SCA payment indicators

Last updated: Aug 15th, 7:30am

If you process payments that require Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), you need to provide additional context about the transaction with payment indicators. The payment indicators ensure that buyer authentication, card on file, and other factors are appropriately handled. Pass these payment indicators to avoid rejected transactions.

To provide additional transaction context, include stored_payment_source in your create order request.

Know before you code

Required

Required integration:

Advanced checkout integration

See advanced checkout integration

Add request parameter

Update the POST v2/checkout/orders request body to include stored_credential.

Sample request

API endpoint used: Create order

1curl -v -X POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders \
2-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
3-H "Authorization: Bearer <Access-Token>" \
4-H "PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id: <BN-Code>" \
5-d '{
6    "intent": "CAPTURE",
7    "purchase_units": [{
8      "reference_id": "d9f80740-38f0-11e8-b467-0ed5f89f718b",
9      "amount": {
10        "currency_code": "USD",
11        "value": "100.00"
12      }
13    }],
14    "payment_source": {
15      "card": {
16        "number": "4111111111111111",
17        "expiry": "2020-02",
18        "name": "John Doe",
19        "billing_address":
20        {
21          "address_line_1": "2211 N First Street",
22          "address_line_2": "17.3.160",
23          "admin_area_1": "CA",
24          "admin_area_2": "San Jose",
25          "postal_code": "95131",
26          "country_code": "US"
27        },
28        "stored_credential":
29        {
30          "payment_initiator": "MERCHANT",
31          "payment_type": "RECURRING",
32          "usage": "SUBSEQUENT",
33          "previous_transaction_reference": "53963906K75832009"
34        }
35      }
36    }
37  }'

Modify the code

Copy the code snippet and modify the values for stored_credential as follows:

payment_initiatorRequired

Value	Description
`CUSTOMER`	Customer initiates the payment.
`MERCHANT`	Merchant initiates the transaction and the merchant has established consent to charge the buyer.

payment_typeRequired

Value	Description
`UNSCHEDULED`	Payments that the merchant initiates and are not on a specified schedule. For example, this includes preauthorized transactions where the merchant can charge the buyer once a balance falls within a specified range. These transactions are also referred to as _top-up_.
`RECURRING`	Merchant initiates a payment as part of a series of recurring payments. The payment amounts can be variable and are on a fixed time interval.
`ONE_TIME`	Default when no `stored_credential` is sent.

usage

Value	Description
`FIRST`	Save card information or payment token to use in subsequent transactions. Collect consent from the buyer that you intend to save their payment information.
`SUBSEQUENT`	Card information or payment token was previously saved and is used in the transaction.
`DERIVED`	The value of `FIRST` or `SUBSEQUENT` is determined based on the data available.

previous_transaction_reference

Transaction ID previously used to charge the payer. Shows payment processors that you have established a contract with the payer.

previous_network_transaction_reference

Value	Description
`previous_network_transactionID`	Transaction ID from a non-PayPal payment processor that you have previously used to process the payment.
`network`	Transaction ID from a non-PayPal payment processor that you have previously used to process the payment.

network_transaction_reference

Reference values used by the card network to identify a transaction.

Value	Description
`ID` Required	Transaction reference ID returned by the scheme.
`NETWORK` Required	Name of the card network through which the transaction was routed.
`DATE`	The date that the transaction was authorized by the scheme.

Step result

A successful request results in the following:

A return status code of HTTP 201 Created.
A JSON response body that contains the processor response.

Use cases

You can use these common scenarios to determine how you'll update your integration.

One time transaction

Scenario	Payment initiator	Payment type	Usage
Single payment. Payer doesn't intend to make another purchase or save their card.	`CUSTOMER`	`ONE_TIME`	`DERIVED`
Single payment. Payer saves their card details for a future single payment.	`CUSTOMER`	`ONE_TIME`	`FIRST`
Single payment. Payer uses a previously-saved card to complete the transaction.	`CUSTOMER`	`ONE_TIME`	`SUBSEQUENT`

Recurring plan or subscription

Scenario	Payment initiator	Payment type	Usage
Initial transaction to sign up for the recurring charges. Payer hasn't saved their card.	`CUSTOMER`	`RECURRING`	`FIRST`
Initial transaction to sign up for the recurring charges. Payer has already saved their card.	`CUSTOMER`	`RECURRING`	`SUBSEQUENT`
Subsequent payments as part of a recurring plan.	`MERCHANT`	`RECURRING`	`SUBSEQUENT`
Initial customer-initiated transaction wasn't processed with PayPal. Merchant processes recurring charge with PayPal.	`MERCHANT`	`RECURRING`	`SUBSEQUENT`

Unscheduled payment

Scenario	Payment initiator	Payment type	Usage
Initial transaction to sign up for an unscheduled payment. Payer has not saved their card.	`CUSTOMER`	`UNSCHEDULED`	`FIRST`
Initial transaction to sign up for an unscheduled payment. Payer has already saved their card.	`CUSTOMER`	`UNSCHEDULED`	`SUBSEQUENT`
Subsequent payments as part of the unscheduled contract.	`MERCHANT`	`UNSCHEDULED`	`SUBSEQUENT`
Initial payer-initiated transaction wasn't processed with PayPal. Merchant processes unscheduled charge with PayPal.	`MERCHANT`	`UNSCHEDULED`	`SUBSEQUENT`

Next steps

Optional

Test in PayPal Sandbox

A self-contained, virtual testing environment.

Optional

Go Live

Move from PayPal's production environment to go live.