Import Bacs data to Stripe

Learn how to import your Bacs data from your current payment processor to Stripe.

You can migrate your data from your current payment processor to your Stripe account using the Bacs bulk change process. We work with other payment processors and Bacs sponsor banks throughout the migration to securely migrate your Bacs data. A Bacs migration takes at least 6 weeks to complete.

To export Bacs data from Stripe to another payment processor, see Export Bacs data from Stripe.

Submit your Bacs import migration request

Start the migration process by submitting a data migration request.

Navigate to the Stripe Support form for data migrations. If you’re not signed in, select Sign in and enter the credentials of the account that you want to migrate your data to.
Select Import data from a third party into a Stripe account.
Select Bacs as the data type you want to import.
Complete the remaining fields and select Send email.

Within three days of receiving your request, our Data Migrations team emails you to request a signed Bulk Change Deed.

You need a Service User Number (SUN) on Stripe to migrate your Bacs data to your Stripe account. You can either use Stripe’s shared SUN or upgrade to Custom Branding and use a custom SUN.

SUN type	Description	Price
Stripe’s shared SUN	Stripe’s name will appear on statements, payment pages, and emails.	Free
Custom SUN	Add your business’s name and brand on statements, payment pages, and emails.	50 GBP per active month

To use Stripe’s shared SUN, select this option when initiating your migration request.

To request your own custom SUN on Stripe:

In the Dashboard, navigate to Payment Methods.
Expand Bacs Direct Debit and click Configure.
Select the option to upgrade your Bacs Direct Debit plan.
Specify your Business Display Name.
Specify your Business Support Email.
Check the box to confirm that you understand the conditions and select Customise.

Print, sign, and send your Bulk Change Deed

To complete the migration, your current Bacs provider needs to sign a bulk change deed. This agreement authorizes the transfer of your mandates from your current payment processor to Stripe.

Caution

Determine your switch date

After we receive your Bulk Change Deed, Stripe’s Data Migrations team works with you, your current payment processor, and our sponsor bank to agree on a switch date. The actual import into Stripe takes place on your switch date.

Send communications to your customers

The Letter to Payers explains why the migration is needed, how it affects Payers, and the Direct Debit Guarantee.

Download the pre-approved Letter to Payers template and send it to your customers at least 2 days before your switch date. You can’t make any edits outside of the highlighted fields. If you want to make edits to the Letter to Payers, a review is required by Stripe’s sponsor bank.

Caution

You can decide how to communicate the letter to your customers. For example email, mail, and text message are all valid communication options. Not alerting payers to this change can result in failed payments and disputes.

The payer might see two references to the business in the bank portal for 1-3 business days when Stripe imports the business’s existing mandates. This is because one is the mandate with the former provider, and the other is Stripe’s mandate.

Wait for your data import

Your current payment processor needs to send on your existing mandates and payers bank account details after we’ve gained authority for them.

Your current payment processor cancels your mandates and our Data Migrations team completes the import of these mandates on the agreed-upon date. Our Data Migrations team sends you a confirmation email when your import is complete. You can’t charge your customers on your current payment processor after they cancel the mandates on the switch date.

This table shows the Bacs timeline in business days from the time (T) that a payment is made to when a new mandate must be collected:

T+0	Migration complete and mandate submitted
T+3	Mandate is active and the payment is submitted
T+5	Funds leave the customer’s bank account
T+6	Funds are available in Stripe

Timelines and document information might differ when exporting data from Stripe to a new payment processor. See Export Bacs data from Stripe for more information.

File formatting requirements

Export data files must meet the following data standards for us to proceed with an import:

The file must be in CSV format.
The file must be UTF-8 encoded.
Delimit rows by a single newline character \n (not \r\n).
Delimit columns by ,
You must wrap all fields containing commas in double quotes ". We recommend wrapping all fields in double quotes.
Leave empty fields entirely empty (no character in between delimiters). You must not denote a missing field with NULL, N/A, or any other value.
Escape any double quotes that are part of the content with another double quote per the CSV RFC. For example: "``William ""``Bard of Avon``"" Shakespeare``"
Fields can’t contain newline characters (\r or \n) within a field. Example of what to avoid: 101 1st Ave\nApt 1
All rows must have the same number of columns.
Columns support any order.
You must encrypt sensitive data files with our PGP key before submitting through SFTP.

Bacs data fields

Field	Required	Additional info
Old customer ID	Required	We create a customer ID for each unique old customer ID provided.
Name	Required	Must include the first and last name of the person on the mandate.
Sort code	Required	Must be 6 digits in length and include leading zeros.
Account number	Required	Must be 8 digits in length and include leading zeros.
Email	Required	Stripe requires your customer’s email so we can send out notifications. Contact us if your customers don’t have email addresses.
Address line 1	Required	First line of the address for the customer’s Bacs mandate.
City	Required	City address for the customer’s Bacs mandate.
Postal	Required	Zip code of the address for the customer’s Bacs mandate.
Country	Required	Must be in the form of the ISO 2 letter country code.
Phone	Optional	Phone number of the account holder.
Address line 2	Optional	Secondary details of the address for the customer’s Bacs mandate.
State	Optional	State of the address for the customer’s Bacs mandate.
DDI date	Optional	Additional metadata (date the Bacs mandate was created).
Date of first collection	Optional	Additional metadata (date the mandate was first charged).
Stripe customer ID	Optional	Stripe customer ID to map the mandates to if required.
Old source ID	Optional	Unique representation of a payment method.
Customer/Bacs Metadata	Optional	Any additional metadata.