To accept payments on Zeffy, your UK nonprofit or charity must complete Stripe verification. This guide walks you through each step with links to troubleshooting help if you get stuck.
In the UK, Stripe requires verification of three things:
Verification of your organisation – charity registration or business registration documents
Verification of trustees, directors, or leadership – documentation showing who is responsible for the organisation
ID verification of one authorised representative – a government-issued ID and selfie
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Before you begin, collect the documents you'll need based on your organisation type:
Registered charities (England & Wales)
Registered Charity Number (RCN) issued by the Charity Commission
Charity registration certificate or official Charity Commission correspondence confirming charitable status
Registered charities (Scotland)
Scottish Charity Number (SC number) issued by OSCR
OSCR registration letter or notice of charitable status
Registered charities (Northern Ireland)
NIC number issued by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI)
CCNI registration letter or confirmation of charitable status
Organisations registered with Companies House (charitable companies, CICs, companies limited by guarantee)
Companies House Registration Number (CRN)
Certificate of Incorporation, or a Confirmation Statement downloaded from Companies House
Unincorporated organisations (associations, clubs, Girlguiding/Scout units, PTAs, sports teams, informal groups — not registered with Companies House or any Charity Commission)
A signed resolution (recommended) — this covers both organisation and trustee/director verification in one document. See Business Registration & Directorship Verification for instructions on how to fill it out.
Bank statement or bank letter — if your bank account is held in your organisation's name, you can upload a bank statement or letter from your bank showing the account holder name.
For all organisations:
Government-issued photo ID for your representative
Important: PO Boxes are not accepted as a legal address in Stripe. You must provide a physical address.
Log in to your Zeffy account
Go to the Finances tab in the left menu
Click the verification button — either a yellow warning banner or a "Complete verification" button
Choose the correct organisation type to ensure you're asked for the right documents:
Registered charity – requires your charity number and registration documents
Nonprofit organisation – requires business registration documents or a signed resolution with your details and trustees/directors
Not registered with Companies House? If Stripe's form asks for a "business registration number" and your organisation doesn't have one (for example, you're a Girlguiding unit, a PTA, or an unincorporated association), look for the option that says "Don't have a business registry number?" and proceed with the signed resolution instead.
For registered charities: Enter your charity number and upload a document confirming your charitable status.
Accepted documents:
Charity registration certificate (from Charity Commission, OSCR, or CCNI)
Official letter from the Charity Commission, OSCR, or CCNI confirming registration
Annual return confirmation or charity details printout from the relevant register
For organisations registered with Companies House: Enter your CRN and upload a registration document.
Accepted documents:
Certificate of Incorporation
Confirmation Statement (downloadable from your company's filing history on Companies House)
Articles of Association
For unincorporated organisations: Submit a signed resolution or bank document.
Accepted documents:
Signed resolution confirming authority to open the account (recommended — covers both org and trustee verification)
Bank statement or bank letter showing your organisation's name as the account holder
Document requirements:
Electronic colour version (no scans, no black and white)
Shows your legal name and address exactly as entered in Zeffy
For Companies House documents: downloadable directly from the Companies House public register at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
Stuck? If your document is rejected, verify that your legal entity name and address match exactly what's shown on your document. For help with the signed resolution, see Business Registration & Directorship Verification.
Stripe requires verification of the people responsible for your organisation. You'll first be asked to enter all trustees'/directors' names and emails in Zeffy.
For organisations registered with Companies House, Stripe will attempt to verify against the public register automatically. If the list matches, you can simply confirm. If not, you'll need to upload a supporting document.
Accepted documents:
Confirmation Statement from Companies House (lists current directors)
Certificate of Incorporation (for new organisations, lists initial directors)
Charity Commission trustee list printout
Articles of Association or governing document listing trustees
Critical requirement: All trustees/directors entered in Zeffy must appear on the document with names matching exactly - no abbreviations, no nicknames, no titles alongside names.
An authorised representative (trustee, director, or authorised signatory) must upload a government-issued ID and take a selfie.
Accepted IDs:
UK driver's licence
Passport (UK or international)
UK national identity card (where applicable)
The name on the ID must match exactly what you entered for the representative in Zeffy.
Stuck? If your ID or selfie isn't being accepted, see ID Verification: Requirements, Setup, and Troubleshooting for photo quality tips, selfie guidance, and browser recommendations.
Enter your organisation's bank account information for receiving payouts. Personal bank accounts are not accepted.
You'll need:
Account number
Sort code
After entering all information and uploading documents, Stripe will review your submission within 24–72 hours.
Check back the next day to confirm no additional information is needed. If the warning banner or button disappears, your verification is complete.
Verify the following:
Your legal entity name matches exactly as shown on your document (including spelling, punctuation, and "Ltd", "CIC", or "CIO" suffixes)
Your address matches exactly
The document is a colour electronic version, not a scan or black-and-white copy
For Companies House documents: download the PDF directly from the Companies House register rather than scanning a printed copy
Even small differences cause rejection. Ensure names on your document match exactly what you entered in Zeffy:
No abbreviations or nicknames
Include all middle names as shown
Do not include titles (Mr, Dr, Rev) or positions next to names
See Business Registration & Directorship Verification for more help.
Stripe is required to collect, verify, and maintain identity information from UK organisations under UK anti-money laundering regulations and FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) requirements. These requirements apply to all platforms integrated with Stripe in the UK, not just Zeffy.
This verification promotes transparency and helps prevent financial crimes such as money laundering and fraud.
Business Registration & Directorship Verification — Step-by-step for the signed resolution template
