PayPal Getting Started Guide

Go to PayPal website

We'll begin by going to www.paypal.com.  At the top of the page, click on the link that says "Sign Up". 

Step 1 - Choose Account Type

Choose your location, language, and the type of account you want to open.  In this tutorial, you will select Canada and English.  In the middle of the screen there are three rectangular boxes, one for each account type you can choose from.  Click the "Get Started" button in the middle box for a "Premier" account.

Step 2 - Enter Personal Information

On the following page, enter your personal information and click "Agree and Create Account".  Make sure the email address you use is one you check regularly and choose a password you can remember.

Step 3 - Choose Your Payment Method

In this tutorial we'll be adding and confirming a bank account, so click on the button under the "Pay with my bank account" option. This bank account is the funding source for your PayPal account.

Step 4 - Enter Bank Account Information

Enter your Bank Account Information and click Continue. If you don't have your banking information handy, you may need to call your financial institution and they'll provide it to you. 

Step 5 - Complete Sign-Up / Verify Your Bank Account

After completing Step 4 above, you will immediately be asked to verify your bank account.

In order to confirm that you are indeed the owner of the bank account you entered in Step 4, PayPal will deposit two small amounts of money into your account. They then ask you to find those amounts on your bank statement and enter them on the PayPal website. Generally the deposits are made within 3 to 4 business days.

NOTE: Since you've just signed up for a new PayPal account, you won't know yet what those amounts are. You will be able to return to your account at a later date to finish the verification process. Right now, just click Cancel.  You will then be taken to the main page of your PayPal account. 

(In the screenshot image for this step, I was creating a "Sandbox", or test, account as a PayPal Developer. In real life, the message "SANDBOX NOTE: To confirm your bank account, click the 'Submit' button" will be replaced with two form fields in which you can enter the deposit amounts. Please disregard the special "Sandbox" text displayed in the screenshot.)

Additional Sign-Up Steps

You may receive an email from PayPal asking you to verify your email address.  Simply follow the instructions in that email.

Congratulations!

That's it, you now have a PayPal account!  Next, we'll learn how to verify your bank account so that you can add funds to your PayPal account and shop online.

Go to PayPal website

Start by logging into your account at www.paypal.com.  Enter your email address and password in the form on the left hand side of the page.  Use the email address and password you entered in Step 2 of "HOW TO SIGN UP FOR A NEW PAYPAL ACCOUNT".

Once logged in, you will be taken to your main account screen.

Step 1 - Go to the "Add or Edit Bank Account" Page

Look at the navigation tabs towards the top of the page, directly below the PayPal logo. You should be on the "My Account" tab. If not, go ahead and select it.

Next, notice the subnavigation bar that says "Overview | Add Funds | Withdraw | History | Resolution Center | Profile". Move your mouse over the "Profile" link until a dropdown box appears.  In the dropdown box, choose the "Add or Edit Bank Account" link.

Step 2 - View / Add Bank Accounts

The following page shows any bank accounts that have already been added to your PayPal account.  You will also see a button to "Add" a new bank account. 

If you've already added a bank account but not verified (confirmed) it, you may see it in this list with a message or link you can follow to complete the verification process. To confirm this existing account, click on the link next to it and skip to Step 4. Otherwise, add a new bank account by clicking the "Add" button.

Step 3 - Accept Agreement and Enter Your Bank Information

When adding a new bank account, you will be presented with a page asking you to agree to the terms of the Canadian direct debit agreement. Click "Agree". On the following page, fill in your bank account information and click "Continue". (For a screenshot of the Bank Account Information form, see Step 4 of "HOW TO SIGN UP FOR A NEW PAYPAL ACCOUNT".

Step 4 - Verify Your Bank Account

After you've added your bank account, PayPal will deposit two small amounts of money into your account.  Once you've checked your bank statement to find out how much each deposit was, you will log into your PayPal account and enter the amounts to verify that you are the owner of the bank account. 

Here are the instructions from PayPal's Help Center:

1. Log in to your account.
2. Click the My Account tab.
3. Click Profile at the top of the page.
4. Click the Bank Accounts link in the Financial Information column.
5. Click Confirm.
6. Enter the two amounts in the boxes provided.
7. Click Submit.

You have successfully added and verified your bank account!

After completing the steps above, you'll have a verified Bank account at PayPal. This will allow you to add funds to your PayPal account to make purchases.  This bank account is also used for backup funding. If you were to make a purchase online that exceeds the available funds in your PayPal account, the remaining amount will be automatically withdrawn from your bank.

Congrats and happy shopping!