Authorize and delay capture

• Reserve payment for pre-orders shipping in the future
• Charge after made-to-order items are produced
• Authorize hotels or rentals at booking, capture at check-in or check-out
• Confirm authenticity of high value items requiring verification before capturing payment

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Integrate server side

# Step 1: Create order with AUTHORIZE intent
curl -X POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -d '{
    "intent": "AUTHORIZE",
    "purchase_units": [{
      "amount": {
        "currency_code": "USD",
        "value": "100.00"
      }
    }]
  }'

# Step 2: Capture the authorization later
curl -X POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/payments/authorizations/AUTHORIZATION_ID/capture \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -d '{}'

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Test endpoints

# 1. Create authorization (returns orderId)
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/orders \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"amount": "100.00"}'

# Expected response:
# {"id":"5O190127TN364715T"}

# 2. Later, capture the authorization (use authorizationId from PayPal)
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/orders/ORDER_ID/capture \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"authorizationId": "AUTH_ID_FROM_PAYPAL"}'

# Expected response:
# {"status":"COMPLETED","captureId":"3C679366HH908993F"}

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Best practices

• Capture within 3-day honor period: Authorization success rates are highest during the 3-day honor period. After the payment is authorized, ship within 3 days.
• Track authorization expiration: Store the date when the authorization was created in your database. Alert when approaching day 29 and have a process to handle expiring authorizations.
• Handle partial captures: You can capture any amount up to the authorized total. The remainder can be voided or left to expire. For multiple shipments, use multiple partial captures.
• Void uncaptured authorizations promptly: If you can’t fulfill an order, void the authorization immediately to release customer funds.
• Communicate holds to customers: Inform customers that their payment is authorized, but not yet charged. Inform them when the actual charge will occur.
• Monitor authorization validity: Authorizations can be voided by the customer’s bank or PayPal. Handle capture failures gracefully.

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Important details

• Find authorization IDs: The authorization ID is in the order approval response at purchase_units[0].payments.authorizations[0].id. Store this value in your database immediately.
• Authorization expiration: YYou have up to 29 days to capture. The 3-day honor period (when the cardholder’s issuing bank is most likely to approve the capture) is your best window. After 29 days, the authorization automatically expires and you must create a new order to charge the customer.
• Partial captures: You can capture any amount up to the authorized total. Make multiple partial captures for split shipments or capture less than the full amount if needed.
• Extending authorizations: Use reauthorization between days 4-29 to extend an authorization. See Reauthorize an authorization.

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Test your integration

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Standard testing

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Negative testing

1. Make sure to enable negative testing in your sandbox business account as described in the quick start prerequisites.
2. In the .env file, set ENABLE_NEGATIVE_TESTING=true and set NEGATIVE_TEST_TYPE to one of the error codes in the table.
3. Restart the server after changing the .env file: node server.js.

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Go-live checklist

• Implement authorization tracking system.
• Integrate capture process with fulfillment workflow.
• Configure authorization expiration monitoring.
• Test customer communication about holds.
• Test with real $1 authorization and capture.

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Post-launch monitoring