What happens when you receive a PayPal payment request
A payment request is a message from someone asking you to send them money through PayPal. It arrives as an email or notification in your PayPal account and includes the amount owed, who is asking for it, and what it is for. You are not obligated to pay it — a request is not an automatic charge. You decide whether to pay, and you control when.
Payment requests come from people or businesses you may know — a roommate asking for rent, a contractor asking for a deposit, a friend splitting a dinner bill. PayPal creates a record of the request so both of you have documentation of what was asked and when.
The person who sent the request can see whether you have paid it, but they cannot take money from your account without your action. You must approve and send the payment yourself.
Key Takeaways
- A payment request is a message asking you to pay money — it does not automatically charge your account.
- You can pay a request through your PayPal balance, linked bank account, debit card, or credit card.
- The payment takes one to three business days to reach the other person if you use a bank account; card payments are usually faster.
- You can decline a request, ignore it, or pay it partially if the amount is wrong.
- Once you send payment, you cannot cancel it through the request itself — you would need to contact PayPal or the recipient to reverse it.
How to find and open a payment request
Payment requests appear in two places: your email inbox and your PayPal account. If you received an email from PayPal with the subject line "You have a payment request from [name]," click the link in that email to go directly to the request in your account.
If you do not see the email, log into your PayPal account on the website or app. On the website, look for the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left, then select Activity. On the mobile app, tap the Activity tab at the bottom. Scroll through your activity until you find the request — it will show the sender's name, the amount, and the date it was sent. Tap or click on it to open the full details.
Once you open the request, you will see the amount due, the sender's name, and any note they included about what the payment is for. At this point, you can choose to pay, decline, or do nothing.
The three ways to pay a request
When you open a payment request and decide to pay it, PayPal will ask you which payment method you want to use. Your options depend on what you have linked to your account.
PayPal balance: If you have money sitting in your PayPal account from a previous transfer or payment received, you can use that balance to pay the request when ready. This is the fastest option — the money leaves your PayPal account when ready, though it may take one to three business days to reach the recipient's account depending on their bank.
Linked bank account: You can authorize PayPal to pull money directly from your checking or savings account. This takes one to three business days to process. PayPal will show you the exact date the money will be withdrawn and when the recipient should expect it.
Debit or credit card: If you have a card linked to your PayPal account, you can pay the request with it. Card payments usually process within one business day. Some credit cards may charge a cash advance fee if PayPal treats the transaction as a cash withdrawal rather than a purchase — check your card's terms, though most treat PayPal transfers as regular purchases.
Step-by-step: paying the request
Once you have decided to pay and chosen your payment method, the process is straightforward. Open the payment request in your account, and look for a button labeled Pay Now or Send Payment. Tap or click it.
PayPal will show you a summary of the payment: the amount, the recipient, and the payment method you selected. Review this information to make sure the amount is correct and you are sending money to the right person. If something is wrong, go back and select a different payment method or decline the request.
Once you confirm, tap or click the final button to send the payment. PayPal will show you a confirmation number and tell you when the recipient should expect the money. Save or screenshot this confirmation — it is your proof of payment.
The recipient will receive a notification that you have paid the request. Depending on their bank and PayPal's processing time, the money may appear in their account within a few minutes or within three business days.
What to do if the amount is wrong or you want to decline
If the amount in the request does not match what you agreed to pay, you have options before you send money. You can decline the request and ask the sender to create a new one with the correct amount. To decline, open the request and look for a Decline or Reject button. The sender will be notified that you declined, and the request will disappear from your activity.
Alternatively, you can pay a different amount than what was requested. When you click Pay Now, some versions of PayPal allow you to edit the amount before you confirm. If you do not see that option, decline the request and contact the sender to ask them to send a corrected one.
If you straightforward do not want to pay right now, you can ignore the request. It will stay in your activity until you decide to pay it, decline it, or until PayPal removes it after a set period. Ignoring a request does not hurt your account or credit — it just sits there until you take action.
How long payment takes and what happens next
The time it takes for the recipient to receive your payment depends on which payment method you used. If you paid from your PayPal balance, the money leaves your account when ready, but the recipient's bank may take one to three business days to deposit it. If you paid from a linked bank account, PayPal takes one to three business days to withdraw the money from your bank, and then another one to three days for the recipient's bank to receive it — so the total can be up to six business days in the slowest cases.
Card payments are usually faster, often arriving within one business day. PayPal will tell you the expected delivery date when you confirm the payment.
Once the payment is sent, you can track it in your PayPal activity. The request will show a status of Paid with the date and time you sent it. The recipient can also see that the payment was sent and when they should expect it.
What to do if you need to reverse or cancel a payment
If you sent a payment by mistake or the recipient says they did not receive it, you cannot cancel the payment through the request itself. Instead, you need to contact PayPal directly or reach out to the recipient to ask them to refund you.
To contact PayPal, log into your account, go to Help or Contact Us, and describe the issue. PayPal can investigate whether the payment went through and may be able to reverse it if there was an error. This process can take several days.
If the recipient received the money and you want it back, ask them to send you a refund through PayPal. They can do this by going to their activity, finding your payment, and selecting Refund. The money will return to your original payment method within one to three business days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone charge my PayPal account without my permission through a payment request?
No. A payment request is only a message asking you to pay. It does not give anyone permission to take money from your account. You must actively approve and send the payment yourself. If money disappears from your PayPal account that you did not authorize, that is a different type of transaction and you should contact PayPal when ready.
What if I pay a request but the recipient says they never got the money?
Check your PayPal activity to confirm the payment was sent — look for the confirmation number and the date. If PayPal shows it was sent, the money is likely in transit or the recipient's bank is processing it. Ask the recipient to check their bank account and wait a few business days. If the money does not arrive after the expected delivery date, contact PayPal with your confirmation number and they can investigate.
Can I pay a request with a different amount than what was asked?
Some versions of PayPal let you edit the amount when you click Pay Now. If you do not see that option, decline the request and ask the sender to create a new one with the correct amount. This prevents confusion about what you actually owe.
Do I have to pay a payment request?
No. A payment request is a message, not a bill or legal obligation. You can ignore it, decline it, or pay it whenever you choose. Declining or ignoring a request does not affect your PayPal account or credit.
How do I know if a payment request is real or a scam?
Check the sender's name and email address carefully. Scammers sometimes use names similar to people you know. If you do not recognize the sender or did not agree to owe them money, do not pay. You can also contact the person directly through a phone number or email you know is theirs and ask if they sent the request. Never click links in unsolicited emails — instead, log into PayPal directly through the official website or app.