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Onboard sub-entities with the Accounts API (full)

Beta

Last updated: December 21, 2022

This process should be followed for those on the full account type for our Platforms solution. We have another page for lite sub-entity onboarding.

On this page, we will walk through the complete onboarding of a sub-entity:

  • Onboard a sub-entity
  • Update a sub-entity
  • Add supporting documentation
  • Retrieve a sub-entity
  • Handle due diligence notifications
  • Testing

Before you begin

Configure your webhooks and subscribe to:

  • sub_entity_created
  • full_dd_passed and full_dd_failed
  • payouts_enabled and payouts_disabled
  • payments_enabled and payments_disabled
  • status_changed

Onboard a sub-entity

To get a detailed view of all required and optional fields, see our API reference.

post

https://api.checkout.com/accounts/entities

Request examples

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{
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  "reference":"678910",
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  "contact_details":{
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    "phone":{
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      "number":"111222333"
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    },
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    "email_addresses": {
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      "primary": "hello@thecakeshop.com"
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    }
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  },
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  "profile":{
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    "urls":[
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      "https://www.thecakeshop.com"
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    ],
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    "mccs":[
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      5814
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    ]
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  },
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  "company":{
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    "legal_name":"The Cake Shop Inc.",
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    "trading_name":"The Cake Shop",
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    "principal_address":{
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      "address_line1":"90 Tottenham Court Road",
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      "city":"London",
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      "zip":"W1T4TJ",
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      "country":"GB"
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    }
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  }
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}

Response examples

A successful response will include a unique sub-entity id, which you should store for future requests.

Additionally, the response has the capabilities object, which shows you whether the sub-entity’s capabilities are enabled or not. Capabilities only get enabled once specific due diligence checks have been run and passed.

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{
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  "id":"ent_wxglze3wwywujg4nna5fb7ldli",
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  "reference":"123456789101112",
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  "status":"requirements_due",
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  "capabilities":{
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    "payments":{
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      "available":true,
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      "enabled":false
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    },
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    "payouts":{
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      "available":true,
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      "enabled":false
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    },
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    "requirements_due":[
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      {
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        "field":"individual.date_of_birth",
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        "reason":"required"
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      },
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      {
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        "field":"individual.identification.document",
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        "reason":"required"
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      }
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    ],
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    "_links":{
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      "self":{
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        "href":"https://api.sandbox.checkout.com/entities/ent_wxglze3wwywujg4nna5fb7ldli"
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      }
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    }
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  }
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}

Webhook notification example

Once your sub-entity has been successfully created, we will send you a sub_entity_created webhook notification, which will look similar to:

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{
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  "id": "evt_jqv4f6zedawetlilolhqun6m4m",
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  "type": "sub_entity_created",
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  "timestamp": "2020-08-20T16:48:17.142+00:00",
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  "version": "1.0.0",
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  "data": {
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    "sub_entity_id": "ent_gavuonbau65upa75f77rar4yuu",
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    "reference": "5uperher01234",
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    "legal_name": "Super Hero Masks Inc."
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  },
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  "_links": {
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    "self": {
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      "href": "https://api.sandbox.checkout.com/workflows/events/evt_jqv4f6zedawetlilolhqun6m4m"
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    }
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  }
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}

Update a sub-entity

Use this endpoint to update all fields under the contact_details, profile, and company objects. To get a detailed view of all required and optional fields, see our API reference.

put

https://api.checkout.com/accounts/entities/{id}

Request examples

To get a detailed view of all required and optional fields, see our API reference

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{
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  "reference":"678910",
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  "contact_details":{
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    "phone":{
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      "number":"111222333"
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    },
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    "email_addresses": {
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      "primary": "hello@thecakeshop.com"
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    }
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  },
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  "profile":{
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    "urls":[
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      "https://www.thecakeshop.com"
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    ],
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    "mccs":[
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      5814
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    ]
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  },
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  "company":{
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    "business_registration_number":"452349600005",
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    "legal_name":"The Cake Shop Inc.",
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    "trading_name":"The Cake Shop",
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    "principal_address":{
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      "address_line1":"90 Tottenham Court Road",
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      "city":"London",
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      "zip":"W1T4TJ",
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      "country":"GB"
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    },
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    "registered_address":{
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      "address_line1":"90 Tottenham Court Road",
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      "city":"London",
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      "zip":"W1T4TJ",
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      "country":"GB"
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    },
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    "representatives":[
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      {
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        "first_name":"Chrisi",
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        "last_name":"Webster",
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        "address":{
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          "address_line1":"123 ABC Close",
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          "city":"London",
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          "zip":"E1 5DP",
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          "country":"GB"
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        },
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        "date_of_birth":{
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          "day":5,
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          "month":6,
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          "year":1995
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        },
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     "identification": {
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         "document": {
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              "type": "Passport",
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                "front": "file_jxaps37jnfaupfu6bsei7rj5iu",
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                "back": "file_zn6v47bgphjuljjvhlpk7dnpby"
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            }
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        }
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      }
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    ]
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  }
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}

Response examples

If the request was successful, you will receive 200 - Sub-entity updated successfully.

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{
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  "id":"ent_wxglze3wwywujg4nna5fb7ldli",
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  "reference":"superhero1234",
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  "status":"pending",
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  "capabilities":{
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    "payments":{
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      "available":true,
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      "enabled":false
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    },
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    "payouts":{
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      "available":true,
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      "enabled":false
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    },
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    "requirements_due":[],
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    "_links":{
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      "self":{
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        "href":"https://api.sandbox.checkout.com/accounts/entities/ent_wxglze3wwywujg4nna5fb7ldli"
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      }
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    }
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  }
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}

Add supporting documentation

Use our Files API to upload:

  • Identification for know your customer (KYC) due diligence checks
  • Documentation to verify a company for know your business (KYB) checks

The Files API returns an id that represents that file. Use this to add supporting documentation while onboarding a sub-entity, or when you update the sub-entity.

Identification

All you need to include is the identification.document object in your request, with the following pieces of information:

  • Type: Read more about what types are accepted.
  • Front: Required for all identification types. This should be the id returned when you uploaded the file
  • Back: Only required if the type is not a passport. This should be the id returned when you uploaded the file
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{
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  "individual":{
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    "first_name":"Daniel",
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    "last_name":"Yubi",
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    "trading_name":"Daniel's Donuts",
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    "national_tax_id":"1234567",
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    "registered_address":{
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      "address_line1":"90 Tottenham Court Road",
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      "city":"London",
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      "zip":"W1T4TJ",
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      "country":"GB"
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    },
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    "date_of_birth":{
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      "day":5,
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      "month":6,
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      "year":1995
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    },
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      "identification": {
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        "document": {
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          "type": "passport",
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          "front": "file_jxaps37jnfaupfu6bsei7rj5iu"
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        }
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    }
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  }
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}

Adding an identification document

Providing an identity document is the last step before triggering due diligence checks. To prevent multiple due diligence checks, please add all representatives before uploading their identification documents.

Company verification

Note

Only needed for sub-entities who have been onboarded as a company.

All you need to include is the company.document object in your request, with the following pieces of information:

  • File ID: This should be the id returned when you uploaded the file
  • Type: The type of document you are providing. For example, certificate of incorporation
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{
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  "company":{
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    "business_registration_number":"452349600005",
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    "legal_name":"The Cake Shop Inc.",
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    "trading_name":"The Cake Shop",
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    "principal_address":{
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      "address_line1":"90 Tottenham Court Road",
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      "city":"London",
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      "zip":"W1T4TJ",
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      "country":"GB"
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    },
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    "document":{
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      "file_id": "file_6lbss42ezvoufcb2beo76rvwly",
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      "type": "Certificate of incorporation"
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    }
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  }
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}

Retrieve a sub-entity

To get a detailed view of all required and optional fields, see our API reference.

get

https://api.checkout.com/accounts/entities/{id}

Response examples

The response allows you to retrieve all data that has been provided about the sub-entity, including its capabilities, which informs you whether this sub-entity can process payments or not.

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{
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  "id":"ent_vv2jjkuf2gzj5tcw2x7ptua7zy",
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  "reference":"0123456",
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  "status":"active",
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  "capabilities":{
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    "payments":{
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      "available":true,
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      "enabled":true
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    },
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    "payouts":{
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      "available":true,
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      "enabled":false
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    }
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  },
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  "profile":{
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    "default_holding_currency":"GBP",
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    "urls":[
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      "https://www.daniels-donuts.com"
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    ],
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    "mccs":[
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      "5814"
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    ]
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  },
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  "individual":{
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    "first_name":"Daniel",
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    "last_name":"Yubi",
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    "trading_name":"Daniel's Donuts",
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    "legal_name":"Daniel Yubi",
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    "national_tax_id":"1234567",
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    "registered_address":{
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      "address_line1":"90 Tottenham Court Road",
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      "city":"London",
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      "zip":"W1T4TJ",
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      "country":"GB"
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    }
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  },
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  "contact_details":{
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    "phone":{
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      "number":"2345678910"
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    },
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    "email_addresses":{
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      "primary":"hello@thecakeshop.com"
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    }
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  },
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  "instruments":[],
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  "requirements_due":[],
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  "_links":{
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    "self":{
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      "href":"https://api.sandbox.checkout.com/accounts/entities/ent_vv2jjkuf2gzj5tcw2x7ptua7zy"
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    }
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  }
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}

Handle due diligence notifications

Once we have conducted our due diligence checks, we will inform you of the outcome via webhook notification. You should expect to receive the following event types:

  • full_dd_passed / full_dd_failed

Due diligence will always pass in the Sandbox environment, unless one of our legal_name fail triggers is used for simulation.

On occasion, our team will need to manually review a sub-entity. Please see our onboarding page for more information.

Due diligence webhook example

Tip

We've described the different webhook notifications on our webhook event type page.

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{
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  "id": "evt_htielsmgcwgejgqaunl4yb2pou",
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  "type": "full_dd_passed",
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  "version": "1.0.0",
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  "created_on": "2020-08-20T15:24:13.8431084Z",
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  "data": {
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    "sub_entity_id": "ent_wxglze3wwywujg4nna5fb7ldli",
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    "reference": "123456789101112",
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    "legal_name": "The Cake Shop Inc."
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  },
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  "_links": {
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    "self": {
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      "href": "https://api.sandbox.checkout.com/workflows/events/evt_htielsmgcwgejgqaunl4yb2pou"
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    }
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  }
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}

If due diligence is passed, we will enable the sub-entity’s payments and payouts capabilities. You should expect to receive the payments_enabled and payout_enabled event types.

Information

We will re-trigger due diligence checks if any of the required information is later updated. If any subsequent checks fail and you receive the full_dd_failed notification, this will be followed by payments_disabled and payouts_disabled webhook notifications.

Payment and payout webhook examples

Tip

We've described the different webhook notifications on our webhook event type page.

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{
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  "id": "evt_htielsmgcwgejgqaunl4yb2pou",
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  "type": "payments_enabled",
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  "version": "1.0.0",
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  "created_on": "2020-08-20T15:24:13.8431084Z",
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  "data": {
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    "sub_entity_id": "ent_wxglze3wwywujg4nna5fb7ldli",
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    "reference": "123456789101112",
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    "legal_name": "The Cake Shop Inc."
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  },
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  "_links": {
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    "self": {
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      "href": "https://api.sandbox.checkout.com/workflows/events/evt_htielsmgcwgejgqaunl4yb2pou"
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    }
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  }
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}

Information

We will re-trigger due diligence checks if any of the required information is later updated. If any subsequent checks fail and you receive the vmss_failed and / or match_failed notification, this will be followed by payments_disabled.

Testing

You can simulate different scenarios when onboarding sub-entities. Similar to simulating payment scenarios using specific card numbers, you can use certain values in the legal_name or first_name field of your onboarding request. This will trigger specific outcomes regarding KYC and KYB, as well as the payment and payout capabilities of a sub-entity.

Including a company name in the legal_name field will trigger positive VMSS and MATCH checks, and will enable payment and payout capabilities. The simulator only accepts fail triggers.

Company sub-entities

For company sub-entities, update the legal_name field.

Trigger to be added in legal_nameDue diligence checksPayment and payout capabilities

simulator_full_dd_fail_verification_failed

Full DD fail.

Both remain disabled.

simulator_full_dd_fail_declined

Due diligence checks have failed, so sub-entity is in the Rejected state.

Both remain disabled.

simulator_pending_status

Check in Pending state.

Both remain disabled.

Individual sub-entities

For individual sub-entities, update the first_name field.

Trigger to be added in first_nameDue diligence checksPayment and payout capabilities

simulator_full_dd_fail_invalid_document

Full DD fail.

Both remain disabled.

simulator_full_dd_fail_declined

Due diligence checks have failed, so sub-entity is in the Rejected state.

Both remain disabled.

Next steps

Accept a payment

Process payments on behalf of your sub-entities.

Find out more

Upload a file

Learn how to upload a file using the Files API.

Manage bank accounts

Learn how to securely store your sub-entities' bank account information.

Due diligence checks

Learn how to complete due diligence checks.

On this page

Before you begin
Onboard a sub-entity
Update a sub-entity
Add supporting documentation
Retrieve a sub-entity
Handle due diligence notifications
Testing
Next steps
Find out more