The Estate Desk

Last verified 2026-08-17; facts checked against the primary sources below

How to close a deceased person's PayPal account

Last verified: August 17, 2026

The short answer: PayPal accepts closure instructions only from the authorized executor or administrator. Send its Deceased Account Team a written closure request identifying the account's primary email, your contact email, the death certificate, your government ID, proof of estate authority, and an estate Form W-9. PayPal reviews the documents, resolves any balance, then closes or locks the account.

PayPal deceased accounts at a glance

Question Answer
Who may instruct PayPal The authorized executor or administrator
Email [email protected]
Mailing address PayPal Inc., Attn: ICA, P.O. Box 45950, Omaha, NE 68145
Core packet Closure letter, requester email, death certificate, requester ID, authority document, estate W-9
Remaining money Check in the deceased owner's name or transfer to the linked deceased owner's bank account

Who can close a deceased person's PayPal account?

PayPal says it can take closure instructions only from an executor or administrator authorized to act for the deceased estate. A relative who is not serving in that role should contact the appointed representative rather than sending a competing request.

A will may name a proposed executor, but PayPal's checklist also calls for legal documentation establishing the requester's authority. If no will exists, PayPal asks for state-issued documentation. Ask the Deceased Account Team which document it will accept for the particular estate before sending originals or ordering extra certified copies.

What documents does PayPal require?

PayPal's U.S. help page lists:

  1. A cover sheet from the requester identifying the PayPal account by its primary email address and asking that it be closed.
  2. The requester's email address for direct communication with the Deceased Account Team.
  3. A copy of the account holder's death certificate.
  4. A copy of the requester's government-issued photo ID.
  5. Legal documentation or the will identifying the executor.
  6. State-issued documentation if there is no will.
  7. An IRS Form W-9 for the estate.

Use the estate's correct legal name and taxpayer identification number on the W-9. Do not automatically use the deceased person's Social Security number for the estate.

How do you send the PayPal deceased-account packet?

PayPal publishes two submission routes:

Confirm the address on PayPal's current help page before sending. PayPal says mailed documents are destroyed after review and cannot be returned, so send copies rather than irreplaceable originals unless PayPal specifically instructs otherwise.

Keep a complete copy of the packet and note the date and method sent. If emailing sensitive records, verify that you are using the exact address published by PayPal and avoid responding to unsolicited messages requesting passwords or authentication codes.

What happens to money left in the PayPal account?

PayPal's current instructions offer two paths:

PayPal says it does not change ownership of the funds merely to issue a check. Plan how the estate will deposit a check payable to the deceased—often through an estate bank account—before choosing the method. See how to open an estate bank account in California.

If the estate may qualify for a simplified transfer, review the California small-estate affidavit guide and ask whether PayPal will accept that authority.

Can a family member use the deceased person's PayPal login?

Do not use the deceased person's password to transfer the balance, issue refunds, or close the profile. Possessing a device or credentials does not establish estate authority, and using the login can obscure the estate accounting.

Preserve statements, transaction history, merchant records, and known disputes. Ask the Deceased Account Team how any pending chargeback, limitation, negative balance, business activity, or linked credit product affects closure.

What if the PayPal account has a negative balance?

Report it through the same deceased-account process and ask PayPal for an itemized statement and the basis for the balance. A family member should not promise personal payment merely because they notified PayPal.

Liability depends on the account, transactions, any co-obligor, and applicable estate law. Coordinate the claim with the broader deceased credit-card and debt workflow.

How long does PayPal take to close the account?

PayPal does not publish a guaranteed turnaround time in its deceased-relative help article. It says the documentation and account will be reviewed and that, after approval, the account will be closed or locked.

Ask for written confirmation of the balance disposition and final account status. Keep that confirmation with the estate accounting.

PayPal can change its documentation and submission process. Confirm the current U.S. instructions on PayPal's official help page before sending sensitive records.

Primary sources