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Version: 1.7.3

RequestByEmail

RequestByEmail

This is a payer-initiated method where you can use our API to send an email request containing a unique secure URL to each payee (recipient) for completing W-9/W-8 Forms.

How it works

1. OAuth 2.0 Authentication

As with any TaxBandits API call, begin by authenticating through the OAuth 2.0 flow to obtain an access token. This token must be included in the request header as a Bearer token. Refer to the OAuth 2.0 Authentication guide for details on JWT authentication and token handling.

2. Create Business

Before initiating a W-9/W-8 request, ensure at least one business (payer) has been created using the Business endpoint. This is a mandatory step.

3. Call the [POST] WhCertificate/RequestByEmail Endpoint

Your request must include the following:

  • Authorization Header - Include the Bearer token obtained from OAuth.
  • Payee Email Address - The form completion secure URL will be sent here.
  • Payee Reference (Optional) - A unique ID for referencing the payee in future API calls.
  • Payee Name and Address (Optional) - If included, this info will be pre-filled in the form.
  • Business Identifier (Optional) - Provide the BusinessId or TIN to identify the payer associated with the request. If omitted, the form will be tied to the first business in your account.
  • DBA Reference (Optional) - Used to display a specific DBA name as the requester on the form.
  • Customizations (Optional) - You may include branding customization in the request, such as logo, theme colors, etc, and the redirection URLs where you want the payee to be redirected once they submit the form. You may also include a CustomizationId if you’ve generated one. Learn more

4. Payee completes the form

TaxBandits will send an email with a secure URL to the payee. Upon clicking the secure URL, the payee will be provided with the option to choose the Form W-9, W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, or W-8BECI based on their citizenship and resident status. They can complete, e-sign, and submit the form.

5. Get notified

  • Webhooks - If you’ve configured Webhooks for the event type 'WhCertificate Status Change Webhook', you will receive a webhook notification once the payee submits the form. The Webhook payload includes payee details (name, TIN, address) and a link to download the completed form. Learn more
  • Status endpoint - Alternatively, you can also use the Status endpoint to retrieve the status.
  • Web messaging - Instead of Webhooks, you can choose to receive notifications via web messaging. For more information, click here.

info Automate TIN Matching
If you want to validate the TINs automatically once collected, you can set the IsTINMatching as TRUE in your request JSON.

POST WhCertificate/RequestByEmail 
Run in Postman

Request Body

FieldTypeDescription
SubmissionManifestObject[]SubmissionManifest provides brief information about submission and the services opted for.
IsTINMatchingBooleanOptional TIN Matching will be enabled when the value is set as True. Once the recipient completes Form W-9, TaxBandits will match the Recipient's Name and SSN with the IRS database and notify the client via the webhook with the TIN results.
RequesterObjectCollects the Requester identifier TIN or TBS Business ID or PayerRef. If neither is provided, the default Business will be assumed as the Requester.
    PayerRefStringOptional A unique payer identifier assigned by you while requesting the payer information using the endpoint Business/RequestByURL.
Size Range: 1-50
    BusinessIdGuidOptional TaxBandits Unique Business Identifier. This ID is generated by TaxBandits after you create a business in your account using the Business endpoint. If you do not provide the BusinessId in the request, then the URL will be generated against the default business, i.e., the first business created in your account.
    TINStringOptional Taxpayer Identification Number. Use this as an alternative for BusinessId or PayerRef.
Size Range: 9-11
Allowed values

"EIN", "SSN" (Including hyphen)

DBAIdStringOptionalUnique Identifier for the DBA.
DBARefStringOptionalA Unique identifier for each DBA. This identifier can be used in future references for the DBA in the API.
Size Range: 1 - 50
RecipientObject[]Collects the recipient's unique identifier and other basic information that will be pre-filled on the Form.
    PayeeRefStringOptionalA unique identifier for each recipient completing the Form W-9. This identifier will be used in future references of the recipient.
Size Range: 1-50
    NameStringOptional Recipient Name. This will be pre-filled on the Form.
Size Range: ..50
    EmailStringEmail address of the recipient. This is the email address to which the WhCertificate request email will be sent.
Size Range: 1-100
    AddressObjectOptionalCollects US address details of the recipient.
        Address1stringOptional Recipient US Address 1 (street address or post office box of that locality). This will be pre-filled on the Form.
Size Range: ..46
        Address2stringOptional Recipient US Address 2 (suite or apartment number). This will be pre-filled on the Form.
Size Range: ..46
        CitystringOptional Recipient US City. This will be pre-filled on the Form.
Size Range: ..46
        StatestringOptional OptionalRecipient US State Code. This will be pre-filled on the Form.
Size Range: 2
Allowed values

"AL", "AK", "AZ", "AR", "CA", "CO", "CT", "DE", "DC", "FL", "GA", "HI", "ID", "IL", "IN", "IA", "KS", "KY", "LA", "ME", "MD", "MA", "MI", "MN", "MS", "MO", "MT", "NE", "NV", "NH", "NJ", "NM", "NY", "NC", "ND", "OH", "OK", "OR", "PA", "RI", "SC", "SD", "TN", "TX", "UT", "VT", "VA", "WA", "WV", "WI", "WY", "AS", "FM", "GU", "MH", "MP", "PW", "PR", "VI", "AA", "AE", "AP"

        ZipCdstringOptional Recipient Zip Code. In the format 99999 or 99999-9999. This will be pre-filled on the Form.
Size Range: 5..10
    WebhookRefGuidOptional A unique identifier of the Webhooks that TaxBandits generates against each Callback URL when adding it to the console site.
If you pass the WebhookRef in the request JSON, we will post the webhook response to the corresponding Callback URL. If you don't pass one, the webhook response will be posted to the default Callback URL.
CustomizationIdGuidOptional A unique customization identifier generated by TaxBandits after you complete the customization process in the Developer console or the unique ID you received in the response of the PortalCustomization CREATE Endpoint. endpoint.
Note: You can customize the W-9/W-8 page (secure URL) with your own logo, favicon, and primary and secondary colors.
EmailCustomizationIdGuidOptional A unique customization identifier generated by TaxBandits after you complete the customization process in the developer console.
Note: You can customize the W-9/W-8 request email template with your own logo, favicon, and primary and secondary colors.
CustomizationObjectOptional Collects the customizations like TIN service, Business Logo and Callback URLs.
    BusinessLogoUrlStringOptional Gets the Business Logo. If given the business logo will be shown in the Iframe page.
Size Range: ..150
    LogoPositionStringOptional Optional The position where your business logo will be placed on the page.
Allowed values

"LEFT", "CENTER", "RIGHT"

    InterviewFlowBooleanOptional As an alternative to direct-form entry, provide your recipients with an interview-style W-9/W-8 completion.
    PrimaryColorStringOptional The color theme of the iframe page will be customized with this primary color.
    SecondaryColorStringOptional The color theme of the iframe page will be customized with this secondary color.

Response Body

FieldTypeDescription
SubmissionIdGuidA Unique identifier of a submission.
RequesterObjectRequester information.
    BusinessIdGuidA unique identifier of the business.
    BusinessNmStringRequester Name. If the requester is a Business, then the Business Name will be returned. If the requester is an Individual, then the Payer’s full name will be returned
    FirstNmStringFirst Name of the Individual
Size Range: ..20
    MiddleNmStringMiddle Name of the Individual
Size Range: ..20
    LastNmStringLast Name of the Individual
Size Range: ..20
    SuffixStringSuffix of the Individual
Allowed values

"Jr", "Sr", "I", "II", "III", "IV", "V", "VI", "VII"

    PayerRefGuidA Unique identifier of the payer.
    TINTypeStringTIN Type of the Requester.
    TINStringTaxpayer Identification Number of the requester.
    DBAIdStringUnique Identifier for the DBA.
    DBARefStringUnique identifier for each DBA. This identifier can be used in future references of the DBA in the API
WhCertificateObjectDetails of Withholding Certificate requests given in the request body.
    SuccessRecordsObjectRecipients with no error in the request
        PayeeRefStringA Unique identifier of the recipient.
        EmailStringEmail Address of the recipient to which W-9 request was sent.
        WhCertificate StatusStringStatus of the WhCertificate
        StatusTsStringTimestamp of the WhCertificate status
    ErrorRecordsObjectDetails of the recipients with errors
        PayeeRefStringA Unique identifier of the recipient.
        EmailStringThe email address of the recipient given in the request
        Errorsobject[]Collection of errors for the recipient
        IdstringError ID number. This ID is assigned by TaxBandits and it is unique for each error.
        NamestringName of the errored node.
        MessagestringShows the error message.
Errorsobject[]Collection of errors for the submissions.
'You should have at least one business in your account to request WhCertificate’
2.‘Insufficient credits in the account’
        IdstringError ID number. This ID is assigned by TaxBandits and it is unique for each error.
        NamestringName of the errored node.
        MessagestringShows the error message.

Request JSON

Send an email to the recipient's provided email address with a secure URL to complete the W-9/W-8 form. Automatically link the completed form to the business corresponding to the BusinessId provided. When the recipient submits the form, trigger the 'WhCertificate Status Change webhook' to send a payload containing the submitted form data.

{
"SubmissionManifest": {
"IsTINMatching": true
},
"Requester": {
"BusinessId": "9e284b90-aa98-4287-8e9a-38cc590a90d3",
"PayerRef":null,
"TIN": "092-11-5116"
},
"Recipients": [
{
"PayeeRef": "T@122",
"Name": "Jordan Henry",
"Email": "mark@sample.com"
},
{
"PayeeRef": "mia@345",
"Name": "Mia Harper",
"Email": "mark@sample.com"
}
],
"WebhookRef":"99db0874-e749-48d6-b96f-de6447d03667"
}

Response JSON

An email with the link for WhCertificate will be sent to the provided recipient email address. Since the business id is provided, the completed form will save against the same. When a recipient submits the form, the Form WhCertificate Status Change webhook payload will include the form data.

{
"SubmissionId": "2d1797a2-5e56-4da4-a59d-e82e858ffbd8",
"Requester": {
"BusinessId": "9e284b90-aa98-4287-8e9a-38cc590a90d3",
"BusinessNm": "Snowdaze LLC",
"PayerRef": "Pe12rtgr3",
"TINType": "SSN",
"TIN": "092-11-5116"
},
"WhCertificate": {
"SuccessRecords": [
{
"PayeeRef": "T@122",
"Email": "mark@sample.com",
"WhCertificateStatus": "ORDER_CREATED",
"StatusTs": "2022-06-14 07:05:18 +05:30"
},
{
"PayeeRef": "mia@345",
"Email": "mark@sample.com",
"WhCertificateStatus": "ORDER_CREATED",
"StatusTs": "2022-06-14 07:05:18 +05:30"
}
],
"ErrorRecords": null
},
"Errors": null
}