These changes affect merchants using Shopify Payments in supported European countries and territories, and the United Kingdom. Refer to the affected regions section for the full list.
• Existing verification information is being re-assessed under updated requirements. Your information might be verified with no action required. If your information can't be verified, then you're asked to update your details or provide supporting documents.
• These changes are happening throughout 2026, and vary by region. If any action is required by you, then a deadline is displayed in your Shopify admin.

Affected regions for verification updates

These updates apply to Shopify Payments accounts in the following countries and territories.

Verification requirements

Periodic re-verification is a normal part of using Shopify Payments. Verification requirements from financial partners and card networks evolve over time, which means you might be asked to confirm or update information even if nothing about your business has changed.

If your account requires re-verification, then the store owner receives a notification by email and in the Shopify admin. The verification request is accessible from Settings > Payments > Shopify Payments in your Shopify admin.

Your information might be verified with no action required. If your information can't be verified, then you might be asked to complete one or more of the following verification types.

Person verification

If the information for a person listed on your Shopify Payments account can't be verified, then you'll be asked to update their details or provide supporting documents.

Ensure that all fields for the person are accurate and match what is shown on their government-issued documents, including their legal name, date of birth, home address, and personal phone number. Update the account information if any details are incorrect.

If your information can't be verified, then the person on file is asked to complete one of the following options:

• Selfie verification (recommended): Take a photograph of a photo ID and a selfie. The selfie verification process has a higher success rate than submitting documents manually. Refer to Proof of Liveness check for guidance on completing the selfie process.
• Document upload: Upload the requested documents for the person, which might be a photo ID, a personal address verification document, or both. Refer to uploading documents for Shopify Payments verification for document requirements, and to your region's requirements page for accepted document types.

This requirement primarily applies to account representatives, but might also apply to beneficial owners in certain situations.

Business verification

If the information for a business entity on your Shopify Payments account can't be verified, then you'll be asked to update the business details or provide supporting documents.

Ensure that all fields are accurate and match what is shown on your government business registry, including your legal business name, business identifier number, and business address. Update the account information if any details are incorrect.

If the information can't be verified, then you're asked to provide a business registration document. Before uploading the document, ensure that the legal business name, business identifier number, and business address on the document match the information in your Shopify Payments account. Refer to your region's requirements page for accepted document types.

Ownership and directorship verification

Banking partners are required to verify who owns or controls a business. An owner is defined as any person who directly or indirectly owns 25% or more of the business's equity.

Ownership information on file is compared against your government business registry. Any person that is listed on your registry as owning 25% or more equity must be listed on your Shopify Payments account with the Owner role.

This requirement applies to registered businesses. It doesn't apply to individuals and sole proprietors, publicly traded companies, or government entities.

Typically, non-profits and privately held businesses that don't have any beneficial owners are asked to verify their directors instead. If your store is based in the UK and your business has beneficial owners, then you must verify both the beneficial owners and the directors. Anyone that is listed on your business's registry as a director must be listed on your Shopify Payments account with the Director role.

If a mismatch is detected, then your ownership and directorship fields might be pre-filled with the names that banking partners were expecting. You can review the suggestions and accept them or change them. If you disagree with the pre-filled information, then complete one of the following options:

• Digital attestation (recommended): Click Sign to digitally confirm that the ownership information on your account is correct. The digital attestation process has a higher success rate than submitting documents manually.
• Document upload: Provide a company document showing your business's legal name, and the full names and roles of all applicable beneficial owners or directors. Ensure that the beneficial owners or directors listed on your account match the document exactly. Refer to your region's requirements page for accepted document types.

Verification timeline for new accounts

If you created your Shopify Payments account in or after June 2026, then you must complete verification to receive payouts and to continue processing payments. Your payouts are paused until you complete verification, and if verification isn't complete within 90 days of your first Shopify Payments order, then payments are refunded to your customers. Until you complete verification, the following actions occur:

• Your payouts are paused immediately.
• Your charges are paused 30 days after your first Shopify Payments order.
• Payments processed through Shopify Payments are refunded to your customers 90 days after your first Shopify Payments order.

To prevent these holds, complete verification as soon as possible. After verification is successful, your payouts and charges resume automatically.

If this timeline applies to your account, then warnings are displayed in the store owner's Shopify admin indicating when each action will occur.

If you created your Shopify Payments account before June 2026, then this timeline doesn't apply to you.

Troubleshooting verification issues

If you're having difficulty completing a Shopify Payments account verification request, then the steps below can help resolve the most common issues for each verification type.

Troubleshooting person verification

Ensure that the legal name, home address, date of birth, and personal phone number for the person on file are accurate and match their government-issued documents. Update the account information if any details are incorrect.

After confirming the information is accurate, ask the person to complete the selfie verification process. The selfie verification process has a higher success rate than submitting documents manually. Refer to Proof of Liveness check for guidance.

If you're still having difficulty after attempting selfie verification, then contact Shopify Support.

Troubleshooting business verification

Ensure that your legal business name, business address, and business identifier number match exactly what is shown on your most recently issued business registration documents. Update your account information to match before uploading the documents.

If you're still having difficulty after doing this, then contact Shopify Support.

Troubleshooting ownership verification

Ensure that the names of all owners on file are accurate and match what is shown on your government business registry. Add any owners that are missing and remove any that shouldn't be listed.

After confirming the ownership information is correct, click Sign to complete the digital attestation process. The digital attestation process has a higher success rate than submitting documents manually.

If you're still having difficulty after completing the attestation, then contact Shopify Support.

Completing verification when documents aren't available

If you're unable to provide the required documentation, then alternatives are available depending on the verification type.

For person verification, complete the selfie verification process instead of uploading documents. The selfie verification process has a higher success rate than manual document submission. Refer to Proof of Liveness check for guidance.

For ownership verification, click Sign to complete the digital attestation process instead of uploading an ownership document. Digital attestation allows you to confirm that the ownership information on file is correct.

Ensuring that all information on file is accurate and matches government-issued documentation reduces the likelihood of being asked for supporting documents in the first place.

Your Shopify Payments account must be verified for payouts to be processed. Verification requirements can't be waived, as these are enforced by external banking regulators. If you need help, then contact Shopify Support.