How to Pass Shopify Payments KYC with a Virginia LLC (2026)
Shopify Payments business verification requirements for a Virginia LLC
By Edmond Hui · Last updated: June 2026
Edmond Hui · Founder, MyStateLLC
Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.
Shopify Payments (powered by Stripe) requires identity and business verification before activating payouts for your store. For a US LLC, Shopify collects the IRS-registered business name, EIN, a physical US address, and personal information for the account representative and any 25%+ beneficial owners. Single-member and multi-member LLCs follow the same base checklist, with multi-member LLCs needing details on all qualifying owners.
What Shopify Payments requires — and how a Virginia LLC meets each
| Requirement | How your Virginia LLC satisfies it |
|---|---|
| IRS-registered business name | Use the exact LLC name on your Virginia Articles of Organization; it must match your bank account holder name. |
| Employer Identification Number (EIN) | Provide your federal EIN (free from the IRS; non-US founders without an SSN must apply via Form SS-4 by fax or phone rather than the online tool) — independent of Virginia. |
| Physical US business address | Use a US street address registered to the LLC in Virginia (your registered-agent or virtual business address). PO boxes are usually rejected. |
| Owner / representative identity | Provide a government ID for each beneficial owner. Virginia does not list members publicly, so the platform relies on the ID you upload — names must match your operating agreement. |
| ACH-eligible checking account | Link a US business bank account opened with your EIN and Articles of Organization. |
| Active business phone number | Provide a reachable phone number for the verification code. |
Virginia-specific things to watch
- Virginia keeps LLC members off public filings, but you must still upload beneficial-owner identification directly to Shopify Payments. State-level anonymity does not exempt you from the platform's KYC.
How to verify your Virginia LLC on Shopify Payments
- IRS-registered business name. Use the exact LLC name on your Virginia Articles of Organization; it must match your bank account holder name.
- Employer Identification Number (EIN). Provide your federal EIN (free from the IRS; non-US founders without an SSN must apply via Form SS-4 by fax or phone rather than the online tool) — independent of Virginia.
- Physical US business address. Use a US street address registered to the LLC in Virginia (your registered-agent or virtual business address). PO boxes are usually rejected.
- Owner / representative identity. Provide a government ID for each beneficial owner. Virginia does not list members publicly, so the platform relies on the ID you upload — names must match your operating agreement.
- ACH-eligible checking account. Link a US business bank account opened with your EIN and Articles of Organization.
- Active business phone number. Provide a reachable phone number for the verification code.
Non-US founders
Shopify Payments requires personal identity information for the account representative. For non-US representatives, Shopify's documentation indicates a passport photograph may be accepted in lieu of an SSN or ITIN for LLC entity types — confirm this option during onboarding. If a government photo ID is not accepted, alternatives include designating a US-resident representative (who can provide their US SSN) or, if the founder has US tax-filing obligations, applying for an ITIN via Form W-7. The LLC itself must be registered in the US.
Frequently Asked Questions
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