Before you start

Have these items ready:

Government-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport)
Last 4 digits of your Social Security Number (SSN) (US only)
Bank account information for payouts

Learn more: Documents for identity and home address verification

Step 1: Accept Your Invitation

Check your email for an invitation from Stripe
Check your spam folder if you don't see it
Click the link in the email to begin setup

Step 2: Verify Your Phone and Email

Enter your phone number and verify with the code sent to you
Confirm your email address

Step 3: Enter Personal Information

IMPORTANT: Enter information EXACTLY as it appears on your Social Security card and government ID

Personal Details:

Legal Name:

Must match your government-issued ID exactly
Use your full legal first and last name (no nicknames or abbreviations)
Include middle name if it appears on your ID

Date of Birth:

Must be at least 13 years old
Must match your government ID
Format: MM/DD/YYYY

Social Security Number (SSN)(US only):

Last 4 digits only
Must be valid and verifiable
Format: #### (4 digits)

Home Address:

Must be a physical address (P.O. Boxes are NOT accepted)
Must match the address on your government ID
Include apartment or unit number if applicable
Must include valid city, state, and ZIP code
State must be a valid US state abbreviation

Phone Number:

Must be a valid and active US-based phone number
Can be in any country for customer support purposes
Format: (XXX) XXX-XXXX or +1XXXXXXXXXX

Email Address:

Must be a valid email format
You must have access to this email for verification

Common mistakes to avoid:

Using nicknames instead of legal names
Entering addresses that don't match your ID
Typos in SSN or date of birth
Using P.O. Box as your address
Entering invalid state codes

Learn more: Identity verification for connected accounts

Step 4: Select Business Type

Choose: Individual

Step 5: Product/Service Description

Describe what you sell or the services you provide:

Minimum: 10 characters long
Cannot be identical to your website URL
Must be specific about what you offer
Be descriptive and clear about your services

Examples:

✅ Good: "Personal fitness training and nutrition coaching"
✅ Good: "Online wellness coaching and meal planning services"
❌ Bad: "Coaching" (too short and generic)
❌ Bad: "www.mysite.com" (cannot be a URL)

Step 6: Website or Social Media URL (if applicable)

If you use a website, app, social media page, or online profile to sell:

Enter your full URL (e.g., https://www.yourwebsite.com)
Must be a valid URL format (.com, .org, .net, etc.)
Make sure the URL works and loads properly
Cannot be a generic URL like www.facebook.com (must be your specific page)
The business information on your website must match what you entered in Stripe
Website must be publicly accessible (no password-protected sites)

Step 7: Statement Descriptor

What is a statement descriptor? This is what appears on your clients' credit card statements when they pay you.

Full Statement Descriptor Requirements:

Use a statement descriptor that is as close as possible to the public-facing business name customers recognize
It should ideally match the DBA/business name
It can also be accepted if it closely matches the website / URL branding
Avoid generic terms that don’t identify the business clearly
Minimum: 5 characters
Maximum: 22 characters
Use letters, numbers, and spaces only
Avoid special characters

Examples:

✅ Good: "JOHN FITNESS" or "SARAH COACHING"
❌ Bad: "PAYMENT" (too generic)
❌ Bad: "FIT" (too short - under 5 characters)
❌ Bad: "SUPER LONG FITNESS COACHING NAME" (too long - over 22 characters)

Learn more: What is a statement descriptor and how do I update it?

Step 8: Review and Submit

Double-check all information matches your Social Security card and ID
Verify all addresses are physical addresses (not P.O. Boxes)
Confirm phone numbers are valid and active
Click Submit

Step 9: Upload Identity Documents (if requested by Stripe)

Photo ID Requirements:

Must be in full color (no black and white copies)
Must upload both front AND back of driver's license or full passport
Must not be expired
Must be clearly readable (no blurry images)
Accepted formats: JPEG or PNG
File size: Under 32MB per file
Must show your full legal name matching Step 3
Must show your date of birth matching Step 3

Address Verification (if requested):

Document dated within the last 6 months
Must show your full name and address
Address must match what you entered in Step 3
Examples: utility bill, bank statement, government correspondence
Must be clearly readable

CRITICAL: Documents must match EXACTLY what you entered in Step 3

Learn more:

Step 10: Add Bank Account

Once verified:

Go to Settings in your Express Dashboard
Click Payouts and banking
Add your bank account information

Bank Account Requirements:

Routing Number: 9 digits (US banks)
Account Number: Varies by bank (typically 8-17 digits)
Account must be in your legal name
Must be a checking or savings account
Account must be active and in good standing

Learn more: Add a bank account for payouts

⚠️ Important: Identity Verification Requirement

BEFORE YOU CAN RECEIVE PAYOUTS, you must complete the Identity Verification process.

What you need to do

For US-based coaches:

You will need to complete TWO verification checks:

1. ID Number Check

You will be asked to provide your full Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
This information is securely verified through Stripe's identity verification system
Make sure the information matches your government-issued ID

2. Document Check

You will need to upload a government-issued photo ID
Accepted documents:
- Driver's license (front and back)
- Passport (photo page)
- State-issued ID card (front and back)

Document Requirements:

Must be in full color
Must be current and not expired
Must be clearly readable (no blurry or dark images)
Must show your full legal name
Must show your date of birth
Must show your photo
Accepted formats: JPEG or PNG
File size: Under 32MB per file

Learn more: Uploading photo of government-issued ID FAQ

For non-US coaches:

You will need to complete a Document Check:

Document Check

You will need to upload a government-issued photo ID
Accepted documents:
- Passport (photo page)
- National ID card (front and back)
- Driver's license (front and back)