2006
Table Of Contents
- Authorization & Capture Integration Guide
- Preface
- Overview
- Basic Authorization & Capture on the PayPal Website
- Authorization & Capture API
- Order Authorizations Scenarios
- Best Practices
- Testing PayPal Authorization & Capture
- PayPal Authorization & Capture Statuses
- PayPal Authorization & Capture API Error Codes, Short Messages, and Long Messages
- IPN and PayPal Authorization & Capture
- Glossary
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Best Practices
Capturing Funds on Basic Authorizations
PayPal recommends that you capture funds within the honor period of three days because
PayPal will honor the funds for a 3-day period after the basic authorization. If you attempt to
capture funds after the three-day period and the authorization fails, your request to capture
funds may be declined.
After day 4 of the authorization period, you can initiate a reauthorization, which will start a
new three-day honor period. However, it will not extend the original authorization period past
29 days. For example, if you successfully complete a reauthorization on day 29 of the
authorization period, funds will only be honored until the end of the 29th day, and a new three-
day honor period will start but not extend beyond day 29.
You should capture funds within 24 hours after you ship your buyer’s order.
Buyer Approval for Basic Authorizations
A buyer-initiated authorization allows you to capture funds from the buyer’s account up to
115% of the originally authorized amount (not to exceed an increase of $75 USD) and up to
$10,000 USD.
IMPORTANT:If you want to update any details of the purchase that change the original
authorization amount, PayPal requires that you obtain consent from the buyer
at the time of purchase and/or at the time of capture.
Voiding Basic Authorizations
You should void an authorization if the authorization or reauthorization will not be used.
Voiding the authorization unlocks the temporary hold placed on your buyer’s funding sources.