How to upgrade your PayPal personal account to a business account?

For cross-border e-commerce, PayPal is an indispensable payment tool. However, many sellers initially choose personal accounts, only to find that there are many restrictions in terms of transaction limits, withdrawal functions, batch payments, etc. during actual operations. In contrast, corporate accounts can not only increase transaction limits, but also unlock more advanced features such as API integration, team management, automatic invoicing, etc. So, how to upgrade a personal account to a corporate account? This article will provide you with detailed upgrade steps and a guide to avoid pitfalls to help you successfully complete the upgrade. If you are interested, you can read on!

I. Conditions for upgrading a PayPal personal account to a business account

1. The account must have completed identity verification (binding bank card & associated email)

2. You need to provide relevant information about your company (you can use information about individual business owners, companies, etc.)

3. Ensure that the account has no unresolved disputes or risk control issues

II. How to upgrade to a "corporate account"

Step 1: Log in to your account and enter the upgrade page

(1) Visit the PayPal official website and log in to your personal account.

(2) Click "Settings" (gear icon) in the upper right corner.

(3) Select "Upgrade to Enterprise Account"

Step 2: Fill in your company information

(1) Company name: must be exactly the same as that on the business license (individual business owners can fill in the name of the legal person + business type, such as "Li Si Design Studio").

(2) Business type: Select from the drop-down menu (e.g. “e-commerce”, “consulting services”, etc.).

(3) Contact information: Fill in the company email address, phone number and business address (it is recommended to be consistent with the business license address).

Note: If the company name contains special characters (such as "&" and "."), it must strictly match the registration document, otherwise the review may fail.

Step 3: Upload business documents

(1) Business license: Upload a clear color scanned copy (PDF or JPG format).

(2) Legal person ID card: Upload the front and back sides separately, ensuring that the borders and text are clearly visible.

Special situation handling:

• Freelancers without a business license: Some countries allow uploading tax registration documents or bank statements as an alternative.

• The company name does not match the historical account name: a “Certificate of Company Name Change” must be submitted.

Step 4: Link your business bank account

(1) Public account: Enter bank account number, SWIFT Code and other information (obtained from the bank where you opened the account).

(2) For personal accounts (if allowed): The purpose of the account must be stated and the name must be consistent with the legal person’s name.

Step 5: Submit tax information

(1) U.S. companies: Fill in EIN (Employer Identification Number) or SSN (Social Security Number).

(2) EU companies: provide VAT number (Value Added Tax number).

(3) Other regions: Fill in the local tax code (such as the "Uniform Social Credit Code" in mainland China) according to the prompts.

Step 6: Confirm terms and submit for review​

(1) Read the PayPal Business Agreement and Privacy Policy and tick the box to agree.

(2) After submission, you will usually receive the review result within 1-3 working days (some countries can approve it in real time).

III. Common problems during the upgrade process

1. Why did the upgrade fail?

(1) Information discrepancy: Check whether the company name, tax number, and registered address are correct

(2) Account dispute: Resolve outstanding disputed orders before upgrading

(3) Frequent IP changes: If PayPal detects an abnormality in the IP address you are using or monitors that you frequently change IPs, it may trigger security verification, account restrictions, or even direct account freezing. It is recommended to use a fixed network, such as IPFoxy's static residential IP. This type of IP is more stable, pure, and real, and is not easily identified as abnormal by the official.

2. What should I do if my account is frozen after upgrading?

It may be system risk control. It is recommended to contact PayPal customer service to provide identity proof + transaction records for unblocking.

3. Can a corporate account be downgraded back to a personal account?

You cannot downgrade directly. If you want to use a personal account, you need to register a new account.

IV. Conclusion

The above is all about upgrading a PayPal personal account to a business account. If you are considering upgrading to a business account, you can refer to the guide above. I hope this article will be helpful to you! Thanks for watching!