Required Documents to Open a Relay Account (by Entity Type)

Overview

The registration process on Relay varies slightly based on your business structure. This guide outlines exactly what documents and information are required for each entity type, and includes key compliance requirements for identity verification and ownership.

When you're ready to get started, you can sign up on our website to begin enjoying no-fee business banking with Relay!

Beneficial Owner Requirements (All Entity Types)

All business owners or individuals with control over the business must provide:

A photo of a government-issued ID
- U.S. citizens: driver’s license or passport
- Non-U.S. citizens: passport only (no national ID cards)¹
Social Security Number (SSN) or passport number
Personal address (must be a physical U.S. address—no PO boxes or virtual mailboxes)²
Position/title within the business
Personal mobile phone number (for two-factor authentication)
Email address

If one or more Beneficial Owners are not U.S. residents, all owners will be asked to provide:

Source of income that started the business
Whether the business is new or established
Annual personal income
Countries in which the business operates

Who qualifies as a Beneficial Owner? Anyone who:

Owns 25% or more of the business (directly or indirectly), or
Holds significant management responsibility (e.g., CEO, CFO, Managing Member)

Please Note: All Beneficial Owners must be over 18. Relay does not support businesses partially or wholly owned by minors.

Required Documents by Entity Type

LLC (Limited Liability Company)

Employer Identification Number (EIN)³
U.S. business address and phone number (must be physical address)⁴
Industry and business description
Articles of Organization or Certificate of Formation⁵
Operating Agreement (signed, if multi-member LLC)

Corporation (C Corp or S Corp)

Employer Identification Number (EIN)³
U.S. business address and phone number⁴
Industry and business description
Articles of Incorporation or Certificate of Incorporation⁵
Corporate Bylaws (if available)

General Partnership

Partnership Agreement (signed)
Employer Identification Number (EIN)³
U.S. business address and phone number (must be physical address)⁴
Industry and business description
Articles of Organization or Certificate of Formation⁵

Sole Proprietorship

Social Security Number (SSN)
DBA or Fictitious Business Name (if applicable)
Business license (if applicable)
U.S. business address (must be physical address)⁴
Industry and business description

Please Note: Relay does not support sole proprietors without a valid SSN or physical U.S. address.

International Applicants with U.S. Entities

Relay accepts U.S.-registered businesses owned by non-U.S. citizens or non-U.S. residents. However, the business must have an operating presence in the U.S. and applicants will be asked to provide:

Source of initial income for the business
Status of the business (new or established)
Annual personal income
Countries in which the business operates

Address Verification Documents (All Entity Types)

Relay may request address verification. Acceptable documents include:

Utility bill
Signed lease agreement
Government mail (IRS, Secretary of State)
Bank or credit card statement

Address must be a physical location. No PO boxes or virtual mail services allowed.

Government-Issued ID Requirements

Must be original, valid, and unexpired
Format: PNG, JPG, JPEG (color image, no blur or flash)
Must show all four corners of the ID
U.S. citizens: driver's license or passport
Non-U.S. citizens: passport only

Please Note: Scanned copies are not accepted. Temporary or expired IDs are not allowed.

Accepted File Formats

Legal documents must be uploaded as PNG, JPG, JPEG, or PDF.
Accepted documents:

EIN Confirmation Letters (CP-575 or 147c)
Articles of Incorporation or Organization
Company Bylaws
Operating Agreements

Multiple Ownership (25% or More)

If multiple people each own 25% or more of the business, they must all be invited during the Relay sign-up process. Have all owner emails ready at the time of registration.

Changing Your Entity Type

Relay does not allow changes to your entity type after account approval. If your business structure changes (e.g., Sole Prop → LLC), you’ll need to:

Open a new account under the new entity
Close your original Relay account (optional)

Unsupported Industries

Relay cannot support businesses involved in:

Cryptocurrency exchange or services
Firearm or weapon sales
Credit repair
Privately owned ATMs
Money services businesses
Unlawful internet gambling
Cannabis sales

See the full list of prohibited industries.

Still have questions? Our team is ready to help! Contact us

¹ For non-U.S. citizens and/or residents, Relay requires a photo of a passport for the government-issued ID requirement.

² This address must be a physical address; we are not able to accept PO boxes, virtual mailboxes, or Pack & Ship location addresses at this time. An address verification document may be requested for additional verification (accepted document types listed here).

³ An Employer Identification Number (EIN) verification letter (CP-575 or 147c) may be requested for verification purposes.

⁴ This address must be a physical address; we are not able to accept PO boxes, virtual mailboxes, or Pack & Ship location addresses at this time. An address verification document may be requested for additional verification (accepted document types listed here).

⁵ Additional documentation such as Articles of Organization, Company Bylaws, Certificates of Formation etc. may be requested for additional verification.