Can I open an account for someone else

Before you start

• Know whether you're opening a personal account or a business account.
• For business accounts, have your business details ready (such as your ABN/ACN or other registration details).
• Make sure all people involved have valid government-issued ID available for verification.

Who can open a Send account.

Choose the right path for your situation

• You're opening a personal account - see Personal accounts below.
• You're opening a business account - see Business accounts below.

Personal accounts

If the account is for an individual, the account holder must complete the process themselves, unless Send has received and confirmed appropriate authorisation.

• This protects your privacy, supports identity verification, helps prevent fraud and unauthorised access, and supports our legal and compliance obligations.
• If you believe you have extraordinary circumstances (for example, Power of Attorney), please contact our support team to discuss your options.

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If you're opening an account for a business, the person starting the application must be properly authorised to act on behalf of that business.

• An Authorised Representative will need to complete identity verification and applicable compliance checks before they can access the account. This may include ID verification, sanctions screening, politically exposed person (PEP) screening, and adverse media screening.
• We can't rely on verbal permission or implied consent.

This applies to all business structures, including:

• Companies (Pty Ltd)
• Trusts
• Partnerships
• Sole traders

You'll be asked to provide standard business identification documents during onboarding. The exact documents depend on your business structure. For more about who can act on behalf of a business, see Can someone else act on my behalf?.

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Verifying the people who own or control the business

For a business account, we may need to verify the individuals who ultimately own or control the business (called Ultimate Beneficial Owners, or UBOs).

Here's what to expect:

• We'll identify these people from the information you provide during onboarding.
• Identity verification must be completed before account-related actions can proceed.
• Each person will be guided through the verification steps when it's their turn.

What happens next

• Once you submit the business application, we'll review the details and request any required identity verification.
• Your business account can't be activated until the required verification has been completed.
• If we need anything further, we'll reach out to you (the Authorised Representative) directly.
• Timing can vary depending on the information provided and how quickly any required verification steps are completed.

Common questions

I want to open an account for my elderly parent / partner / friend.

Personal accounts must be opened by the account holder themselves, unless Send has received and confirmed appropriate authorisation. This protects your privacy and helps prevent fraud and unauthorised access. If there are extraordinary circumstances (for example, Power of Attorney), please contact our support team to discuss your options.

I'm not sure if I'm an Authorised Representative.

To act on behalf of a business, you need to be properly authorised. This means the business has formally appointed you and given you the power to make decisions that legally bind the business.

You may be an Authorised Representative if:

• You've been formally appointed by the business (for example, through a board resolution, the company constitution, or a written authorisation)
• You have documented authority to make binding decisions for the business
• Your role is registered or recorded through an official process

You're not an Authorised Representative just because:

• A manager, colleague, or business owner has verbally asked you to open or manage an account
• You've been given informal, casual, or implied permission to act
• You handle day-to-day tasks for the business without formal authority

Send may require a signed Authorised Representative form before we can discuss or progress account-specific matters. We can't rely on verbal permission or implied consent.

If you're unsure whether you meet these requirements, please contact our support team before starting your application. You can also read Can someone else act on my behalf? for more details.

One of the people who owns our business lives overseas - what does that mean for us?

Identity verification must be completed before account-related actions can proceed. We'll guide each person through the verification steps when it's their turn, regardless of where they live.

Why do you need to verify everyone who owns or controls the business?

Verifying the people who own or control the business (each Ultimate Beneficial Owner, or UBO) helps us meet our legal and compliance obligations, and helps protect your business from fraud and unauthorised access.

I'm a sole trader - does this apply to me?

Yes. Sole traders follow the business account process, and the person operating the business will be verified as part of onboarding.

Contact us

Call Us

Phone: 1800 982 418
International: +61 7 5619 5700
Hours: 8:30am - 5:30pm AEST/AEDT, Monday - Friday

Email Us

info@sendpayments.com