If you're a government agency, municipality, nonprofit, or other organization, you may wonder why Stripe asks for the last four digits of a person's Social Security Number (SSN) when setting up Direct Deposit.

This is a common question, and the answer is simple: Stripe requires an authorized representative to verify their identity as part of its security and compliance process. It does not mean that person owns the organization.

Why Is This Required?

Stripe is a regulated financial institution and must comply with Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. As part of this process, Stripe verifies both:

• Your organization, using its Employer Identification Number (EIN), and
• An authorized representative, using the last four digits of their SSN.

This helps protect against fraud and ensures the account is managed by someone authorized to act on behalf of the organization.

Who Can Be the Authorized Representative?

The representative does not need to be the owner of the organization.

They can be any person authorized to manage the Stripe account, such as:

• Executive Director
• CFO
• Treasurer
• Office Manager
• Finance Manager
• Any other authorized employee or official

What Is the SSN Used For?

The representative's SSN is only used to verify their identity.

It is not:

• Used for your organization's tax reporting.
• Used to determine ownership of the organization.
• Linked to your organization's payouts or bank account.

Your organization's tax information continues to be based on its EIN.

What If My Organization Doesn't Have an SSN?

Organizations themselves are not expected to have an SSN. Instead, Stripe verifies:

• The organization using its EIN.
• The authorized representative using the last four digits of their SSN.

This is a standard requirement for all organizations, including nonprofits and government entities.

Need Help?

If your organization has questions about completing the Stripe setup or is unable to meet these requirements, please contact RoverPass Support. We'll be happy to review your situation and help you determine the best payout option for your organization.