What confirming your bank account means and why PayPal requires it

Confirming your bank account on PayPal means proving to PayPal that you own the bank account you linked to your PayPal wallet. PayPal does this by sending two small deposits (usually between $0.01 and $0.99 each) to your bank account over several days. You then log into PayPal, enter those two amounts, and PayPal marks your account as confirmed. Until you do this, you can receive money and make purchases, but you cannot withdraw funds to that bank account or use it as your primary payment method.

PayPal requires confirmation because it protects both you and the company. A confirmed account proves the bank account is real, that it belongs to you, and that you can access it. This also reduces fraud — someone cannot link a stolen bank account number and immediately drain money into it. The confirmation process is free and takes about 3 to 5 business days from start to finish.

Key Takeaways

  • PayPal sends two small test deposits to your bank account; you enter those amounts in PayPal to confirm ownership.
  • The deposits arrive within 1 to 2 business days, and confirmation is complete once you enter both amounts correctly.
  • You cannot withdraw money to an unconfirmed bank account, so confirmation is necessary before you can cash out.
  • If deposits do not arrive after 5 business days, contact your bank first to check for pending transactions, then contact PayPal.

Step-by-step process to confirm your bank account

Log into your PayPal account on a computer or the mobile app. Go to Wallet (or Account on the app), then select Banks and Cards or Linked Banks. Find the bank account you want to confirm and click on it. You should see a status that says "Pending confirmation" or "Not confirmed." Click the button to confirm or verify that account.

PayPal will tell you that two small deposits are on their way to your bank account. Write down the confirmation code shown on screen, or take a screenshot — you will need it later. The deposits typically arrive within 1 to 2 business days, but can take up to 5 business days depending on your bank. Check your bank account online or through your bank's app to see the two deposits. They will appear as small charges from PayPal, usually labeled "PAYPAL" or "PAYPAL INST XFER."

Once you see both deposits in your bank account, go back to PayPal. Click on the bank account again and select the option to confirm or verify using the deposit amounts. Enter the two dollar amounts (for example, $0.47 and $0.92) exactly as they appear in your bank statement. Click confirm. PayPal will verify the amounts, and your account will be marked as confirmed within minutes.

What to do if the deposits do not arrive

If 5 business days have passed and you do not see the two deposits in your bank account, the first step is to contact your bank, not PayPal. Call the customer service number on the back of your debit card or check your bank's website. Tell them you are expecting two small deposits from PayPal and ask if they are pending, blocked, or rejected. Some banks flag small transfers as suspicious and hold them temporarily. Your bank can release them or tell you why they were rejected.

If your bank confirms the deposits were rejected, the most common reason is a mismatch between the account number or routing number you gave PayPal and what your bank has on file. Log back into PayPal, remove the bank account, and add it again. Double-check the account number and routing number against a blank check or your bank statement before you submit. Then wait for the new deposits to arrive.

If your bank says the deposits arrived but you cannot find them, check your account history carefully — they may be listed under a different name or in a section you do not normally look at. If you still cannot locate them after checking with your bank, contact PayPal through the Resolution Center or the Help section of your account. Have your bank statement ready to show PayPal what you have searched for.

Common reasons confirmation fails and how to fix them

The most frequent cause of confirmation failure is entering the deposit amounts incorrectly. The amounts must match exactly — if the deposit was $0.47, you cannot enter $0.74 or $0.47 cents. If you enter the wrong amounts, PayPal will reject your attempt and ask you to try again. You get multiple attempts, so take your time and compare the amounts on your bank statement to what you type into PayPal character by character.

A second common issue is using the wrong bank account. If you linked multiple bank accounts to PayPal, make sure you are confirming the correct one. PayPal will only send deposits to the account you selected, so if you are looking at a different account in your bank, you will not see them. Check your PayPal account to see which bank account is pending confirmation, then look for deposits in that specific account.

Occasionally, a bank account cannot be confirmed because the account is closed, frozen, or flagged by the bank. If your bank account was recently closed or if you have had fraud issues with that account, your bank may reject PayPal's deposits automatically. In this case, remove the account from PayPal and link a different bank account instead. PayPal will send new deposits to the new account.

What you can do once your account is confirmed

After confirmation is complete, you can withdraw money from your PayPal balance to that bank account. Withdrawals typically take 1 to 3 business days to appear in your bank account, depending on your bank. You can also set that bank account as your primary payment method, which means PayPal will pull money from it automatically if your PayPal balance is too low to cover a purchase.

A confirmed account also increases your PayPal sending and receiving limits. PayPal gradually raises the amount of money you can send and receive as your account ages and you confirm identity information. Confirming your bank account is one of the steps that helps raise these limits. If you plan to use PayPal regularly for peer-to-peer transfers or online purchases, confirming your bank account early will help you avoid hitting limits later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I confirm my bank account on the PayPal mobile app?

Yes. Open the app, tap Account at the bottom, then Banks and Cards. Select the account you want to confirm and follow the same steps as on the website. You will still need to wait for the deposits to arrive in your bank account and enter the amounts in the app.

What if I lose the confirmation code PayPal gave me?

You do not need the confirmation code to complete the process. The code is just a reference number. All you need are the two dollar amounts from the deposits. If you wrote down the code but lost it, you can ignore it — just enter the deposit amounts when they arrive.

Can someone else confirm my bank account for me?

No. Only the person who owns the PayPal account can log in and enter the deposit amounts. This is a security measure to prevent unauthorized access. You must do this yourself using your own PayPal login.

Do I have to confirm my bank account to use PayPal?

No, but you cannot withdraw money to an unconfirmed account. You can still receive payments, make purchases, and keep a balance in PayPal. Confirmation is only required if you want to transfer money out to your bank.

What happens to the two test deposits after I confirm?

PayPal keeps them. The deposits are not refunded — they are small enough that most people do not notice the loss. Think of them as the cost of verifying your account ownership.