Mandate Requirements

Before processing a direct debit payment, the customer must create a mandate known as a direct debit instruction (DDI). The DDI is the method by which the customer gives the bank or service user the authority to debit the customer’s account.
The mandate must provide all the information needed for the bank or service user to collect funds from the customer. The customer must explicitly give clear authority to the bank or service user to direct debit their account.
When the customer creates a mandate with you, they enter their basic bank account number (BBAN) on the mandate signing page. In the UK, the customer’s BBAN is 8 digits, and the branch identifier is 6 digits, for a total of 14 digits.

Merchant Mandate Options

Merchants have two options for creating a mandate:
  • Create the mandate in the
    Cybersource
     system:
     the customer creates the mandate directly in the
    Cybersource
     system by sending a create mandate API request. If you choose to create the mandate this way,
    Cybersource
     manages storage of the mandate as well as submitting and updating the mandate with the
    Bacs
     scheme.
  • Create the mandate in your system:
     you create the original mandate using your own templates, in your own system. Then, you import the mandate to
    Cybersource
     by sending an import mandate API request. If you choose to create the mandate this way, you must manage all aspects of the customer’s mandate, including compliance with rules and storage.
When you create or import the customer’s mandate, you must send the customer’s information to
Cybersource
. When the mandate is created, an email is sent to the customer.

Availability and Storage

Mandate information is available in the
Cybersource
Business Center
 for 6 months after the mandate is created. You are expected to retain mandate-related information in your system until you no longer want to initiate charges for the mandate.

Expiration

The mandate ID expires after 3 years of inactivity.