> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vestrapay.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Settlement account

> Your primary settlement account receives everything that is not allocated to a split. Learn where to see it and how to change it safely from the dashboard.

Your **primary settlement account** is the bank account Vestrapay pays your own money into. It is where the remainder of every payment goes after any splits have been taken out, and where a share lands if a sub-account cannot be credited. If you never use splits, it receives everything.

It is created when you complete the settlement stage of KYB, and it is the one account that every settlement for your business can rely on. Because it controls where your money goes, changing it follows a deliberately careful process: a change is reviewed before it takes effect.

## Where the account comes from

The account is set during KYB. In the settlement stage you enter a bank and account number, Vestrapay asks the bank for the account holder name, and you confirm it. The name always comes from the bank, never from your keyboard. See [Go live](https://docs.vestrapay.com/payments/go-live.md#stage-3-settlement) for the whole KYB process.

## Where to see and change it

You can see your current primary account at any time under **Accounts** in the sidebar, in the **Primary Account** section. That section is also where you change it.

You can also reach the same change from **Payments → Settlements**. The **Primary Settlement Account** card on that page can open **Update** when your role permits.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Settings → Business → Settlement** shows your settlement details for display and for KYB onboarding. It is not where you change the primary account. Use **Accounts → Primary Account → Update**.

The primary account cannot be used as a split participant and cannot be deleted. It does not appear in the list of sub-accounts.

## What it receives

| Money | Goes to the primary account |
| - | - |
| Any part of a payment you did not allocate in a distribution | Yes |
| A payment with no distribution at all | Yes, in full |
| Any share of an allocation that your splits do not claim | Yes |
| A split share whose sub-account could not be credited when the payment succeeded | Yes |

See [Settlements](https://docs.vestrapay.com/settlements/overview.md) for how this money is grouped and paid.

## Change the account

You cannot overwrite the primary account directly. Instead, you send an update for review, and nothing changes until Vestrapay approves it. Until then, every payout continues to go to the current account. This protects you if a session is compromised, or someone enters the wrong number.

**1. Open the Primary Account section**

Choose **Accounts** in the sidebar, find **Primary Account**, and select **Update**. The **Update Settlement Account** dialog opens.

**2. Enter the new account**

Choose the bank and enter the account number. Vestrapay asks the bank for the account holder name and shows it to you.

Check that the name matches your registered business. If it does not, do not continue. Check the account number.

**3. Submit for review**

Submit the update. The dialog explains that the change is reviewed, which can take up to 48 hours.

### What the account must be

* **A different account.** Submitting the account you already use is not accepted.
* **An account the bank can resolve.** If the lookup fails, try again, and if it persists, check the number.
* **One update at a time.** While one update is pending, you cannot submit another. Cancel the pending one first if you want to submit a different account.

## Track the update

While an update is pending, the **Accounts** page shows a banner saying so, next to your current account. Your current account remains the one in effect, and payouts continue to go to it.

You are told about the outcome by email, so that the owner is aware of any change to where the business is paid.

| Outcome | What happens |
| - | - |
| Approved | The new account becomes your primary account, the business owner is emailed, and later settlements use it. |
| Rejected | You are notified with the reason Vestrapay gave, so that you can correct it and submit again. Your account is unchanged. |
| Cancelled | You withdrew the update before it was reviewed. Your account is unchanged. |

If you are expecting a decision and have heard nothing after 48 hours, contact [tech@vestrapay.com](mailto:tech@vestrapay.com) with your business name and the account you submitted.

## Cancel an update

To withdraw an update that is still pending, choose **Cancel update** on the pending banner. An update that has already been approved or rejected cannot be cancelled. You can then submit a new one.

## Timing and safety

* **Plan the change around your settlement cycle.** Submit it well before you need it, because it only takes effect on approval. Check the first settlement afterwards to confirm the money arrived in the new account.
* **Do not close the old account in a hurry.** Keep it open until you have confirmed that a settlement has arrived in the new one.
* **Restrict who can change it.** Full access to **Accounts** is what allows an update to be submitted, so grant it only to people who should be able to redirect your payouts.
* **Check the name every time.** A resolved name that does not match your business is the clearest sign of a wrong number.

See [Errors](https://docs.vestrapay.com/errors.md) for the full catalogue if you contact support about an error code.


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