We’ve worked hard to make our sign-up process as easy, intuitive, and seamless as possible. Nonetheless, we want each and every prospective user to feel supported as they prepare to join us. This is why we’ve provided this guide to the onboarding process. Here, we’ll share some tips for successful and frictionless sign-up, so you can start accepting flexible payments from your customers as quickly and easily as possible.
1. How to get started
Having the right information to hand during the sign-up process can make the onboarding process quicker and easier. Before you start, you should assemble all of this information in advance. Keep it all in one place for easy reference.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- your email address
- brief business details and what you do
- tell us about how your business is structured (for example: sole trader, partnership, limited company)
- your Company Registration Number (CRN) if applicable
- your VAT number if you have one
- Bank account details to start taking payments and transfer your funds to
As well as your company details, we’ll also need some personal information for yourself and all other business owners or partners who will be linked to the account. It’s important to have their information to hand, as you will not be able to set up your Square account without it.
2. Personal and business details
We take our users’ privacy and data security extremely seriously, so we’ll verify your identity and check against money laundering or fraud. Any party who owns 25% of your business or more will be classed as an account holder. As such, you will need to provide:
- full legal names of all account holders
- dates of birth
- home address and postcode
- phone numbers
Make sure that this information is accurate and up to date for every person, or you may encounter a delay during the verification process.
You will also be able to add employees to your Square account. To do this, you only need their full legal names.
3. Bank linking
To take payments with Square in-person, online or over the phone, you need to link your bank account.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requires us to verify your account before you can take payments with Square. Depending on your bank, this may take up to four working days. Be sure to factor this into your operations or you may risk making promises to your customers you are unable to keep.
You’ll need a transactional bank account that can send and receive funds, but this does not need to be a merchant account. Make sure you have the following to hand:
- bank account number
- sort code
- your full name as it appears on your bank statement
Once you have submitted this, the verification process will begin. You’ll receive an email from us letting you know when your account is verified. However, if you want to be proactive, you can check the status of your verification by visiting the Account & Settings section of your online Square Dashboard and clicking on ‘Bank Accounts’.
As soon as your account is verified, you’ll be able to accept payments from customers.
Onboarding FAQs
If you are still having issues with the onboarding process despite the tips and guidance above, we have compiled this FAQ section to help you overcome any potential hurdles. You can also read our Point of Sale article for guidance.
Can I sign up within the Square app?
Yes. You can go through the onboarding process for Square Point of Sale either online or in-app, depending on which is more convenient. However, you will still need access to all of the same information. Once you have downloaded the app, tap ‘Create Account’ to begin the process.
I’m a charity/non-profit organisation. What business structure should I choose?
Those registering for a Square account for their non-profit organisation or charity should choose ‘General Partnership’. The only exception to this is if your organisation is registered with Companies House – in which case, choose ‘Company’.
My identity verification has failed. What should I do?
Our automatic verification tool compares the information you enter during your onboarding against public sources, including the electoral roll. If verification fails, it’s usually because the information or the format does not match those sources.
We recommend checking that the information you have sent is up to date and accurate, and that it has been entered into the form using the correct format.
If your verification fails four times or more, contact a member of our Customer Success team. They can review the information you have provided and suggest documentation that will enable you to successfully pass verification.