SEPA Direct Debit
Introduction
SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) Direct Debit is a bank transfer-based payment method designed for the European market. It allows merchants to collect payments directly from customers’ bank accounts across SEPA member countries. By leveraging standardized payment processes, SEPA ensures efficient, cross-border transactions that feel as seamless as domestic payments.
SEPA Direct Debit supports one-off payments and recurring transactions, such as subscriptions. Customers authorize merchants to debit their accounts through a mandate, which serves as a legally binding agreement and guarantees regulatory compliance. This payment method is available in all SEPA-member countries and supports payments in EUR, offering a convenient solution for both businesses and customers.
Workflows and Transaction Types
SmartPay Integration Flow for Merchants
Merchants integrating SEPA Direct Debit must adhere to the following steps:
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Integration Prerequisites: Set up the testing and production environments, ensure compliance with SEPA regulations, and acquire API credentials.
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Create Checkout API: Use this API to create checkout sessions that include SEPA as a payment option. The API ensures seamless collection of mandate details during the transaction.
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Checkout Web SDK: Leverage the Web SDK to implement SEPA Direct Debit in web applications, including secure data collection for mandate creation.
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Android SDK and iOS SDK: Integrate SEPA payment flows into mobile apps with built-in support for mandate collection and buttons.
Customer Initiated Transactions (CIT)
- Guest Payments: Customers can complete one-time payments without saving their bank account details.
- Registered Users: Customers can securely save their bank details for future transactions.
Merchant Initiated Transactions (MIT)
- Subscriptions: Merchants can set up recurring billing schedules based on the mandate agreement. Payments are automatically initiated based on the subscription plan.
- Stored Payment Options (SPO): Bank details are securely stored under the mandate, enabling seamless future payments.
Mandate Management
Merchants must handle mandates efficiently using SmartPay's SEPA Mandate Management API which supports creating and updating mandates, retrieving mandate details and cancelling mandates when services are terminated.
Transaction Status Flow
Merchants should implement SmartPay notifications to receive transaction status updates. Upon receiving a notification, merchants must call the Get Payment Status API to verify the transaction status.
Communication with the Customer
Effective communication ensures a smooth payment experience for customers, for example, in case of refunds and disputes. SEPA mandates provide customers with a refund mechanism. Merchants should clearly outline refund policies and provide support for dispute resolution.
SEPA Test Data
Please note, that these cards are solely intended for testing purposes. Do not use them outside of test systems!
As of the new Payment Services Directive (PSD2) currently we only accept Card Payments with 3D Secure Enabled Credit/Debit Cards.
When configuring Content Security Policy consider 3-D Secure Verification will redirect to the Customer's Issuing Bank in order to Authorize the Transaction.
For Carte Bancaire (in France), please use any valid VISA test card. This is for testing purposes only!
SEPA Bank Accounts
| IBAN | SWIFT / BIC | Country | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE89370400440532013000 | COBADEFFXXX | Germany | Success |
| DE72710900000147433891 | GENODEF1BGL | Germany | Success |
| DE75512108001245126199 | SOGEDEFFXXX | Germany | Success |
| MT84MALT011000012345MTLCAST001S | MALTMTMT | Malta | Success |
| FR1420041010050500013M02606 | PSSTFRPPLIL | France | Success |
| PL61109010140000071219812874 | WBKPPLPPXXX | Poland | Success |
| IT60X0542811101000000123456 | BLOPIT22 | Italy | Success |
| ES9121000418450200051332 | CAIXESBBXXX | Spain | Success |
| AT483200000012345864 | RLNWATWWXXX | Austria | Success |
During registrations (Adding a Stored Payment Option) of Credit / Debit Cards, the 3-D Secure Verification "Challenge" flow is mandatory to enhance security.
To test a Failure scenario, select error result codes from the 3-D Secure Simulator or use an amount greater than 200.
Additional Card Details
| Item | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Expiry Date | Any valid Date in the future | ex. for February 2025 enter "02/25" |
| Card Holder | Any Name can be provided | ex. "John Doe" or "Hans Gruber" |
| CVV / CVC | VISA / Mastercard - 3 Digits American Express - 4 Digits | ex. "123", "505" or "999" etc. ex. "1234", "9999" and so on |
3-D Secure Verification Simulators
After providing one of the Test Cards (shown above) in the Payment Form a Verification Simulator will be displayed, in accordance with the 3-D Secure Version of that Test Card.
The available options are:
- (Y) Authentication/Account Verification Successful,
- (N) Not Authenticated/Account Not Verified Transaction Denied
- (N) Authentication Cancelled
- (U) Authentication not available
- (R) Authentication rejected
- (E) Authentication Server Error
- (AI) API Gateway ASM Policy Error
To Successfully Pass the 3-D Secure Verification choose "(Y) Authentication/Account Verification Successful".
