In short: If you use Kajabi Payments in the UK, EU, or Australia, you’ll be asked to accept a Direct Debit agreement when you add or update your payout bank account. This lets us recover funds from your bank account in the rare cases where your Kajabi Payments balance goes negative, for example when a refund or chargeback exceeds your available balance. It’s a regulatory requirement under Bacs (UK), SEPA (EU), and BECS (Australia).
The Direct Debit agreement
When you add or edit your payout bank account in Kajabi Payments, you’ll see a screen with the Direct Debit agreement specific to your region (Bacs, SEPA, or BECS) and a checkbox to accept it. You won’t be able to save the bank account without checking the box.
By accepting, you authorize Kajabi to debit your bank account if your Kajabi Payments balance ever goes negative. We’ll always send you an email at least 2 business days in advance before any debit, so you’ll never be surprised.
Why an agreement is needed
Direct Debit schemes (Bacs in the UK, SEPA in the EU, and BECS in Australia) are regulated payment systems that require explicit, recorded consent from a customer before a business can pull money from their bank account.
Until May 2026, Kajabi didn’t have that consent on file for Heroes in these regions. That meant if your Kajabi Payments balance went negative (chargebacks/refunds/fees exceed sales on a given day) we couldn’t automatically recover the shortfall. Collecting your acceptance of the Direct Debit mandate fixes this and brings us in line with regulations in your region.
How to accept the agreement
If you set up your bank account before this change, your account doesn’t yet have a Direct Debit mandate associated with it. You’ll see a banner on your Dashboard, Payments, and Payouts pages asking you to (re-)add your bank account so you can accept the agreement.
To resolve the banner:
- From the Dashboard, open Sales, then click Payouts.
- Your existing bank account information will pre-populate
- Review the Direct Debit agreement and check the box to accept.
- Save. The banner will disappear, and you’ll receive a confirmation email.
Until you accept the agreement, Kajabi cannot debit your bank account to cover negative balances. If you keep using Kajabi Payments without accepting, payouts can still happen normally, but you may be required to settle negative balances manually.
UK / EU / Australia at a glance
| Region | Direct Debit scheme | Mandate validity | What we collect |
|---|
| United Kingdom | Bacs | Expires after 13 months of inactivity | Standard bank details + acceptance of the Bacs Direct Debit Guarantee. |
| European Union | SEPA | Expires after 36 months of inactivity | Standard bank details + acceptance of the SEPA Direct Debit mandate. |
| Australia | BECS | No inactivity expiry of note | Standard bank details, the account holder’s name, and acceptance of the BECS Direct Debit Request Service Agreement. |
One important note on bank account country: A UK Direct Debit only works on a UK bank account, a SEPA Direct Debit only works on a SEPA-area bank account, and BECS only works on an Australian bank account. If you connect a bank account in a different country, the Direct Debit won’t function on that account.
Email notifications after acceptance
| Email | When you’ll get it | What it means |
|---|
| Mandate confirmation | Right after you accept the Direct Debit agreement when adding or editing a bank account. | Confirms your authorization. Required by Bacs/SEPA/BECS rules. Includes your bank details and a unique mandate reference. Keep this for your records. |
| Advance debit notice | At least 2 business days before we debit your bank account. | Tells you the exact amount, the bank account (last 4 digits only), and the date of the debit. If anything looks wrong, contact us before the debit date. |
FAQs
What is the Direct Debit agreement, exactly?
It’s a standard Bacs (UK), SEPA (EU), or BECS (Australia) mandate: a regulated agreement that authorizes Kajabi to debit your bank account if your Kajabi Payments balance goes negative. You can review the full terms in the bank account modal before accepting.
Why am I being asked to re-add my bank account when nothing has changed?
Bank accounts added before this rollout don’t have the Direct Debit agreement on file. Re-adding lets you accept the agreement once. Your bank details and your payouts won’t change. You just need to confirm.
Can I opt out of Direct Debit?
No. Direct Debit is required to use Kajabi Payments in the UK, EU, and Australia. If you don’t accept, you won’t be able to save a bank account, and payouts can’t be delivered.
Does this mean Kajabi will start charging me?
No. Kajabi Payments still pays you. The Direct Debit is only used in the rare case that your Kajabi Payments balance goes negative, for example after issuing a refund larger than your available balance, or losing a chargeback. We’ll always notify you in advance.
I got a “Mandate confirmation” email: did I authorize something I didn’t intend to?
That email is sent automatically right after you accept the Direct Debit agreement during bank account setup. If you recently added or edited a bank account, this is expected. If you didn’t, contact support so we can verify the activity on your account.
I got an “Advance debit notice” email: what should I do?
This means your Kajabi Payments balance is currently negative and we’re notifying you before pulling funds to cover it. The email contains the amount, the bank account (last 4 digits), and the date. You have at least 2 business days to act:
- If everything looks right, no action needed. We’ll initiate the debit on the date listed.
- If the amount or details look wrong, contact support before the debit date.
How do I cancel a Direct Debit mandate?
Mandates are cancelled automatically when you delete the associated bank account from Kajabi Payments. There is no separate “cancel mandate” action. If you add a new bank account later, you’ll be asked to accept a fresh agreement.
I’m in the US or Canada: do I need to do this?
No. This change applies only to Heroes in the UK, EU, and Australia. US and Canadian Heroes won’t see the agreement or the banner.
I changed the legal name on my bank account: do I need to re-accept?
Yes. When the account holder name on a bank account changes, we re-collect mandate acceptance to keep the agreement valid against the new name.
What happens if my Kajabi Payments balance goes negative and I’ve accepted the mandate?
- You’ll receive an “Advance debit notice” email with the amount, bank account, and debit date.
- At least 2 business days later, Kajabi initiates the Direct Debit through Bacs / SEPA / BECS.
- The funds are pulled from your bank account and your Kajabi Payments balance returns to zero (or higher).
If you want to settle the negative balance manually before the scheduled debit date, contact support.
Can I see a record of mandates and debits on my account?
Each mandate confirmation and advance debit notice is sent by email and serves as your record. We recommend saving these emails for your bookkeeping.
What if I still need help?
If you have questions about the Direct Debit agreement, an email you received, or your bank account setup, contact our support team - we’re here to help. We’ll get back to you as quickly as we can. 
