Is a mandate an official authorization for SEPA direct debit?

In short: a digital mandate via an iDEAL payment is widely used in practice to obtain consent, but it is not officially a valid authorization for SEPA direct debit. Below you can read what that means and how to limit the risk.

When is a mandate officially valid?

There are two ways to obtain a valid mandate (authorization):

1. A mandate with a “wet” signature: signed with a pen.

2. A mandate with digital authorization: via a Digital Direct Debit Authorization.

Currently, neither RCUR nor Mollie offers integration with digital mandates.

What about an iDEAL payment?

An iDEAL payment is therefore not an official method for issuing a mandate. However, it is widely used in practice and offers a certain degree of security: someone who can make an iDEAL payment as a first payment most likely has access to the account we are going to collect from.

Read more about the Unauthorized Direct Debit Report at Mollie.

How is consent recorded in RCUR?

How the customer gives a mandate depends on how you add it:

• Via a payment link of the type Mandate or a subscription: the customer makes a first payment themselves with, for example, iDEAL, Bancontact, eps, Pay by Bank or a credit card.

• Adding a mandate yourself: you enter the customer's IBAN yourself (from the Advanced plan). Make sure you have the customer's permission and can prove it.

How to limit the risk

If the customer is aware of the recurring payments, usually no problem arises. So always ensure good communication, so it is clear how much and how often you are going to collect:

• State the amount and frequency clearly in the description of the payment link and in your agreements with the customer.

• Send a pre-debit notice. With Advanced subscriptions you can have an email sent to the customer before the next payment is collected, and set how many days in advance.

• Keep confirmation emails and agreements, so you can show that the customer was informed.