The short answer
To open a merchant account in Canada, most processors ask for your Business Number or business registration, government photo ID for the owners, a void cheque or bank letter for the account your deposits go to, recent processing statements if you already take cards, and, if you sell online, a website with clear policies. An underwriter then checks what you sell, how you sell it and how much. First, decide where your customers are. Canada only or the U.S. only is one account. Both means two merchant accounts, a Canadian account in CAD and a U.S. account in USD, so two applications.
How to Get a Merchant Account in Canada: Who Can Apply
A merchant account is the account at a bank (the "acquirer") that accepts card payments on your behalf and deposits the money into your business bank account. A Canadian merchant account deposits in Canadian dollars; a U.S. account deposits in U.S. dollars. Who qualifies depends less on your size and more on where your business is set up and where your customers are.
- Canadian businesses selling in Canada. Sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations can all apply for a Canadian account that processes in Canadian dollars (CAD). You'll need a business bank account in Canada for deposits.
- U.S. businesses selling into Canada. A Canadian account typically needs a Canadian business presence and a Canadian bank account. What counts depends on the bank. If you're not sure a Canadian account is worth it, start with selling to Canadian customers from the U.S.
- Canadian businesses selling to U.S. customers. A U.S. account is a separate application to a U.S. bank. Requirements vary by provider. Many U.S. providers require a U.S.-registered business, a U.S. tax ID (EIN) and a U.S. bank account. Stripe, for example, says registered businesses "must be registered in the US" for a U.S. Stripe account (checked September 27, 2026). More on the options in how Canadian businesses take payments from U.S. customers.
START sets up merchants who need Canada only, the U.S. only, or both. Tell us how your business is structured and where you sell, and we'll tell you what applies to you.
Canadian Merchant Account Requirements: Your Document Checklist
Here's what Canadian processors typically ask for. The exact list depends on the bank and your business type, but having these ready covers most applications.
| Document | What it proves and what to check |
|---|---|
| Business Number (BN) | Your business's standard identifier, issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Corporations have one. An unincorporated sole proprietor only gets one when registering for a CRA program account such as GST/HST, so you may not have one yet. |
| Registration or incorporation documents | Your provincial business registration, or your federal or provincial articles of incorporation. The legal name here should match everywhere else. |
| Owner ID | Government photo ID (driver's license or passport) for each owner or person who controls the business, plus home addresses. |
| Void cheque or bank letter | Shows the business bank account your card sales will be deposited to. It should be in the business's legal name. A letter from your bank confirming the account details works if you don't use cheques. |
| Recent processing statements | If you already take cards, your last few months of statements show your volume, refunds and chargebacks. No history? You can still apply. See the FAQ below. |
| Website and policies | For online sales: a live site with product descriptions, prices, contact details and refund, shipping and privacy policies. |
Not sure whether you have a BN? The CRA explains when a business needs a Business Number.
Before you sign, read the information summary box. Under the Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry in Canada (the rules card networks and processors follow, overseen by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada), your agreement must include one, and your monthly statements must show your effective rate. Our guide to credit card processing fees in Canada explains what to look for in the numbers.
What Canadian Underwriters Check
An underwriter is the person at the bank who reviews your application and decides whether to approve it and on what terms. The bank is on the hook for refunds and chargebacks you can't pay, so the underwriter is really asking one question: how likely is money to flow back out of this account? They look at:
- What you sell. Some products and services carry more risk of disputes or legal trouble than others. Describe yours plainly and completely.
- How you sell. In-person sales, online orders, phone orders and subscriptions each carry different fraud and dispute risk. Card-not-present sales (online, phone or mail order) are reviewed more closely.
- Volume and ticket size. Your expected monthly card sales and average sale. Estimate honestly. A month far above what you told the bank can trigger a review or a hold.
- When customers get what they paid for. Paying today for something delivered months from now (deposits, pre-orders, memberships) means more money at risk if you can't deliver.
- Your processing history. Refund and chargeback levels on past statements, and whether a previous provider closed your account.
- The owners. Identity checks, and many banks also look at the owners' credit.
- Consistency. The same legal name, address and owners on your BN or registration, bank account, website and application.
Canada, the U.S. or Both: Decide Before You Apply
Card fees follow the country that issued the card, not the currency you charge in. A U.S. card run on a Canadian account is a cross-border sale, with higher fees, even if you charge in U.S. dollars. So where your customers are decides which account, or accounts, you need.
| Where you sell | What you apply for | Deposits |
|---|---|---|
| Canada only | One Canadian merchant account | CAD, to a Canadian bank account |
| U.S. only | One U.S. merchant account | USD, to a U.S. bank account |
| Both countries | Two merchant accounts, so two applications | CAD from the Canadian account, USD from the U.S. account |
When START sets up "both," that's a Canadian account in CAD and a U.S. account in USD, each with its own Authorize.Net gateway, set up and managed together by START. It isn't a single account that handles two currencies. Each country's cards run on that country's account, so they're processed as domestic sales.
Deciding now saves you from applying twice later, or from paying cross-border fees on a big share of your sales without knowing it. For the full cost comparison, read U.S. and Canada cross-border payments: one account or two.
Extra Requirements for Selling Online in Canada
If you sell online, your website is part of your application. Underwriters will open it. Before you apply, make sure your site has:
- Your business name, a physical address and a way to reach you (phone or email)
- Clear product or service descriptions, with prices and the currency you charge in
- Refund, return and cancellation policies, plus shipping and delivery times
- A privacy policy, and terms for any subscription or recurring charge
- A secure checkout (HTTPS)
A site that's "coming soon" or missing policies is a common reason an online application stalls. Our website requirements checklist covers each item in detail.
You'll also need a payment gateway, the software that connects your checkout to the merchant account. If you're using or considering Authorize.Net, see Authorize.Net in Canada. Authorize.Net accounts are set to one currency, which is why selling in both countries needs two gateways.
High-Risk Businesses Applying in Canada
Some businesses get a closer review because of what they sell or how they sell it, for example subscriptions, travel, or products with changing legal rules. The documents are the same, but underwriters may ask for more detail and set extra terms. If your business might be in that group, or a provider like Stripe or Square has closed your account before, read our guide for high-risk businesses first, then tell us what you sell. We'll tell you where you stand before you apply.
What Speeds Up or Slows Down a Canada Merchant Account Application
Approval time depends on the bank, your business and how complete your file is. You control most of it.
What speeds it up:
- Sending every document with the first application, not one at a time
- The same legal name on your BN or registration, bank account, website and application
- A live website with all its policies in place
- Recent statements showing low refunds and chargebacks
- Realistic volume estimates and a plain description of what you sell
What slows it down:
- Name or address mismatches, such as a personal bank account for a registered business
- A missing or unfinished website
- Products that need a closer review, or a past account closure you didn't mention
- Unanswered follow-up questions from the underwriter
- Applying for both countries without planning for two reviews, one for each account
After approval, your gateway and any terminals still need to be set up and tested before your first sale. If you're moving from another provider, keep your old account open until the new one is live. Switching payment processors in Canada covers the order to do it in.
General payments guidance, not legal or tax advice. Rules and rates as of September 27, 2026. Requirements vary by bank and by business, and other providers' published rules are quoted as of that date.
Questions About Applying in Canada
Do I need a Business Number to get a merchant account in Canada?
Most processors ask for one. The CRA issues Business Numbers, and every corporation has one. An unincorporated sole proprietor only gets one when registering for a CRA program account such as GST/HST. If you don't have one, tell us, and we'll tell you what the bank will accept instead.
Can I apply if my business is new?
Yes. Without processing statements, underwriters rely more on your business registration, your website, your description of what you sell and the owners' background. Realistic volume estimates and a complete website help most.
Can a U.S. company get a Canadian merchant account?
It depends on how the business is set up. A Canadian account typically needs a Canadian business presence and a Canadian bank account for CAD deposits. Tell us your structure and where your customers are, and we'll tell you what applies.
Is there one application for Canada and the U.S.?
No. Selling in both countries the right way means two merchant accounts, a Canadian account in CAD and a U.S. account in USD, so there are two applications. START sets both up, each with its own Authorize.Net gateway, and manages them together.
Ready to apply?
Tell us where you sell (Canada, the U.S. or both) and we'll tell you which accounts and documents you need. START has been in payments for 20+ years and has set up more than 60,000 Authorize.Net accounts.
New to this topic? Start with our Canadian Merchant Accounts overview.
