PayPal Acceptable Use Policy

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• How approval is obtained, the criteria, and whether it can be withdrawn are not described in this policy.

Cross-references

• refers to (model-proposed): PayPal requires pre-approval to accept payments for listed items and services — The ban on activities lacking required pre-approval points to the pre-approval requirement stated in the Activities Requiring Approval chart.

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• How pre-approval is requested, the criteria PayPal applies, how long it lasts and whether it can be withdrawn are not described in the supplied text.

Cross-references

• referred to by (model-proposed): Restricted activities cannot be run without the required pre-approval — The ban on activities lacking required pre-approval points to the pre-approval requirement stated in the Activities Requiring Approval chart.

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.

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.

Cross-references

• contrast (model-proposed): Transactions involving drugs, cigarettes, firearms and weapons are prohibited — Narcotics, steroids and certain controlled substances are banned, while products requiring a prescription are a pre-approval category; the policy does not say how the two interact.

Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception

Adult content delivered digitally needs pre-approval

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.

Cross-references

• contrast (model-proposed): Transactions involving stolen, hateful, obscene, infringing or sexual items are prohibited — Certain sexually oriented materials or services are banned, while adult content delivered digitally is a pre-approval category; the policy does not say where the line between them falls.

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.

Supporting quotations

Alcohol

Selling alcoholic beverages.

Tobacco

Non-cigarette tobacco products, e-cigarettes, cigars

(c) cigarettes,

Qualifications & exceptions

• 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.

Cross-references

• contrast (model-proposed): Transactions involving drugs, cigarettes, firearms and weapons are prohibited — Cigarettes are banned outright in the Prohibited Activities list, while non-cigarette tobacco products, e-cigarettes and cigars are listed as approvable with pre-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.

Cross-references

• contrast (model-proposed): Transactions involving pyramid schemes, third-party personal data, bribery and similar are prohibited — Certain multi-level marketing programs are banned, while multi-level marketing and direct sales organizations are a pre-approval category; the policy does not say which programs fall on which side.