What confirming your bank account means and why PayPal requires it
Confirming your bank account in PayPal means proving to PayPal that you own the account you've linked to your wallet. PayPal does this by sending two small deposits (usually between $0.01 and $0.99 each) to your bank account, then asking you to tell PayPal the exact amounts. Once you report those amounts correctly, PayPal marks your account as confirmed and you can withdraw money to that bank account without limits.
PayPal requires confirmation because it protects both you and them. If someone gains access to your PayPal account, they cannot move money to a bank account they don't actually own—they would need to know the deposit amounts, which only you can see in your bank statement. It also prevents fraud where someone links a stolen bank account number to a PayPal wallet.
The confirmation process typically takes 1 to 3 business days for the deposits to arrive, then you have up to 180 days to report the amounts. You do not need to confirm your account to send money to other PayPal users or to make purchases, but you will need confirmation to withdraw funds to your bank account or to raise your sending limits.
Key Takeaways
- PayPal sends two small test deposits to your linked bank account; you report the amounts to confirm you own it.
- The deposits usually arrive within 1 to 3 business days, and you have 180 days from when they arrive to report them.
- You can confirm your account through the PayPal website under Account Settings or through the mobile app under Wallet.
- If deposits do not arrive after 5 business days, contact your bank first to check if they were blocked or delayed.
- Confirmation is required to withdraw money to your bank account, but not to send money to other PayPal users or make purchases.
Step-by-step confirmation through the PayPal website
Log into your PayPal account on a computer or the mobile app. Go to Account Settings (on the website, click the gear icon in the top right; on the app, tap the menu icon and select Settings). Look for Wallet or Bank Accounts in the left menu.
Find the bank account you want to confirm and click or tap on it. You should see a status that says "Pending Confirmation" or "Not Confirmed." Click the button that says Confirm Bank Account or Verify Bank Account. PayPal will tell you that it is sending two deposits and ask you to check your bank statement in 1 to 3 business days.
Once the deposits arrive in your bank account, return to that same page in PayPal. Enter the two amounts in the fields provided—they will be very small, usually pennies. Click Confirm. PayPal will verify the amounts when ready, and your account will show as confirmed.
What to do if the test deposits do not arrive
If 5 business days have passed and you do not see the two deposits in your bank account, the problem is usually on your bank's side, not PayPal's. Some banks delay deposits, flag them as suspicious, or route them to a separate pending folder. Log into your bank account online and search your transaction history for deposits from PayPal or from "PayPal Inc." Look in your pending transactions, spam folder, or recent activity.
If you still cannot find them, contact your bank's customer service and tell them you are expecting two small test deposits from PayPal. Give them the date you initiated the confirmation in PayPal. Ask them to check if the deposits were blocked, delayed, or sent to a different account. Some banks require you to whitelist PayPal as a trusted sender before deposits will go through.
Once your bank confirms the deposits have arrived or been released, check your account again. If they still do not show up after your bank has cleared them, return to PayPal and click Resend Deposits or start the confirmation process again. PayPal will send a new pair of test deposits.
Confirming a bank account on the PayPal mobile app
Open the PayPal app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Tap Settings. Scroll down and tap Wallet. You will see a list of payment methods linked to your account. Find the bank account you want to confirm and tap it.
Tap Confirm This Account or Verify Account. PayPal will show you a message saying deposits are on the way and ask you to check back in 1 to 3 business days. When the deposits arrive, return to the same screen in the app, tap the bank account again, and tap Enter Deposit Amounts. Type in the two amounts and tap Confirm.
How long confirmation takes and what happens next
The two test deposits usually arrive within 1 to 3 business days. Business days are Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. If you initiate confirmation on a Friday afternoon, the deposits may not arrive until the following Tuesday or Wednesday. Once they arrive, you can report them when ready—you do not have to wait.
After you report the amounts correctly, PayPal confirms your account when ready. You will see a green checkmark or "Confirmed" status next to your bank account. From that point on, you can withdraw money from your PayPal balance to that bank account without daily or monthly limits. Withdrawals typically take 1 to 3 business days to appear in your bank account.
Your confirmation stays active as long as you keep that bank account linked to PayPal. If you unlink the account and link it again later, you will need to confirm it again.
What to do if you entered the wrong amounts
If you reported the deposit amounts incorrectly, PayPal will tell you the amounts did not match and ask you to try again. You have 180 days from the date the deposits arrived to report the correct amounts. Check your bank statement again and make sure you are reading the exact dollar and cent amounts—do not round or estimate.
Return to the confirmation screen in PayPal and enter the amounts again. If you are still unsure, log into your bank account and look at the transaction details for each PayPal deposit. The amounts should be listed to the penny. Once you enter the correct amounts, PayPal will confirm your account when ready.
Confirming multiple bank accounts
You can link and confirm more than one bank account to your PayPal wallet. Each account must go through the same confirmation process with its own pair of test deposits. This is useful if you have accounts at different banks or want to withdraw to different accounts for different purposes.
To add another bank account, go to Wallet in Account Settings and click Link a Bank Account. Enter the routing number and account number, then follow the confirmation steps. PayPal will send new test deposits to the new account. You can confirm them at the same time as your first account or at different times—there is no limit to how many confirmed accounts you can have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to confirm my bank account to use PayPal?
No. You can send money to other PayPal users, make purchases, and receive payments without confirming your bank account. You only need confirmation if you want to withdraw your PayPal balance to your bank account or if you want to remove daily withdrawal limits.
Can I confirm a bank account that is not in my name?
No. PayPal requires that the bank account you confirm belongs to you and matches the name on your PayPal account. If the names do not match, PayPal will not let you confirm it. If you need to use a different account, you will need to update your PayPal account information or link a different bank account.
What if I do not see the confirmation option in my account?
Some PayPal accounts do not have the option to confirm a bank account directly through the website. This can happen if your account is very new, if you have not yet linked a bank account, or if there is a hold on your account. Try linking a bank account first if you have not already. If the option still does not appear, contact PayPal Support through the Help Center in your account.
How long does confirmation stay active?
Once you confirm a bank account, it stays confirmed as long as the account is linked to PayPal. If you unlink it, you will need to confirm it again if you link it back later. If your bank closes the account or you switch banks, you will need to link and confirm a new account.
Can I withdraw money while my account is pending confirmation?
No. You cannot withdraw to a bank account that is still pending confirmation. You can only withdraw once the account shows as confirmed. However, you can still send money to other PayPal users and make purchases while confirmation is in progress.