# Connected accounts, cardholders, and cards

Learn how to create and manage cardholders and cards with Stripe Connect.

Connected accounts represent business entities. Cardholders represent individuals associated with those business entities. One connected account can have multiple cardholders. For example, a connected account for a small business might have multiple cardholders for the owner and its employees. After you create a cardholder, you issue them a virtual or physical card.
Connected account cardholders and cards (See full diagram at https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/connect/cardholders-and-cards)
## Create cardholders 

To create a [Cardholder](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cardholders/object.md), use the [Cardholders API](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cardholders/create.md) and provide the required information. Using [digital wallets](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/cards/digital-wallets.md) requires a valid phone number and email address, but they’re optional for physical cards.

> As a Connect platform, you make API calls on behalf of your connected accounts by including a `Stripe-Account` header and the connected account’s account ID.

| Field               | Parameter      | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| ------------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Billing information | `billing`      | Cardholder’s billing address (typically the primary business address). You can’t use a Postal Office (P.O.) box, highway contract box, or private mailbox address, but you can use them as a card shipping address. |
| Type                | `type`         | Whether the cardholder is a `company` or `individual`. See [Choose a cardholder type](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/other/choose-cardholder.md) for guidance.                                                     |
| Phone number        | `phone_number` | Required if using digital wallets                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Email               | `email`        | Email address of the cardholder. Required if using digital wallets                                                                                                                                                  |

```curl
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/issuing/cardholders \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>:" \
  -H "Stripe-Account: {{CONNECTEDACCOUNT_ID}}" \
  -d "name=Jenny Rosen" \
  --data-urlencode "email=jenny.rosen@example.com" \
  --data-urlencode "phone_number=+18008675309" \
  -d status=active \
  -d type=individual \
  -d "individual[first_name]=Jenny" \
  -d "individual[last_name]=Rosen" \
  -d "individual[dob][day]=1" \
  -d "individual[dob][month]=11" \
  -d "individual[dob][year]=1981" \
  -d "billing[address][line1]=510 Townsend Street" \
  -d "billing[address][city]=San Francsico" \
  -d "billing[address][state]=CA" \
  -d "billing[address][postal_code]=94111" \
  -d "billing[address][country]=US"
```

Stripe returns a Cardholder object that contains the information you provided and sends the `issuing_cardholder.created` [webhook](https://docs.stripe.com/webhooks.md) event.

After you create a `Cardholder`, call the [Cardholder update](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cardholders/update.md) endpoint with the parameters that you need to change. A successful call returns an updated `Cardholder` object.

Cardholders have a default `active` [status](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cardholders/update.md#update_issuing_cardholder-status), which means that a platform has decided to enable a cardholder so that any cards attached to the cardholder can approve authorizations.

Stripe must screen cardholder identity information in accordance with legal and regulatory guidelines. This can block authorizations based on cardholder attributes, even if the cardholder’s status is `active`. Learn more about [watchlist reviews](https://support.stripe.com/questions/issuing-watchlist-reviews).

You can change the `status` to `inactive` by updating the cardholder. An inactive status on a Cardholder means all authorizations will be declined for any attached cards with a reason of `cardholder_inactive`.

## Create cards 

After you create a `Cardholder`, issue them a card with the [Cards API](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cards/create.md).

A [Card](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cards/object.md) object represents a [physical card](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/cards/physical.md) or [virtual card](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/cards/virtual.md). Creating a physical card requires a shipping address, and you can provide [additional arguments](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/cards/physical.md) to specify shipment packaging and delivery service.

| Cardholder | `cardholder` | Cardholder’s ID                                                                                                                           |
| ---------- | ------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Currency   | `currency`   | Three-letter ISO currency code, in lowercase. Supported currencies are `usd` in the US, `gbp` in the UK, and `eur` in euro area counties. |
| Type       | `type`       | Can be `physical` or `virtual`                                                                                                            |

The following call is an example of issuing a virtual card attached to the specified Cardholder:

```curl
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/issuing/cards \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>:" \
  -H "Stripe-Account: {{CONNECTEDACCOUNT_ID}}" \
  -d "cardholder={{ISSUINGCARDHOLDER_ID}}" \
  -d currency=usd \
  -d type=virtual
```

Stripe returns a `Card` object upon creation and sends the `issuing_card.created` [webhook](https://docs.stripe.com/webhooks.md) event.

## Activate cards 

Cards must be activated before [authorizations](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/purchases/authorizations.md) are approved.

If you don’t specify a status when you create the card, the card has the default status of `inactive`. A card remains `inactive` until the status is changed with the [Card update](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cards/update.md) endpoint.

To activate a card:

```curl
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/issuing/cards/{{CARD_ID}} \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>:" \
  -H "Stripe-Account: {{CONNECTEDACCOUNT_ID}}" \
  -d status=active
```

## Deactivate cards 

You can deactivate cards  by setting the `status` to `inactive` with [Card update](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cards/update.md) endpoint. This means you can’t approve any *new* authorizations for the card. You can still approve authorizations that were opened on the card before the status was set to `inactive`. To approve any new authorizations, you need to change the status of the card to `active`.

```curl
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/issuing/cards/{{CARD_ID}} \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>:" \
  -H "Stripe-Account: {{CONNECTEDACCOUNT_ID}}" \
  -d status=inactive
```

Learn more about [Managing authorizations](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/purchases/authorizations.md).

## Cancel cards 

You can cancel a card by changing the status to `canceled` with the [Card update](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cards/update.md) endpoint. The canceled status is terminal and you can’t revert it. You can’t approve new authorizations for a card with a `canceled` status. You can still approve authorizations that were opened on the card before the status was set to `canceled`.

```curl
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/issuing/cards/{{CARD_ID}} \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>:" \
  -H "Stripe-Account: {{CONNECTEDACCOUNT_ID}}" \
  -d status=canceled
```

### List Cardholders

Find cardholders associated with a connected account by making a [Cardholders API](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cards/list.md) GET request and passing the specific `Stripe-Account` into the header.

```curl
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/issuing/cardholders \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>:" \
  -H "Stripe-Account: {{CONNECTEDACCOUNT_ID}}"
```

If successful, the response contains a list of cardholders:

```json
{
  "object": "list",
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "{{CARDHOLDER_ID}}",
      "object": "issuing.cardholder",
      "billing": {
        "address": {
          "city": "San Francisco",
          "country": "US",
          "line1": "510 Townsend Street",
          "line2": null,
          "postal_code": "94111",
          "state": "CA"
        }
      },
      "company": null,
      "created": 1657144326,
      "email": "jenny.rosen@example.com",
      "individual": null,
      "livemode": false,
      "metadata": {},
      "name": "Jenny Rosen",
      "phone_number": "+18008675309",
      "requirements": {
        "disabled_reason": null,
        "past_due": []
      },
      "spending_controls": {
        "allowed_categories": [],
        "blocked_categories": [],
        "spending_limits": [],
        "spending_limits_currency": null
      },
      "status": "active",
      "type": "individual"
    },
    {
      "id": "{{CARDHOLDER_ID}}",
      "object": "issuing.cardholder",
      "billing": {
        "address": {
          "city": "San Francisco",
          "country": "US",
          "line1": "510 Townsend Street",
          "line2": null,
          "postal_code": "94111",
          "state": "CA"
        }
      },
      "company": null,
      "created": 1656537695,
      "email": "jenny.rosen@example.com",
      "individual": null,
      "livemode": false,
      "metadata": {},
      "name": "Jenny Rosen",
      "phone_number": "+18008675309",
      "requirements": {
        "disabled_reason": null,
        "past_due": []
      },
      "spending_controls": {
        "allowed_categories": [],
        "blocked_categories": [],
        "spending_limits": [],
        "spending_limits_currency": null
      },
      "status": "active",
      "type": "individual"
    }
  ],
  "has_more": false,
  "url": "/v1/issuing/cardholders"
}
```

## List cards 

You can also see a list of cards created on a connected account by making a [Cards API](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cards/list.md) GET request and passing the specific `Stripe-Account` into the header.

```curl
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/issuing/cards \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>:" \
  -H "Stripe-Account: {{CONNECTEDACCOUNT_ID}}"
```

If successful, you receive a list of cards:

```json
{
  "object": "list",
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "{{CARD_ID}}",
      "object": "issuing.card",
      "brand": "Visa",
      "cancellation_reason": null,
      "cardholder": {
        "id": "{{CARDHOLDER_ID}}",
        "object": "issuing.cardholder",
        "billing": {
          "address": {
            "city": "San Francisco",
            "country": "US",
            "line1": "510 Townsend Street",
            "line2": null,
            "postal_code": "94111",
            "state": "CA"
          }
        },
        "company": null,
        "created": 1656537695,
        "email": "jenny.rosen@example.com",
        "individual": null,
        "livemode": false,
        "metadata": {},
        "name": "Jenny Rosen",
        "phone_number": "+18008675309",
        "requirements": {
          "disabled_reason": null,
          "past_due": []
        },
        "spending_controls": {
          "allowed_categories": [],
          "blocked_categories": [],
          "spending_limits": [],
          "spending_limits_currency": null
        },
        "status": "active",
        "type": "individual"
      },
      "created": 1656537950,
      "currency": "usd",
      "exp_month": 5,
      "exp_year": 2025,
      "last4": "0021",
      "livemode": false,
      "metadata": {},
      "pin": null,
      "replaced_by": null,
      "replacement_for": null,
      "replacement_reason": null,
      "shipping": null,
      "spending_controls": {
        "allowed_categories": [
          "car_rental_agencies"
        ],
        "blocked_categories": null,
        "spending_limits": [
          {
            "amount": 8000,
            "categories": [],
            "interval": "per_authorization"
          }
        ],
        "spending_limits_currency": "usd"
      },
      "status": "active",
      "type": "virtual",
      "wallets": {
        "apple_pay": {
          "eligible": true,
          "ineligible_reason": null
        },
        "google_pay": {
          "eligible": true,
          "ineligible_reason": null
        },
        "primary_account_identifier": null
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "{{CARD_ID}}",
      "object": "issuing.card",
      "brand": "Visa",
      "cancellation_reason": null,
      "cardholder": {
        "id": "{{CARDHOLDER_ID}}",
        "object": "issuing.cardholder",
        "billing": {
          "address": {
            "city": "San Francisco",
            "country": "US",
            "line1": "510 Townsend Street",
            "line2": null,
            "postal_code": "94111",
            "state": "CA"
          }
        },
        "company": null,
        "created": 1656537695,
        "email": "jenny.rosen@example.com",
        "individual": null,
        "livemode": false,
        "metadata": {},
        "name": "Jenny Rosen",
        "phone_number": "+18008675309",
        "requirements": {
          "disabled_reason": null,
          "past_due": []
        },
        "spending_controls": {
          "allowed_categories": [],
          "blocked_categories": [],
          "spending_limits": [],
          "spending_limits_currency": null
        },
        "status": "active",
        "type": "individual"
      },
      "created": 1656537947,
      "currency": "usd",
      "exp_month": 5,
      "exp_year": 2025,
      "last4": "0013",
      "livemode": false,
      "metadata": {},
      "pin": null,
      "replaced_by": null,
      "replacement_for": null,
      "replacement_reason": null,
      "shipping": null,
      "spending_controls": {
        "allowed_categories": null,
        "blocked_categories": null,
        "spending_limits": [
          {
            "amount": 50000,
            "categories": [],
            "interval": "daily"
          }
        ],
        "spending_limits_currency": "usd"
      },
      "status": "active",
      "type": "virtual",
      "wallets": {
        "apple_pay": {
          "eligible": true,
          "ineligible_reason": null
        },
        "google_pay": {
          "eligible": true,
          "ineligible_reason": null
        },
        "primary_account_identifier": null
      }
    }
  ],
  "has_more": false,
  "url": "/v1/issuing/cards"
}
```

You can see a list of cards associated with a specific cardholder by including the `cardholder` parameter on your [Cards API](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cards/list.md) GET request. Pass the specific `Stripe-Account` into the header and the cardholder ID into the `cardholder` parameter.

```curl
curl -G https://api.stripe.com/v1/issuing/cards \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>:" \
  -H "Stripe-Account: {{CONNECTEDACCOUNT_ID}}" \
  -d "cardholder={{ISSUINGCARDHOLDER_ID}}"
```