PayPal lets you close your account through your settings, but you need to settle any balance first and understand what happens to your transaction history

To delete your PayPal account, log in, go to Settings, select Account, then find the Close Your Account option. PayPal will walk you through a few steps: confirming you have no pending transactions, no balance owed, and no active subscriptions or recurring payments. The process takes a few minutes, but your account does not disappear when ready — PayPal keeps your transaction records for seven years for tax and legal reasons, even after deletion.

Before you start, make sure any money in your PayPal balance is transferred to your bank account. If you owe PayPal money — from a chargeback, a refund you issued, or a negative balance — you must pay that first. If you have active subscriptions or money transfers set up to come from PayPal, cancel those before closing the account.

Key Takeaways

  • You must have a zero balance and no pending transactions before PayPal will let you close your account.
  • Transfer any money in your PayPal balance to your linked bank account before you start the deletion process.
  • Cancel any subscriptions, recurring payments, or automatic transfers connected to your PayPal account.
  • PayPal keeps your transaction history for seven years after deletion for tax and legal records.
  • Once deleted, you cannot use that email address to create a new PayPal account for 30 days.

Step-by-step: Closing your account

Log into PayPal on a computer or the mobile app. On a computer, click the gear icon in the top right corner and select Settings. On the mobile app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) and go to Settings. From there, select Account, then scroll down to find Close Your Account.

PayPal will show you a checklist before you can proceed. Confirm that you have transferred your balance, that you have no pending transactions, and that you have cancelled any subscriptions or recurring payments. If any of these are not complete, PayPal will not let you close the account — you will see a message telling you what to fix first.

Once everything is clear, click the button to confirm closure. PayPal will send you a confirmation email. Your account is now closed, though your transaction records remain in PayPal's system for seven years.

What to do with money still in your PayPal balance

If you have money sitting in your PayPal account, you must move it to your bank account before closing. Log in, go to Wallet, and select your bank account or debit card. Click Transfer Money, enter the amount you want to move, and confirm. Transfers to a linked bank account usually take one to three business days.

If you do not have a bank account linked to PayPal, you can add one before transferring. Go to Wallet, select Link a Bank Account, and follow the steps to connect your checking or savings account. Once linked, you can transfer your balance when ready.

Cancelling subscriptions and recurring payments

Before you close your account, check whether any companies are charging you through PayPal on a regular basis. Go to Settings, select Payments, then Manage Automatic Payments. This page shows every subscription and recurring charge tied to your account.

For each one you want to stop, click the subscription name and select Cancel. Some subscriptions may ask you to confirm the cancellation or may offer you a reason to stay — you can ignore those and proceed with cancellation. Once all subscriptions are cancelled, you can move forward with closing your account.

What happens to your transaction history

Closing your PayPal account does not erase your transaction history. PayPal keeps records of all payments you sent and received for seven years, even after your account is deleted. This is required by law for tax purposes and to handle disputes or chargebacks that may come up later.

You will not be able to see your transaction history once your account is closed, but PayPal can still access it if needed. If you need a record of your transactions before closing, read your statement. Go to Activity, select the date range you want, and read the file as a PDF or CSV.

The 30-day waiting period

After you close your account, you cannot use that same email address to create a new PayPal account for 30 days. If you think you might want to use PayPal again in the future, keep this in mind. After 30 days, the email address becomes available again and you can sign up with a fresh account.

If you change your mind within a few days of closing, contact PayPal Support to ask if they can reopen your account. The sooner you reach out, the better your chances — PayPal is more likely to reverse a closure if you ask within a week.

Reasons to keep your account instead

Before you delete, consider whether you might need PayPal later. If you sell items online, buy from international sellers, or use services that only accept PayPal, closing your account means setting up a new one from scratch when you need it again. You will have to re-link your bank account and rebuild your seller or buyer history.

If you are closing because of security concerns, you do not need to delete the account — you can change your password, enable two-factor authentication, and review your linked devices instead. These steps are faster and keep your account available if you need it. Go to Settings, select Security, and update your password and authentication settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reopen my PayPal account after I close it?

If you close your account and change your mind within a few days, contact PayPal Support to ask about reopening it. After 30 days, you can create a new account using the same email address, but it will be a fresh account with no history from the old one.

What if I have a negative balance when I try to close my account?

PayPal will not let you close your account if you owe money. You must pay the negative balance first. Go to your account summary to see the amount owed, then add funds to your PayPal balance or link a bank account and let PayPal withdraw the payment.

Will deleting my account affect my credit score?

Closing your PayPal account does not affect your credit score. PayPal is not a credit card company and does not report account closures to credit bureaus. Your credit is only affected if you owe PayPal money and fail to pay it.

Can I read my transaction history before closing?

Yes. Go to Activity, select the date range you need, and read your statement as a PDF or CSV file. Do this before you close your account, since you will not be able to access your history once the account is deleted.

What if I have an active dispute or chargeback?

PayPal will not let you close your account while a dispute or chargeback is pending. You must wait for it to be resolved first. Contact PayPal Support to check the status of any open cases before you attempt to close your account.