To delete your PayPal account, sign in on PayPal’s website, open Settings, then under Account options, click Close your account and click Close Account to confirm. Before you confirm, withdraw your balance and resolve any account limitations or other outstanding issues. Account closure is permanent. Sign in only through PayPal’s own app or website, and never share a code, password or remote access with someone who contacts you.
The short version
- Prepare first: Withdraw your balance and resolve limitations or outstanding issues before closing the account.
- Website closure: Open Settings, find Account options, click Close your account, then click Close Account.
- Data erasure: Eligible accounts can request data erasure and closure through Settings > Data & Privacy.
- Permanent decision: You cannot reverse closure, and retention requirements mean closing an account does not immediately erase every record.
| Option | Who it covers | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Website account closure | Customers closing their own account | Settings, then Account options |
| Data erasure and closure | Personal and eligible Individual or Sole Proprietary Business accounts in most locations | Settings > Data & Privacy; contact PayPal in Mexico |
| Assisted data erasure and closure | Eligible account owners or authorized representatives | PayPal’s data erasure help |
| US deceased account request | Authorized executor or estate administrator for a US account | PayPal’s US deceased account help |
| UK deceased account request | Executor or estate administrator for a UK account | PayPal’s UK deceased account help |
Prepare your account for closure
Withdraw any balance before starting the closure process. Resolve account limitations or other outstanding issues as well. If you cannot resolve an issue through your account, use PayPal’s official Help Center for assistance before continuing.
Decide whether you want to close the account alone or also request erasure of eligible personal data. The standard website route closes your account, while the privacy route submits a data erasure request as part of closure. Choose before confirming, because you cannot undo account closure. You can still request data erasure afterward by contacting PayPal Customer Service by phone or chat.
Close your account on the PayPal website
Sign in to your account on PayPal’s website and open Settings. Under Account options, click Close your account. Click Close Account to confirm.
Request data erasure while closing your account
This route applies to Personal accounts and eligible Individual or Sole Proprietary Business accounts in most locations. If your account is in Mexico, contact PayPal or use its Help Center to request data erasure instead.
Sign in and open Settings > Data & Privacy. Select Delete your data and close account. Read the information, then select Yes, Continue.
Review the warning about linked services, including Xoom, Honey and PayPal Point of Sale. Select Continue, then choose the email address where you want updates. If you want a copy of your data, request it at this stage, then choose a reason for your erasure request.
Click Submit a Request, then enter the six-digit security code. PayPal says completing these steps closes your account. Eligible data is erased subject to retention requirements, so closure does not mean every record has been deleted.
Resolve issues that prevent closure
If you cannot complete closure, check for a remaining balance, an account limitation or another outstanding issue. Withdraw the balance and resolve those issues before trying again. For anything you cannot resolve within your account, open PayPal’s official Help Center and follow its support options.
Customer service assistance does not guarantee that you can close an account with unresolved restrictions. If you are requesting data erasure, account closure is still required before erasure can proceed.
Get help with a data erasure request
Open PayPal’s data erasure help to find the official assistance options for requesting erasure and the required account closure. PayPal accepts requests by email or phone and requires identity and account ownership verification. Follow its contact instructions for your account and location.
PayPal’s help names email and phone requests for Personal accounts, and eligible Individual or Sole Proprietary Business accounts can also request data erasure in most locations. If a limitation or another outstanding issue prevents closure, work with PayPal to resolve it before erasure can proceed.
Request closure of a deceased customer’s US account
For a US account belonging to someone who has died, only an authorized executor or estate administrator may instruct PayPal. Open PayPal’s US deceased account process for its document requirements and official email or postal submission instructions.
PayPal requires a closure-request cover sheet identifying the account’s primary email address, your email address, the account holder’s death certificate and your government photo ID. It also requires documentation or a will establishing executorship, state-issued documentation if no living will exists, and the estate’s W9. Follow the official page’s submission instructions; PayPal reviews the documents and, upon approval, closes or locks the account.
Request closure of a deceased customer’s UK account
If you are the executor or estate administrator for a deceased customer’s UK account, open PayPal’s UK deceased account process. Its closure requirements include a cover sheet requesting closure, your name, email address and telephone number, information locating the account, and the death certificate. Follow the page’s official email or postal submission instructions.
PayPal reviews the request and may close or lock the account. Releasing a remaining balance requires additional estate documentation, representative identification, instructions for the funds and applicable indemnity or probate documents. Follow PayPal’s UK requirements for those documents, since the US and UK procedures differ.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you close a PayPal account through the app?
PayPal’s current account closure help gives the website route through Settings. It does not document a current app closure sequence, so follow the website steps.
Why does the privacy option have a slightly different name?
PayPal uses two labels for the privacy entry. In the privacy overview, find Delete your data/ close account; in the detailed erasure flow, select Delete your data and close account.
Does PayPal give the same website closure steps outside the US?
PayPal’s UK, India, Singapore and Namibia help pages also give the website route through Settings and Account options. If your account is elsewhere, check PayPal’s local Help Center for the instructions that apply to it.
Can an heir request data erasure for an account?
PayPal accepts assisted data erasure requests from legitimate heirs or authorized representatives, subject to identity and ownership verification. For a deceased customer’s US or UK account, the separate estate closure procedure requires an executor or estate administrator.