Compliance Documents for Paystack Onboarding

Payment companies are regulated financial institutions. In every country they operate, they are required by law to verify who their merchants are. This is called Know Your Customer (KYC) and it exists to prevent money laundering, fraud, and terrorist financing.

This is not Paystack being difficult or nosy. Every legitimate payment provider in the world does this. If a payment company lets you accept money without verifying your identity and business, that is actually a red flag about the provider, not a benefit.

The faster and more accurately you provide your documents, the faster you get activated. The most common cause of delays is incomplete or unclear submissions.

For registered companies (Limited Liability Company):

• CAC Certificate of Incorporation
• CAC Form CO2 or CO7 (showing directors and shareholders)
• Tax Identification Number (TIN) certificate
• Valid government-issued ID of at least one director (National ID, International Passport, Driver's Licence, or Voter's Card)
• Board resolution authorizing the use of Paystack (for larger companies)
• Bank account details in the company name

For registered business names (Enterprise/Sole Proprietorship):

• CAC Business Name Registration certificate
• TIN certificate
• Valid government-issued ID of the business owner
• Bank account details (can be in the owner's personal name if it matches the business registration)

For individuals (Starter/Individual accounts):

• Valid government-issued ID
• BVN (Bank Verification Number) linked to the registered bank account
• Bank account details

The CAC documents are the most important for Nigerian businesses. If your business registration has expired or the details are outdated, get it renewed before applying.

For registered companies:

• Certificate of Incorporation from the Registrar of Companies
• KRA PIN Certificate for the company
• CR12 form (showing company directors and shareholders)
• Valid national ID or passport of at least one director
• Bank account details in the company name
• Business description and website URL

For sole proprietors:

• Business registration certificate
• KRA PIN Certificate (personal or business)
• Valid national ID or passport
• Bank account details

Kenya's Paystack operations focus on M-Pesa as a primary payment method, so make sure your KRA compliance is in order. If your business is in the informal sector and you do not have formal registration, consider registering as a sole proprietor through Huduma Centre or eCitizen to access Paystack.

For registered companies:

• Registrar General's Department Certificate of Incorporation
• Company regulations or constitution
• TIN (Tax Identification Number) certificate
• Valid Ghana Card or passport of at least one director
• Bank account details in the company name

For sole proprietors:

• Business registration certificate from the Registrar General's Department
• TIN certificate
• Valid Ghana Card or passport
• Bank account details

Ghana requires TIN for all business types. If you do not have a TIN, apply at the Ghana Revenue Authority before starting your Paystack application.

For registered companies (Pty Ltd):

• CIPC registration documents (COR 14.3 or COR 15.3)
• Company registration number
• SARS tax registration or tax clearance certificate
• Valid South African ID or passport of at least one director
• Bank account verification letter or recent bank statement showing the company name and account number
• Proof of address (utility bill or bank statement, not older than three months)

For sole proprietors:

• Valid South African ID or passport
• Proof of address
• Bank account details
• SARS tax reference number

South Africa has particularly strict FICA (Financial Intelligence Centre Act) requirements. Make sure your proof of address is recent and matches the address on your bank account.

These tips apply regardless of your country:

Scan properly. Use a scanner app on your phone (CamScanner, Adobe Scan, or Google Drive's built-in scanner) rather than taking a regular photo. Scanner apps straighten the image, improve contrast, and produce cleaner results.

Show the full document. Do not crop the edges. The Paystack compliance team needs to see the entire document, including borders, stamps, and signatures.

Check expiry dates. If your ID expires next month, renew it before submitting. An expired document will be rejected.

Match names exactly. If your CAC certificate says "Sunrise Trading Enterprises Limited" and your bank account says "Sunrise Trading," that mismatch will cause problems. Either update your bank account name or explain the discrepancy.

Keep a folder. Create a digital folder with all your business documents in one place. You will need these documents not just for Paystack but for banking, tax filing, and any other financial services.

Password-protect sensitive files. If you store scans of your ID and business documents on your phone or computer, keep them in a secure folder. These documents can be used for identity theft if they fall into the wrong hands.

After submission, Paystack's compliance team reviews your documents. This is a manual process. A real person checks that your documents are genuine, that the information matches, and that your business type is acceptable.

If everything checks out, you receive an activation email. If there is a problem, Paystack sends you a message explaining what needs to be corrected. Fix it and resubmit.

Common reasons for follow-up requests:

• "Document is not clear." Reupload a clearer scan.
• "Name does not match." Check the exact spelling and formatting on your registration vs your Paystack profile.
• "We need additional information about your business." Provide a more detailed description of what you sell and who your customers are.
• "Your business type requires additional review." Some business categories (financial services, healthcare, high-value goods) require more due diligence.

Do not create a new account if your first submission has issues. Fix the issues on the existing account. Creating multiple accounts with different information looks suspicious and can delay your activation further.

For the full activation process, see our guide on getting your Paystack business activated.