> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.guestway.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.guestway.io/settings/organization-settings/billing.md).

# Billing

Use **Billing** to connect the Stripe account that receives money from your guests. A connected, verified account set as your **default** is what powers damage waivers, security deposits, upsells, and any additional guest charges.

{% @guideflow/guideflow-embed requestedUrl="<https://app.guideflow.com/player/lpn8wvdajp>" %}

## Overview

**Settings → Billing** lists every Stripe account connected to your organization. Each account appears as a card showing its name, status, country, and currency, and the **Default** account is marked with a star.

From here you can connect a new account, finish Stripe onboarding, set your default account, and check whether an account is ready to take payments.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Stripe must verify your identity before your account can take payments. This can take time, so set up billing **in advance** of when you want to go live with damage waivers.
{% endhint %}

## Connect a Stripe account

Guestway needs its own **dedicated Stripe account** for your organization — one it's allowed to act on, so it can create the charges, holds, refunds, and payouts that power damage waivers, deposits, and upsells. Because of how Stripe works, this is always a **new Guestway-connected account**, not an external account linked in place.

{% hint style="info" %}
**New to Guestway? Always choose "Create a new Stripe account."** This is the right option for almost everyone. **Use an existing account** only applies if you already set up a Guestway Stripe account in another organization you manage (see below).
{% endhint %}

1. Go to **Settings → Billing**.
2. Click **Connect**.
3. Choose **Create a new Stripe account**.

## Create a new account

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### On the Connect Stripe screen, choose Create a new Stripe account

On the **Connect Stripe** screen, choose **Create a new Stripe account**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Select your Country

Select your **Country** (required) so your account is set up for the correct jurisdiction.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Optionally add a Contact email

Optionally add a **Contact email** — where Stripe sends onboarding and account notifications.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Continue and open Stripe

Click **Continue**, then **Open Stripe** to finish setup on Stripe's secure, hosted page.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Complete Stripe onboarding

During Stripe onboarding you'll either:

* **Start fresh** — enter your business details (legal name, VAT number, owners, proof of ownership, and so on), or
* **Reuse a verified account** — if you already have a Stripe account, Stripe can reuse its verified business details (your "legal entity") so there's far less to fill in. This is Stripe's **networked onboarding**.
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Finish verification and refresh the account status

Complete identity verification and activation. Back in Guestway, the account appears in your list — click **Refresh account status** if it isn't active yet.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**Reusing details keeps some fields in sync.** When you reuse a verified account, core business information is shared between the accounts — so updating it on one account can update it on the others that share the same details.
{% endhint %}

## Use an existing account

Choose this **only if you already manage another organization in Guestway that has a Stripe account set up.** It lets you reuse that same Guestway-connected account for this organization instead of onboarding again — handy if you run multiple organizations.

1. On the **Connect Stripe** screen, choose **Use an existing account**.
2. Pick an account from the list — each shows whether it's **Active** or **Setup incomplete**.
3. Finish any remaining Stripe onboarding if it's marked incomplete.

If no reusable accounts are found, you'll be prompted to create a new one instead — that's expected for first-time users.

## Set your default billing account

This step is what makes damage waivers, security deposits, and upsells work.

1. On the **Billing** page, click the account you want to use.
2. Make sure its status is **Active** (a restricted account can't be made default).
3. Click **Mark as default** and confirm.

The default account is used by every property that inherits billing from the organization level — for guest charges and payouts.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Required for Protection.** Damage waivers and security deposits only go live once a **usable Stripe account is set as your organization default**. You'll see this flagged in the readiness check on the [Guest Journey](https://docs.guestway.io/settings/organization-settings/guest-journey) Protection step until it's done.
{% endhint %}

## Check an account's status

Open any account to see whether it's ready to take payments.

| Status                                         | What it means                                                                         |
| ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Active** (Complete)                          | Fully enabled — charges are on and all details are submitted. Ready for billing.      |
| **Inactive** (Restricted)                      | Onboarding isn't finished. Click **Complete Stripe setup** before using it.           |
| **Charges — Enabled / Disabled**               | Whether Stripe will accept payments on this account.                                  |
| **Details submitted — Submitted / Incomplete** | Whether all onboarding information was provided to Stripe.                            |
| **Test mode**                                  | A sandbox account that takes no real money. Connect a live account for real payments. |
| **Default** ★                                  | The organization's default billing account.                                           |

## Manage an account

Open an account from the Billing list to find its management actions:

* **Complete Stripe setup / Manage Stripe account** — opens Stripe to finish onboarding or update account details.
* **Refresh account status** — re-syncs the latest status from Stripe (use this if a change isn't showing yet).
* **Mark as default** — sets this account as the organization default (only available for active accounts).
* **Disconnect from Guestway** — removes the account from Guestway. Your Stripe account stays open and can still be managed from your Stripe Dashboard.

The **Stripe Account ID** links straight to the account in your Stripe Dashboard.

## Related

* [Guest Journey](https://docs.guestway.io/settings/organization-settings/guest-journey) — set up the Protection step (damage waivers and security deposits) once billing is connected.
* [Guest Portal](https://docs.guestway.io/guestway-platform/guest-portal) — where guests pay for protection, upsells, and extras.


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