If your business is in Australia, you can pay straight from your bank account with PayTo. You approve each new PayTo agreement or payment in your banking app.
Note
This article is for families paying in the Customer Portal. Staff: see What is PayTo and How Do I Use It in the Office Portal? (Australia).
What is PayTo?
PayTo is a bank-to-bank payment method. When you save PayTo, you set limits on how much and how often the business can collect. Nothing is collected until you approve it in your banking app.
- Business must offer it — PayTo shows only if your business offers it.
- Held by your bank — your bank holds the agreement. Open your banking app to see, pause or cancel it.
- Mobile app — you can pay with a saved PayTo bank account in the app. To add a new one, use the Customer Portal in a web browser.
Warning
Your PayTo agreement stops working one year after you save it. Save a new PayTo method before then so scheduled payments keep going.
This article covers four separate tasks. Go to the one you need:
Pay with a saved PayTo bank account
How PayTo limits work
When you save PayTo, you set three limits:
-
Maximum Authorization Amount (AUD) — the most the business can collect.
- On demand (no limit) — the most for one payment.
- Any other frequency — the most in total each period. AUD 500 with Monthly allows AUD 500 in total each month.
- Billing Frequency — On demand (no limit), Daily, Weekly, Bi-weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Half-yearly or Yearly. Starts on On demand (no limit).
- Max Payments Per Interval — 1 to 99 payments each period. Not shown for On demand.
You can't change the limits later. To change them, save a new PayTo method.
Tip
Will PayTo be your default payment method? Choose On demand (no limit) if you also want to use it for one-off buys, such as a new enrollment or a store item. A default PayTo method with any other frequency is kept for the business's scheduled billing.
Save PayTo from My Account
- Log in to the Customer Portal. Select My Account, then Payments.
- Under Stored Payment Information, add a new payment method. If you're asked to choose, select Bank Account.
- Select PayTo, then enter your bank details as prompted.
-
Under Set your payment authorization, enter your limits. See How PayTo limits work.
- Maximum Authorization Amount (AUD)
- Billing Frequency
- Max Payments Per Interval, if shown
- Select Save Details to send it to your bank.
- An Action Required message asks you to authorize the PayTo agreement. Open your banking app and approve it.
✓ You're all set. Your bank account is saved. A clock icon shows beside it until you approve it. Then you can use it.
Save PayTo during checkout
- At checkout, select Store new payment method?
- Choose to pay with a new bank account, then select PayTo.
- Under Set your payment authorization, enter your limits. See How PayTo limits work.
- Enter your bank details, then select Confirm Purchase.
- Open your banking app and approve the request.
✓ You're all set. Once you approve the request, your PayTo bank account is saved for next time.
Make a one-time PayTo payment
- At checkout, leave Store new payment method? unchecked.
- Choose to pay with a new bank account, then select PayTo.
- Enter your bank details, then select Confirm Purchase.
- An Action Required message asks you to approve the payment. Open your banking app and approve it. The page shows Waiting for your bank… until your bank answers.
✓ You're all set. Your bank approves the payment, and the page says "Payment successful!"
- Not approved — the page says "Payment unsuccessful. Please contact support."
- No answer after five minutes — the page says your payment is still being processed by your bank. You get a confirmation when it completes. Contact the business if you don't hear anything soon.
Pay with a saved PayTo bank account
- At checkout, or when you make a payment from My Account, select your PayTo bank account. It shows as Bank Account with the last four digits of your account number.
- Complete your payment as usual.
✓ You're all set. Your payment is sent from your bank account.
Your PayTo bank account is grayed out and can't be selected when:
- Awaiting approval — you haven't approved it in your banking app yet.
- Kept for scheduled billing — it's your default payment method and its frequency isn't On demand. The business still uses it for scheduled billing.
Troubleshooting
▶ Common Questions
▶ Why does my bank account show a clock icon?
You haven't approved the PayTo agreement yet. Open your banking app and look for the PayTo request.
▶ Why can't I select my PayTo bank account?
It may still be awaiting approval. Or it may be your default payment method with a frequency other than On demand. Use another payment method, or save a new PayTo method with On demand (no limit).
▶ Why was my PayTo payment declined?
Common reasons:
- The payment is over your Maximum Authorization Amount (per payment for On demand, or the period's total for other frequencies).
- The period's allowed payments are already used.
- Your agreement is more than a year old.
Check the agreement in your banking app, or contact the business.
▶ Why did my scheduled PayTo payments stop?
PayTo agreements stop working one year after you save them. Save a new PayTo method. If it replaces the old one, make it your default.
▶ Why does my PayTo bank account say "Invalid"?
The agreement was cancelled or closed at your bank, so it can't be charged. Save a new PayTo method.
▶ How do I change my PayTo limits?
You can't edit the limits. Save a new PayTo method with the limits you want.
▶ Where can I see my PayTo agreement?
Your bank holds it. Open your banking app to see, pause or cancel it.
Related: What Options are Available from the Customer Portal's "My Account" Screen? · How Do I Access (Log In) and Navigate the Customer Portal? · What is PayTo and How Do I Use It in the Office Portal? (Australia)