Compliance & Payout FAQ

Everything you need to get your OrdaBill account approved and your payouts flowing.

Getting approved

What do I need to complete to get approved?

Two sections on your Compliance page:

  1. Business details — name, email, phone, business registration number, physical address, city, country and industry.
  2. Payout details — where your money should be sent: a bank account, an M-PESA number, an M-PESA Till or an M-PESA Paybill.

When both sections are complete your compliance score reaches 100% and your account is ready for approval.

Who approves my account and how long does it take?

Once your compliance checklist is complete, our team reviews your business details and approves the account — usually within one business day. You can keep using your dashboard while you wait.

Is my business registration number mandatory?

Yes — it is required for approval. Use the number on your BRS certificate (for companies) or business name registration. Your KRA PIN is optional but recommended for tax records.

Payout settings

Where can I be paid?

Choose one of four payout destinations in Payout Settings:

  • Bank account — your bank's name plus the bank account number (10–12 digits, as printed on your statement).
  • M-PESA number — the M-PESA phone number you want the money sent to.
  • M-PESA Till — your business Till number.
  • M-PESA Paybill — two numbers: the business Paybill (shortcode) number and the account number under the paybill that the money should be routed to.

You only need one of them. You can switch destinations at any time — payouts made before the change are not affected.

What should the "account holder name" be?

Only bank payouts need it: the name exactly as it appears on your bank account (personal or business name). A mismatch with the bank's records is the most common reason payouts fail — check it against your bank statement or bank app before saving. M-PESA, Till and Paybill payouts need no account holder name.

Do I need a bank account? I only have M-PESA.

No. You can be paid straight to an M-PESA number (your wallet), an M-PESA Till or an M-PESA Paybill — bank accounts are just one option. Pick the M-PESA option in Payout Settings and enter the matching number.

What does "Payout account verified" mean?

When you save your payout settings, OrdaBill creates a settlement account with our payment provider (Paystack) linked to the destination you chose — bank account, M-PESA number, Till or Paybill. "Payout account verified" turns green automatically once that is done — you don't need to do anything else for it.

Why does the Paybill option ask for two numbers?

A Paybill is a business shortcode, and the money inside it is routed by an account number. Enter both:

  • Paybill number — the shortcode, e.g. 247247.
  • Paybill account number — the account under that paybill the payout should land in (e.g. your business account or customer number).

Some paybills reject money sent without an account number, so both are required.

Can I change my payout account later?

Yes — update the payout form any time. The new bank account is verified again on the next save. Payouts already in progress are not affected.

Payouts & settlement

When do I get paid?

Customer payments are settled to your bank automatically. Once your payout settings are saved, every payment made through your payment links routes the tenant share straight to your account (after the OrdaBill fee).

What is the OrdaBill fee?

Each payment carries a small platform commission (shown as a percentage of the payment). The rest is yours, settled to your bank.

I have a balance on my payout page — what is it?

Payments received before your payout destination was saved are held safely by OrdaBill. They appear as "Available to settle" on the Payout Settings page, and are paid out automatically when you save your payout details — or instantly if you press Settle now.

If Paystack needs approval for a transfer, the page tells you the transfer is awaiting approval: approve it in your Paystack dashboard, then press Settle now again. You will never be paid twice for the same balance.

I got paid but haven't received the money in my bank. What now?

Bank transfers take 1–2 business days to reflect. If it has been longer, check that the account name and number on your payout settings match your bank records, then contact support with the payment reference.

Still stuck? Read the detailed guides or reach out.

Compliance checklist guide Payout settings explained Contact support