Sign Up for Square Point of Sale
Find a POS designed just for your business.
Download the Square Point of Sale app free today, directly on your phone or tablet.
Make sure you have everything you need to sign up for Square online or in-app. If you have multiple businesses, learn how to set up multiple accounts with Square.
Sign Up Online
Go to squareup.com/ca and click Get Started to start the activation process.
You’ll be asked to answer a few questions to verify your identity. When complete, click Finish.
We’ll send you a link on your mobile device to download the Square Point of Sale app. Keep in mind that you can sign in to multiple devices using the same email address and password.
Tap the email or text message link to download the app to your mobile device.
Sign Up In-App
Make sure you download Square Point of Sale to your mobile device.
Tap New Square account to start the activation process.
You’ll be asked to input your personal and business information and to answer a few questions to verify your identity.
When you’ve finished, you can start accepting payments via manual entry.
Once you select and place an order for Square hardware, your device will be shipped and should arrive within 5 to 10 business days. Alternatively, you can pick one up at a participating retail store.
Note: If you have trouble downloading the app, make sure you’re using a supported device.
You can also access the Square Point of Sale Setup Guide in the Square app. The setup guide will walk you through setting up a bank account for transfers, creating items, ordering hardware and more.
To access the Square Point of Sale Setup Guide in the app:
Open the Square app and select ≡ More.
Select Support > Setup Guide.
For a more comprehensive look at the many features available within Square Point of Sale, view the full Square Point of Sale Guide in our Support Centre.
Once you finish, you can immediately start accepting payments via manual entry. Visit Square Shop to order additional hardware.
Information Required to Sign Up
Federal law requires that all financial institutions obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.
Current credit card regulations require our customers to be at least 18 years of age, so you’ll need to be 18 or older to create a Square account.
The following information is required to activate a Square account:
| Information | Required? |
|---|---|
| First and surname* | Yes |
| Email and password | Yes |
| Social Insurance Number** | Optional |
| Canadian-based bank account*** | Yes |
| Date of birth | Yes |
| Canadian home address**** | Yes |
| Business name and category | Yes |
| GST/HST/QST Number***** | Optional |
| PCI assessment | No, Square meets Level 1 PCI Data Security Standards. |
* Do not include accent marks, symbols or special characters, as this may cause ID verification to fail.
** While optional, providing a SIN can help expedite the approval process.
*** A Canadian bank account that processes money in CAD is required for your money to be deposited.
**** A home address is necessary for activation, but you can add a PO. Box for shipping. If you encounter any issues with this step:
***** Providing a GST/HST/QST is recommended for businesses and organizations.
Note: If you’re unable to provide the information above or leave the identity verification screen and we still need some additional information to activate your account, you’ll receive an email notification and a prompt in your online Square Dashboard to provide additional information to complete the signup process. This may include the government-issued photo identification document (ID Card, Passport, Residence Permit, Driver’s Licence) and a photo of your face (selfie). Follow the prompts to complete and send the images to us for further review.
If this process fails or if you run into any issues, you can also contact us to discuss alternative ways to verify your identity.
Sign Up for Troubleshooting Tips
We recommend paying careful attention to the information that’s provided during the signup process. Here are some thoughts to keep in mind:
Do not include accent marks, symbols or special characters, as this may cause ID verification to fail.
Did you enter your Social Insurance Number? While this information isn’t required, we find that those who provide a SIN during signup have significantly higher rates of approval. Rest assured, all information submitted to Square is encrypted and stored securely in our servers.
Have you changed your home address in the past six months? Try entering your home address prior to moving.
Has your name changed in the past six months? Try entering your legal name before it changed.
Did you enter a business name or address in the personal info fields? Make sure to provide us with your legal name and home address.
If your personal phone number recently changed, use the old number.
If you’re still unable to create a Square account after following all of the steps above or if you’ve exhausted your attempts, please contact Square support for assistance.
Choosing a Business Type
During the signup process, you’ll need to classify how you’ll use Square by selecting your business type or Merchant Category Code. Square will use this information to provide you with the best features to help you grow your business. If you’ve already set your business type and would like to change it, contact us.