How-To Guides

M-Pesa Paybill / Till Setup

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M-Pesa Paybill / Till Setup

To accept M-Pesa payments through Slade Advantage, you need an active Safaricom Paybill or Till (Buy Goods) shortcode and Daraja API credentials from the Safaricom Developer Portal.

If you already have a Paybill or Till shortcode, you can skip ahead to Step 2: Get Your Daraja API Credentials.

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Step 1: Apply for a Paybill or Till

Documents Required

Prepare all of the following before submitting your application. All documents must be stamped.

1. Paybill Application Form (or Till Application Form)
2. Tariff Guide
3. Account Opening Form
4. Admin Account Creation Form
5. Administrator Letter
6. Bank letter or cancelled cheque (must be signed or stamped by your bank)
7. KRA PIN Certificate
8. Copy of ID or Passport of the business owner / authorized signatory

Application Methods

Option A — M-PESA Business Portal (Recommended)

1. Go to the M-PESA Business Portal and create or log in to your account.
2. Navigate to the application section for Paybill or Till.
3. Upload all required documents as PDFs.
4. Submit the application.

Processing time is typically within 72 hours.

Option B — Email

1. Compile all required documents into a single PDF.
2. Send the email to M-PESABusiness@safaricom.co.ke with a CC to paybill@safaricom.co.ke.
3. Use the subject line: Paybill Application or Till Application.
4. Include your business contact details in the email body.

Once approved, Safaricom will issue you a shortcode (e.g., 123456). Keep this — it is required when configuring Slade Advantage.

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Step 2: Get Your Daraja API Credentials

With your shortcode issued, you can now obtain API credentials from the Safaricom Developer Portal.

2.1 — Create a Developer Account

1. Go to https://developer.safaricom.co.ke.
2. Register for a developer account using your business email address.
3. Verify your email and log in.

2.2 — Create an App

1. In the portal, navigate to My Apps and click Create App.
2. Give the app a descriptive name (e.g., Slade Advantage Production).
3. Enable the APIs your integration requires:
   • M-Pesa Express (STK Push) — for initiating payment prompts
   • C2B — for receiving payments on your Paybill/Till
   • B2C (optional) — for sending money out

2.3 — Retrieve OAuth Credentials

From the app details page, copy and securely store:

Credential	Description
Consumer Key	Your client ID for OAuth 2.0 authentication
Consumer Secret	Your client secret — treat this like a password

2.4 — Retrieve Your PassKey

• Sandbox: Available directly in the portal under your test app credentials.
• Production: Safaricom sends your PassKey via email after your Paybill/Till application is approved.

2.5 — Generate a Security Credential (B2C / B2B only)

If your integration requires B2C or B2B transactions:

1. In My Apps, open the dropdown for your app and select Test Credentials.
2. Use the portal to generate an encrypted security credential.
3. For production, encrypt your M-Pesa API Initiator password using Safaricom's public certificate.

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Credentials Summary

Once you have completed the above steps, you should have:

Credential	Where to Find It
Shortcode	Issued by Safaricom after Paybill/Till approval
Consumer Key	Safaricom Developer Portal → My Apps
Consumer Secret	Safaricom Developer Portal → My Apps
PassKey	Portal (sandbox) / Email from Safaricom (production)
Security Credential	Generated in the portal (B2C/B2B only)

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If you run into any issues during the application or credential setup process, reach out to Safaricom support at M-PESABusiness@safaricom.co.ke.

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Additional References:

• Safaricom Daraja Developer Portal