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Last updated: June 12, 2026
Important: NVP/SOAP is a legacy integration method. We accept new integrations and support existing integrations, but there are newer solutions. If you're starting an integration, we recommend our latest solutions.
Updates a recurring payments profile.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
METHOD | (Required) Must be UpdateRecurringPaymentsProfile. |
PROFILEID | (Required) Recurring payments profile ID returned in the CreateRecurringPaymentsProfile response.Character length and limitations: 14 single-byte alphanumeric characters. 19 character profile IDs are supported for compatibility with previous versions of the PayPal API. |
NOTE | (Optional) The reason for the update to the recurring payments profile. This message is included in the email notification to the buyer for the recurring payments profile update. This note can also be seen by both you and the buyer on the Status History page of the PayPal account. |
DESC | (Optional) Description of the recurring payment. Character length and limitations: 127 single-byte alphanumeric characters |
SUBSCRIBERNAME | (Optional) Full name of the person receiving the product or service paid for by the recurring payment. If not present, the name in the buyer's PayPal account is used. Character length and limitations: 32 double-byte characters |
PROFILEREFERENCE | (Optional) The merchant's own unique reference or invoice number. Character length and limitations: 127 single-byte alphanumeric characters |
ADDITIONALBILLINGCYCLES | (Optional) The number of additional billing cycles to add to this profile. |
AMT | (Optional) Billing amount for each cycle in the subscription period, not including shipping and tax amounts. Note: For recurring payments with Express Checkout, the payment amount can be increased by no more than 20% every 180 days (starting when the profile is created). .), and the optional thousands separator must be a comma (,). Some currencies do not allow decimals. For details, see the currency codes page. |
SHIPPINGAMT | (Optional) Shipping amount for each billing cycle during the regular payment period. Note: All amounts in the request must have the same currency. .), and the optional thousands separator must be a comma (,). Some currencies do not allow decimals. For details, see the currency codes page. |
TAXAMT | (Optional) Tax amount for each billing cycle during the regular payment period. Note: All amounts in the request must have the same currency. .), and the optional thousands separator must be a comma (,). Some currencies do not allow decimals. For details, see the currency codes page. |
OUTSTANDINGAMT | (Optional) The current past due or outstanding amount for this profile. You can only decrease the outstanding amount. It cannot be increased. Character length and limitations: Value is typically a positive number that cannot exceed nine (9) digits in SOAP request/response for USD, CLP, or JPY or the per transaction limit for the currency. It includes no currency symbol. Most currencies require two decimal places. The decimal separator must be a period ( .), and the optional thousands separator must be a comma (,). Some currencies do not allow decimals. For details, see the currency codes page. |
AUTOBILLOUTAMT | (Optional) This field indicates whether you would like PayPal to automatically bill the outstanding balance amount in the next billing cycle. Value is:
|
MAXFAILEDPAYMENTS | (Optional) The number of failed payments allowed before the profile is automatically suspended. The specified value cannot be less than the current number of failed payments for this profile. Character length and limitations: Number string representing an integer |
PROFILESTARTDATE | (Optional) The date when billing for this profile begins. Note: The profile may take up to 24 hours for activation. 2013-08-24T05:38:48Z. No wildcards are allowed. |
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
SHIPTONAME | Person's name associated with this shipping address. It is required if using a shipping address. Character length and limitations: 32 double-byte characters |
SHIPTOSTREET | First street address. It is required if using a shipping address. Character length and limitations: 100 single-byte characters |
SHIPTOSTREET2 | (Optional) Second street address. Character length and limitations: 100 single-byte characters |
SHIPTOCITY | Name of city. It is required if using a shipping address. Character length and limitations: 40 single-byte characters |
SHIPTOSTATE | State or province. Required for transactions only if the address is in one of the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, India, Japan, Mexico, Thailand or USA. See the list of PayPal state codes. Character length and limitations: 40 single-byte characters |
SHIPTOZIP | U.S. ZIP code or other country-specific postal code. It is required if using a U.S. shipping address; may be required for other countries. Character length and limitations: 20 single-byte characters |
SHIPTOCOUNTRY | Country code. It is required if using a shipping address. Character length and limitations: 2 single-byte characters |
SHIPTOPHONENUM | (Optional) Phone number. Character length and limitations: 20 single-byte characters |
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
TOTALBILLINGCYCLES | (Optional) Number of billing cycles for payment period.
|
AMT | (Required) Billing amount for each billing cycle during this payment period. This amount does not include shipping and tax amounts. Note: All amounts in the CreateRecurringPaymentsProfile request must have the same currency. .), and the optional thousands separator must be a comma (,). Some currencies do not allow decimals. For details, see the currency codes page. |
TRIALTOTALBILLINGCYCLES | (Optional) Number of billing cycles for trial payment period. |
TRIALAMT | Billing amount for each billing cycle during this payment period; required if you specify an optional trial period. This amount does not include shipping and tax amounts. Note: All amounts in the CreateRecurringPaymentsProfile request must have the same currency. .), and the optional thousands separator must be a comma (,). Some currencies do not allow decimals. For details, see the currency codes page.. |
CURRENCYCODE | (Required) Currency code (default is USD). Character length and limitations: 3 single-byte characters |
SHIPPINGAMT | (Optional) Shipping amount for each billing cycle during this payment period. Note: All amounts in the request must have the same currency. .), and the optional thousands separator must be a comma (,). Some currencies do not allow decimals. For details, see the currency codes page. |
TAXAMT | (Optional) Tax amount for each billing cycle during this payment period. Note: All amounts in the request must have the same currency. .), and the optional thousands separator must be a comma (,). Some currencies do not allow decimals. For details, see the currency codes page. |
Note: Credit card information cannot be updated for profiles created through Express Checkout, since the payment is tied to the PayPal account and not a credit card.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
CREDITCARDTYPE | (Optional) Type of credit card. For UK, only Maestro, Mastercard, Discover, and Visa are allowable. For Canada, only Mastercard and Visa are allowable and Interac debit cards are not supported. Value is:
Note: If the credit card type is Maestro, you must set CURRENCYCODE to GBP. In addition, you must specify either STARTDATE or ISSUENUMBER. |
ACCT | (Required) Credit card number. Character length and limitations: Numeric characters only with no spaces or punctuation. The string must conform with modulo and length required by each credit card type. |
EXPDATE | Credit card expiration date. This field is required if you are using recurring payments with direct payments. Character length and limitations: 6 single-byte alphanumeric characters, including leading zero, in the format MMYYYY |
CVV2 | Card Verification Value, version 2. Your Merchant Account settings determine whether this field is required. To comply with credit card processing regulations, you must not store this value after a transaction has been completed. Character length and limitations: For Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, the value is exactly 3 digits. For American Express, the value is exactly 4 digits. |
STARTDATE | (Optional) Month and year that Maestro card was issued. Character length and limitations: Must be 6 digits, including leading zero, in the format MMYYYY |
ISSUENUMBER | (Optional) Issue number of Maestro card. Character length and limitations: 2 numeric digits maximum |
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
EMAIL | (Optional) Email address of buyer. Character length and limitations: 127 single-byte characters |
FIRSTNAME | (Required) Buyer's first name. Character length and limitations: 64 double-byte characters |
LASTNAME | (Required) Buyer's last name. Character length and limitations: 64 double-byte characters |
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
STREET | (Required) First street address. Character length and limitations: 100 single-byte characters |
STREET2 | (Optional) Second street address. Character length and limitations: 100 single-byte characters |
CITY | (Required) Name of city. Character length and limitations: 40 single-byte characters |
STATE | (Required) State or province. Character length and limitations: 40 single-byte characters |
COUNTRYCODE | (Required) Country code. Character length and limitations: 2 single-byte characters |
ZIP | (Required) U.S. ZIP code or other country-specific postal code. Character length and limitations: 20 single-byte characters |
SHIPTOPHONENUM | (Optional) Phone number. Character length and limitations: 20 single-byte characters |
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
PROFILEID | Recurring payments profile ID returned in the CreateRecurringPaymentsProfile response. An error is returned if the profile specified in the BillOutstandingAmount request has a status of canceled or expired. |