How to change your name on PayPal, add a nickname, or correct typos in your current name

Ross James

Jul 28, 2020, 20:36 IST

How to change your name on PayPal, add a nickname, or correct typos in your current name

It's not difficult to change your name on PayPal.Shutterstock

There are three ways to change your name on PayPal.
In most cases, to change your name on PayPal, you'll need a photo ID and another document that proves your name has changed.
If you don't want to give PayPal your photo ID and another document, you can only change a few letters — this is so that you can fix typos.
If you don't want to deal with this hassle, you can also change your name by simply making a new PayPal account.

Changing your name comes with a lot of little headaches — new email addresses, new identification, new paperwork. There's a little headache every time you catch something you missed in the transition.

I changed my surname about five years ago, and it took a recent email receipt to make me realize I hadn't changed my PayPal information. One of those little headaches that's slipped my mind until now.

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Unfortunately, the most convenient way to change your name on PayPal is to make a new account. But if you don't want to do that, know that PayPal does offer ways to change your account name — however, most of them require you to prove that you really need the name change.

Here's how to change your PayPal name. These steps can be performed using any internet browser on your Mac or PC.

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How to change your name on PayPal

All three name change options are accessible from the same menu.

1. Using an internet browser, log into your account on PayPal's website. Click the gear at the top-right of the screen to access your settings.

2. The settings page will show the name that's currently tied to your PayPal account. To change it, click "Update."

3. The update page gives you three options to change your name, each with its own requirements. You can ask PayPal to change your legal name, add a "nickname" to your account, or merely correct a typo.

Any paperwork you submit needs to be uploaded as a PDF, JPG, or PNG, and needs to be under 5 MB in size. If you're uncomfortable uploading paperwork to the internet, you can also send copies by mail.

Change your legal name

To change your legal name, you'll need to submit a scan of a government issued photo ID, like a driver's license.

Along with this, you'll need to give legal proof that your name has been changed. This might mean a marriage certificate, or a name change court order.

Once you send this in, you'll need to wait for PayPal to approve the change. PayPal claims that it should only take a week, but some users have reported longer wait times.

Change your nickname

The second option allows you to "update" your name. This is great if you want to use a nickname, for instance.

To do this, you'll need a scan of a government issued photo ID, and an official document that shows your current name. A utility bill would be perfect for this.

This will also take PayPal some time to process and approve.

Change a typographical error

To make a minor correction to your existing name, you don't need any paperwork. However, you can only change a few letters, and you can only make this change once.