How do I close the PayPal account of a deceased relative?

We’re very sorry to hear of your loss. Please note that we can only take instructions from the authorised executor or administrator of the deceased estate to close a PayPal account previously held by a deceased person. If you wish to close the account of a loved one, please contact the relevant executor or administrator.

If you're an executor or administrator of a deceased estate and want to close the PayPal account of the deceased person, please email all the following documents to us at bereavementHK@paypal.com:

• A cover sheet from the executor, administrator, immediate family, law firm, or CPA firm representing the deceased, or the administrative party identifying the account by the primary email address, stating that the account holder is deceased and that the executor wishes to have the PayPal account closed.
• The death certificate of the account holder.
• A copy of a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s licence, passport or state-issued ID) of the administrative party.
• Legal documentation or a copy of the Will that identifies the executor of the estate, or a Grant of Probate letter from a law Firm or CPA firm confirming the executor or administrator.

Upon receipt of all the required documents, we'll review them and close the account in 1-2 days if the request is approved. If there are remaining funds in the PayPal account, we'll also inform you how to proceed to release the amount. The remaining funds may be withdrawn from the account in one of the two ways: 

• Transfer the balance to the bank account linked to the PayPal account.
• Transfer the balance to a PayPal account in the executor's name.