Confirming Your Identity

Home > Confirming Your Identity > Credit Card

Confirm your identity using your credit card

To increase the security of the eBay and PayPal community, we require sellers to confirm their identity before they can sell their items internationally.


2 important things:

	Confirming your identity is only required the first time you list an item. If you have not confirmed your identity with eBay or PayPal, you will not be permitted to list your items internationally. There are 3 ways to do this. Additionally, if you’ve started listing an item, your listing will be saved for 30 days so you can return and complete it without having to start all over again.

	Please note only electronic forms of payment are permitted on eBay. This means either PayPal or merchant credit card accounts. Learn more about PayPal.

How to confirm your identity using a credit card

Select the option that best fits your needs:

Option 1:

I don’t have a PayPal account. Sign me up

Option 2:

I already have a PayPal account. I need to confirm my identity.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1. How does PayPal keep my credit information secure?

Q2. After confirming my identity with credit card, why do I need to link my eBay and PayPal accounts?

Q3. Can I login to my PayPal account to link my eBay account?

View All

Option 1: I don’t have a PayPal account. Sign me up

After you enter your contact information and credit card details, you will be asked to link and confirm your credit card by clicking ‘Save and Continue’. To start the process, you’ll need to authorise a US$1.95 (or local currency equivalent) charge to your credit card to generate a 4-digit PayPal code. The 4-digit PayPal code will appear on your credit card statement in 3-4 business days.

Note: You will be refunded the US$1.95 (or local currency equivalent) upon successfully entering your code in your PayPal account.

Your 4-digit PayPal code will be generated

Sample of PayPal code on a credit card statement.

Note: It may take 3-4 business days for the code to appear on your online account statement. To expedite this process, we recommend logging in to your credit card statement online to get your code. If you are not able to access your credit card statement online, this process could take up to 30 days or until you receive your next statement with the post.

Once you have retrieved your 4-digit PayPal code from your credit card statement, login to your PayPal account and click on the ‘Confirm my debit or credit card’ link on the ‘Account Overview’ page to enter your code.

Enter your 4-digit PayPal code.

Remember: once you have confirmed your identity, you will need to link your eBay and PayPal accounts to complete the process.

Option 2: I already have a PayPal account. I need to confirm my identity.

Login to your existing PayPal account and click either the ‘Add a credit card’ link (if you haven’t yet added a credit card to your account) or the ‘Link and confirm my debit or credit card’ link.

Note: Once you have added your credit card information, you will see the screen in step #2 prompting you to link and confirm your debit or credit card.

To start the process, click ‘Save and Continue’ to authorise a US$1.95 (or local currency equivalent) charge and also generate a 4-digit PayPal code. The 4-digit PayPal code will appear on your credit card statement in 3-4 business days.

Note: You will be refunded the US$1.95 (or local currency equivalent) upon successfully entering your code in your PayPal account.

Your 4-digit PayPal code will be generated.

Sample of PayPal code on a credit card statement.

Once you have retrieved your 4-digit PayPal code from your credit card statement, login to your PayPal account and click on the ‘Confirm my debit or credit card’ link on the “Account Overview” page to enter your code.

Enter your 4-digit PayPal code.

Remember: once you have confirmed your identity, you will need to link your eBay and PayPal accounts to complete the process.

For more information about confirming your identity or linking your PayPal and eBay accounts, read our International Selling Requirements FAQs.

Did you know?

There are 2 other ways you can confirm your identity.

1. Using bank account
We recommend that you use this option. It’s a quicker and easier way to confirm your identity. In one-step, it automatically links your PayPal account to your eBay account. Plus, it’ll create a PayPal account for you, if you don’t have one. All you need to do is securely, enter your bank information. Learn more.

2. Contacting Customer Support
You may also confirm your identity by contacting our Customer Support. This option requires you to provide documentation via email or fax. Learn more.