Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Restricted activities cannot be run without the required pre-approval
You may not use the PayPal service for activities that relate to transactions involving any activity that requires pre-approval when you have not obtained that approval. The chart in the next section (Activities Requiring Approval) lists categories where PayPal requires pre-approval, and describes its item lists as not exhaustive.
Supporting quotations
You may not use the PayPal service for activities that:
relate to transactions involving any activity that requires pre-approval without having obtained said approval.
Qualifications & exceptions
The ban applies only where pre-approval is required and has not been obtained; getting approval removes it for that activity.
Not stated here
How approval is obtained, the criteria, and whether it can be withdrawn are not described in this policy.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
PayPal requires pre-approval to accept payments for listed items and services
PayPal requires pre-approval before you can accept payments for certain items and services. The policy lists them in a chart of 18 numbered categories. The chart's item column is described as not intended to be an exhaustive list, so a category can reach items beyond the examples it names.
Supporting quotations
PayPal requires pre-approval to accept payments for certain services as detailed in the chart below.
PayPal requires pre-approval to accept payments for certain items and services as detailed below.
Item or Service Requiring Pre-Approval (not intended to be an exhaustive list)
Qualifications & exceptions
The introduction speaks of 'certain services' and the chart row of 'certain items and services'; only the chart categories are named.
The item column is not intended to be an exhaustive list, so categories are examples, not a closed set.
Doing a restricted activity without the approval is itself prohibited in the Prohibited Activities list.
Not stated here
How pre-approval is requested, the criteria PayPal applies, how long it lasts and whether it can be withdrawn are not described in the supplied text.
Account & Service Control · Procedure
Questions go to the Help Center; pre-approval or Business account questions go to Sales
The chart's Contact Information column says that for general questions you should refer to PayPal's Help Center. If you have questions about obtaining a pre-approval or opening a new PayPal Business account that offers services requiring pre-approval, you should contact PayPal's Sales team.
Supporting quotations
For general questions, please refer to our Help Center.
If you have questions about obtaining a pre-approval or opening a new PayPal Business account that offers services requiring pre-approval, please contact our [Sales team](https://www.paypal.com/us/business/contact-sales?locale.x=en_US).
Qualifications & exceptions
This contact text sits in the first row of the chart (Transportation); the supplied text does not say whether it is meant for the other categories as well.
Not stated here
The Help Center and Sales team pages are linked but not supplied, so what they say is unknown.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Airlines and charter operators need pre-approval
Pre-approval is required for the Transportation category, which covers airlines and scheduled or non-scheduled charters, jets and air taxi operators.
Supporting quotations
Transportation
Airlines and scheduled or non-scheduled charters/jets/air taxi operators.
Not stated here
Whether other transport services such as ground or sea transport fall in the category is not stated.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Charities and non-profits collecting donations need pre-approval
Pre-approval is required to collect donations as a charity or non-profit organization.
Supporting quotations
Charities / Non-Profit
Collecting donations as a charity or non-profit organization.
Not stated here
The text does not say what approval involves for charities or non-profits.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Dealers in jewels, precious metals and stones need pre-approval
Pre-approval is required for the High Value Items category, described as operating as a dealer in jewels, precious metals and stones.
Supporting quotations
High Value Items
Operating as a dealer in jewels, precious metals and stones.
Not stated here
The chart names dealers; it does not say whether a one-off seller of such items is covered.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Gambling, gaming, prize draws and contests need pre-approval
Pre-approval is required for activities involving gambling, gaming or any other activity with an entry fee and a prize. The entry names property or real estate prizes, casino games, sports betting, horse or greyhound racing, fantasy sports, lottery tickets, other ventures that facilitate gambling, games of skill (whether or not legally defined as gambling) and sweepstakes. The entry ends with a condition: it applies if the operator and customers are located exclusively in jurisdictions where such activities are permitted by law.
Supporting quotations
Gambling, Gaming, Prize Draws and Contests
Activities involving gambling, gaming and/or any other activity with an entry fee and a prize, including, but not limited to property/real estate prizes, casino games, sports betting, horse or greyhound racing, fantasy sports, lottery tickets, other ventures that facilitate gambling, games of skill (whether or not legally defined as gambling) and sweepstakes, if the operator and customers are located exclusively in jurisdictions where such activities are permitted by law.
Qualifications & exceptions
The named examples are 'including, but not limited to', so they are not a closed list.
Games of skill are included whether or not the law defines them as gambling.
The entry carries a location condition: operator and customers located exclusively in jurisdictions where such activities are permitted by law.
Not stated here
The text does not say whether the location condition limits the category or describes when approval can be given, or what applies if customers are elsewhere; the Prohibited Activities list separately bans activities that violate any law.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Prescription items, telemedicine and medical items or services need pre-approval
Pre-approval is required for: selling any product requiring a prescription or prescription dispensing services; providing medical services and consultations remotely (telemedicine); and the Medical Items or Services category, covering all items classified as medical devices and all services or treatment provided by a person or organization holding itself out as a health-care provider, including all health-care services for which government licensure is required in the provider's jurisdiction or where services are provided. The medical category includes Medical Tourism, meaning medical services provided to a patient outside that patient's home country. Separately, the Prohibited Activities list bans transactions involving narcotics, steroids and certain controlled substances.
Supporting quotations
Prescription Items
The sale of any product(s) requiring a prescription or prescription dispensing
services.
Telemedicine Services
Providing medical services and consultations in a remote fashion.
Medical Items or Services
All items classified as medical devices, and all services or treatment provided by a person or organization holding itself out as a provider of health-care services, including, but not limited to, all health-care services for which government licensure is required in the provider's jurisdiction or in the jurisdiction where services are being provided.
This category includes "Medical Tourism" involving medical services to be provided to a patient outside of that patient's home country.
(a) narcotics, steroids, certain controlled substances or other products that present a risk to consumer safety,
Qualifications & exceptions
The prescription entry is split over two cells and reads as 'the sale of any product(s) requiring a prescription or prescription dispensing services'.
The medical category uses 'all' for devices and licensed health-care services, 'including, but not limited to', so it is broad.
Prescription items are listed as a pre-approval category; the ban on narcotics, steroids and certain controlled substances is a separate entry in the Prohibited Activities list.
Not stated here
The policy does not say how prescription sales relate to the ban on certain controlled substances, or which items count as medical devices.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Pre-approval is required for any adult content delivered digitally, including video on demand and web-cam activities. The same entry adds that PayPal may be restricted from processing payments in certain jurisdictions for adult DVDs, magazines and other adult themed products or services. Separately, the Prohibited Activities list bans transactions involving certain sexually oriented materials or services.
Supporting quotations
Mature Audience Content
Any adult content delivered digitally including video on demand (VOD) and web-cam activities. PayPal may be restricted from processing payments in certain jurisdictions for adult DVD's, magazines and other adult themed products or services.
(i) certain sexually oriented materials or services,
Qualifications & exceptions
The second sentence describes a possible limit on PayPal's ability to process payments in certain jurisdictions, not a pre-approval route.
Adult content delivered digitally is a pre-approval category; certain sexually oriented materials or services are banned elsewhere.
Not stated here
The policy does not say which jurisdictions are meant, or which sexually oriented materials are banned and which can be approved.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Online dating, live streaming and file-sharing services need pre-approval
Pre-approval is required for: dating services that enable individuals to find and introduce themselves to new people with the goal of developing a personal or romantic relationship; activities in which people transmit video, voice or text content in a live environment with the potential of user interaction; and file sharing services, including cyberlockers and similar remote digital file sharing, where uploaded content is accessible to the public or the service pays uploaders for content.
Supporting quotations
Online Dating
Any dating services that enable individuals to find and introduce themselves to new people with the goal of developing a personal or romantic relationship.
Live Streaming/Broadcasting
Any activities in which people transmit video, voice or text content in a live environment with the potential of user interaction.
File-Sharing
Providing file sharing services including cyberlockers and similar remote digital file sharing services where uploaded content is accessible to the public or the service pays uploaders for content.
Qualifications & exceptions
Live streaming is covered where there is potential for user interaction.
File sharing is covered where uploaded content is publicly accessible or the service pays uploaders for content.
Not stated here
Whether private file storage not meeting those conditions needs pre-approval is not stated.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Selling alcohol and non-cigarette tobacco products needs pre-approval
Pre-approval is required for selling alcoholic beverages, and for non-cigarette tobacco products, e-cigarettes and cigars. Separately, the Prohibited Activities list bans transactions involving cigarettes.
The tobacco entry excludes cigarettes, which the Prohibited Activities list bans outright.
Not stated here
The entries do not state age, licence or region requirements for approval.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Multilevel marketing, direct selling and marketplaces need pre-approval
Pre-approval is required for Direct Sales Organizations and Multi-Level Marketing organizations, described as distribution and marketing models where products or services are sold through a network of independent distributors or representatives, relying on personal sales and often requiring distributors to recruit new distributors to advance or earn incentive compensation. Pre-approval is also required for marketplaces, meaning e-commerce solutions where third-party sellers can sell their products or services to customers. Separately, the Prohibited Activities list bans transactions that support pyramid or ponzi schemes, 'get rich quick' schemes or certain multi-level marketing programs.
Supporting quotations
Multilevel Marketing and Direct Selling Organizations
Direct Sales Organizations ("DSOs") and the Multi-Level Marketing ("MLMs") are distribution and marketing models in which products or services are sold via a network of independent distributors or representatives.
DSO and MLM models rely on personal sales and frequently require the independent distributors to recruit new distributors in order to advance within the organization or gain incentive compensation.
Marketplaces
A marketplace is an e-commerce solution where third-party sellers can sell their products or services to customers.
support pyramid or ponzi schemes, matrix programs, other "get rich quick" schemes or certain multi-level marketing programs
Qualifications & exceptions
Multi-level marketing is a pre-approval category here, while 'certain' multi-level marketing programs are banned in the Prohibited Activities list.
A marketplace is defined by third-party sellers selling to customers.
Not stated here
The policy does not say which multi-level marketing programs are banned and which can be approved.