How to resolve “Your account cannot currently make live charges”?

How to Resolve "Your Account Cannot Currently Make Live Charges" in Stripe

 

The error message "Your account cannot currently make live charges" in Stripe indicates that your account has not been fully activated for processing real transactions. This comprehensive tutorial will guide you through the process of resolving this issue step by step.

 

Step 1: Understand the Cause of the Error

 

This error typically appears because:

• Your Stripe account is still in test mode
• Your account verification is incomplete
• Your account has been restricted due to compliance issues
• There are pending requirements from Stripe

 

Step 2: Check If You're Using Test Mode

 

First, verify that you're not accidentally using test API keys in your production environment:

// Example of test API key (starts with 'sk_test_')
const stripe = require('stripe')('sk_test_51ABC123DEF456GHI789JKL');

// This should be changed to a live key for production (starts with 'sk_live_')
const stripe = require('stripe')('sk_live_51ABC123DEF456GHI789JKL');

 

Step 3: Log Into Your Stripe Dashboard

 

Access your Stripe Dashboard by following these steps:

• Go to https://dashboard.stripe.com/login
• Enter your email address and password
• Complete any two-factor authentication if enabled

 

Step 4: Check Your Account Activation Status

 

Once logged in:

• Look for any red or yellow notification banners at the top of the dashboard
• Check the left sidebar for an "Activate Account" link or similar prompts
• Navigate to Settings → Account Settings to verify your account status

 

Step 5: Complete Account Verification

 

To complete your verification:

• Navigate to Settings → Business Settings
• Look for sections marked as incomplete or requiring attention
• Provide all requested information about your business
• Upload any required documentation (business registration, ID verification, etc.)

 

Step 6: Check for Pending Requirements

 

Stripe may have specific requirements that need to be addressed:

// Using the Stripe API to check account requirements
const stripe = require('stripe')(YOUR_API_KEY);

const accountInfo = await stripe.accounts.retrieve('acct\_123456789');
console.log(accountInfo.requirements);

The response will show any pending requirements:

{
  "currently\_due": [
    "external\_account",
    "business\_profile.url",
    "business\_profile.mcc"
  ],
  "eventually\_due": [...],
  "past\_due": [...]
}

 

Step 7: Update Your Business Information

 

Complete your business profile:

• Navigate to Settings → Business Settings
• Fill in your business name, website URL, and business type
• Select the appropriate MCC (Merchant Category Code) for your business
• Provide a clear description of what your business sells or the services provided

 

Step 8: Add a Bank Account

 

Connect a bank account to receive payouts:

• Go to Settings → Payment methods → Add a bank account
• Enter your bank account details (account number, routing number, etc.)
• Verify the account as instructed (micro-deposits or instant verification)

 

Step 9: Set Up Your Webhook Endpoint

 

Configure webhooks to handle Stripe events properly:

// Example endpoint in Express.js to receive Stripe webhooks
const express = require('express');
const app = express();

// This is your Stripe CLI webhook secret for testing
const endpointSecret = 'whsec\_12345';

app.post('/webhook', express.raw({type: 'application/json'}), (request, response) => {
  const sig = request.headers['stripe-signature'];
  
  let event;
  
  try {
    event = stripe.webhooks.constructEvent(request.body, sig, endpointSecret);
  } catch (err) {
    response.status(400).send(`Webhook Error: ${err.message}`);
    return;
  }
  
  // Handle the event
  switch (event.type) {
    case 'account.updated':
      const account = event.data.object;
      // Handle account updates
      break;
    // ... handle other event types
    default:
      console.log(`Unhandled event type ${event.type}`);
  }
  
  // Return a 200 response
  response.send();
});

app.listen(4242, () => console.log('Running on port 4242'));

 

Step 10: Switch from Test to Live Mode

 

Toggle your dashboard from test to live mode:

• Look for the "Test Mode" toggle in the left sidebar of your Stripe Dashboard
• Switch it to "Live Mode"
• Confirm that you want to exit test mode

 

Step 11: Update Your API Keys

 

Replace test API keys with live keys in your code:

• Go to Developers → API keys in your Stripe Dashboard
• Copy your live API keys (they start with "sk_live_" and "pk_live_")
• Update all instances in your codebase

// Before: Test API keys
const stripe = require('stripe')('sk_test_51ABC123DEF456GHI789JKL');
var stripePublicKey = 'pk_test_51ABC123DEF456GHI789JKL';

// After: Live API keys
const stripe = require('stripe')('sk_live_51ABC123DEF456GHI789JKL');
var stripePublicKey = 'pk_live_51ABC123DEF456GHI789JKL';

 

Step 12: Test a Small Live Transaction

 

Verify that your account can process live charges:

// Make a small test charge using the Stripe API
const stripe = require('stripe')(YOUR_LIVE_API\_KEY);

async function testLiveCharge() {
  try {
    const paymentIntent = await stripe.paymentIntents.create({
      amount: 100, // Smallest possible amount (e.g., $1.00)
      currency: 'usd',
      payment_method_types: ['card'],
      confirm: true,
      payment_method: 'pm_card\_visa', // This won't work in live mode, use a real payment method
    });
    
    console.log('Payment successful:', paymentIntent.id);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error:', error.message);
  }
}

testLiveCharge();

 

Step 13: Contact Stripe Support if Issues Persist

 

If you've completed all steps and still encounter the error:

• Go to https://support.stripe.com
• Click on "Contact Support"
• Provide details about your issue, including your account ID
• Include any error messages you're receiving
• Specify the steps you've already taken to resolve the issue

 

Step 14: Monitor Your Account Status

 

Keep an eye on your account status through the API:

// Regularly check your account status
const stripe = require('stripe')(YOUR_LIVE_API\_KEY);

async function checkAccountStatus() {
  try {
    const account = await stripe.accounts.retrieve();
    
    console.log('Account Charges Enabled:', account.charges\_enabled);
    console.log('Account Payouts Enabled:', account.payouts\_enabled);
    console.log('Account Details Submitted:', account.details\_submitted);
    
    if (account.requirements && account.requirements.currently\_due.length > 0) {
      console.log('Pending Requirements:', account.requirements.currently\_due);
    }
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error checking account status:', error.message);
  }
}

checkAccountStatus();

 

Step 15: Keep Your Account in Good Standing

 

To prevent future issues:

• Maintain a low dispute rate (below 1%)
• Process transactions according to your stated business model
• Respond promptly to any verification requests from Stripe
• Keep your business information up to date
• Implement proper fraud prevention measures

 

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the "Your account cannot currently make live charges" error and begin processing real transactions through Stripe.