Managing your payment methods in TurboTenant is simple and flexible. This article walks you through how to manually add a bank account for rent payments, along with other important payment options and considerations.
Available payment methods:
Credit or debit card:
A 3.49% convenience fee applies to each payment (non-refundable)Bank account (via Stripe login):
Securely connect your account using your online banking credentialsBank account (via Stripe manual entry):
Enter your routing and account numbers manually
A $2.00 ACH fee may apply (this fee may be waived depending on your landlord's subscription)
Manually Adding Your Bank Account
To manually update or add your payment method, follow these steps:
To access your payment methods, log in through TurboTenant Renter Login.
Log in to TurboTenant through TurboTenant Renter Login and navigate to your Tenant Portal. In the lower-left corner of your screen, go to the Settings tab.
Click on the Payment Methods section.
If you already have a payment method on file, click "New Payment Method."
If you don't have a payment method added yet, click "Add a Payment Method" to begin.
Under the payment options (Debit Card, Credit Card, Bank Account), click Add Bank (using the Bank Account option) to proceed.
Next, you'll see a screen with multiple banks, you'll want to click Enter bank details manually (may take 1-2 business days).
Next, enter your bank details.
You'll be asked to provide:
Routing number
Account number
Confirm account number
Once all fields are completed, click Submit.
Next, you'll finish up on TurboTenant to initiate micro-deposits. You'll receive an email with instructions within 1-2 business days.
Did you receive an email with the subject "Confirmation of direct debit authorization for TurboTenant"?
This email is automatically sent to you when you successfully connect a bank account to TurboTenant. It is expected — no action is needed.
✅ This is not a charge. No payment has been taken. The email is simply a confirmation that your bank account has been authorized for future payments when rent or other charges are due.
Here's what it means in plain terms:
Payments are only processed when you owe them — TurboTenant will only debit your account for charges that arise from your use of the platform (e.g., rent, fees).
You're in control — You can cancel or update this authorization at any time by giving TurboTenant 30 days' notice.
Recurring charges — If you pay rent regularly, payments may be debited periodically. Any charges outside of your normal payment pattern will only be processed with your separate authorization.
Email Notification: Bank Account Verification
If you haven't received the verification email after 1–2 business days, check your inbox (and spam folder) for the following:
From: Stripe <[email protected]>
Subject: Verify your bank account for TurboTenant
To complete verification, log in to your bank account, locate the small deposit from TurboTenant, and find the verification code (starting with "SM") in the transaction description. Enter this code in TurboTenant to finish setting up your payments.
Verifying Your Bank Account Manually
After entering your routing and bank account number, a small $0.01 micro-deposit will be sent to your bank account. This process typically takes 1–2 business days (excluding weekends and holidays).
After adding your bank account manually, you'll see prompts in your account indicating that verification is still required. These will remain visible until you enter your verification code.
To complete verification:
Go to your Settings tab
Select Payment Methods
Click Enter Code
If you're on your dashboard, you can also click Add Code to complete this step.
Once the code is entered, your bank account will be successfully verified and ready to use.
From the Dashboard:
Within the red box Verify your bank account to pay rent click Add Code
From the Payment Methods section:
Click Enter Code from the Payment Methods section.
Entering your verification code or amounts
To complete verification, you'll need to check your bank account. The email notification we send will not include this information.
Depending on your verification method, here's what to look for:
If you're using code verification (most common):
Look for one $0.01 deposit in your bank account
The transaction will include a 6-character code starting with "SM" (for example: SM123456).
If the "SM" is already populated, do not re-add "SM" — just add the remaining characters.
Enter this code to verify your account.
If you're using amount verification (backup method):
Look for two small deposits (each under $1.00)
The transaction description may show "ACCTVERIFY"
Enter the exact deposit amounts to complete verification
Most customers will see the code verification method first, but in some cases, the system may switch to the amount verification method if additional verification is needed.
Important: Micro-deposit verification details
Micro-deposits typically take 1–2 business days to appear
Some banks may take longer depending on their processing times
The 6-character code (SM) will expire after 10 days
Important:
Re-entering your bank details will not speed up the process
Each time you re-enter your bank information, a new set of micro-deposits is created
This will invalidate any previous deposits, which can cause confusion during verification
Attempt limits
You'll have up to 3 attempts to complete verification
If you reach the maximum number of attempts, your verification will need to be reset before you can try again
Best practices
Enter your bank details once and make sure they're accurate
Wait for the micro-deposit(s) to arrive before taking further action
If you don't see your deposits after 48 hours:
Double-check that your bank details were entered correctly
Contact your bank to confirm there are no delays or restrictions on incoming deposits
Reach out to support if you still need help
Credit Union Accounts
If you run into issues adding your Credit Union, Credit Unions often have the same exact account number for all of their customer's individual accounts (often referred to as a Member Number), only to be differentiated by a suffix at the end of the account number. Suffixes may contain a dash or letter like an "S" preceding a 2-4 digit number. Generally, the dash or "S" is not needed in the account number for linking purposes.
Example Credit Union Account/Member Number display format:
12345678-001
12345678-S01
Suppose your account uses a suffix to differentiate between accounts, and you are having trouble linking the account number. In that case, our Team suggests contacting your Credit Union to determine what numbers should be used for your account number (including a suffix) for linking purposes.
Your Credit Union may inform you to enter your account number in the following format, removing letters, dashes, and sometimes unnecessary zeros:
12345678001
123456781
In some rare cases, credit unions use prefixes where the prefix would be at the beginning of the account/member number, such as:
00112345678
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: I received an email with the subject "Confirmation of direct debit authorization for TurboTenant." What does this mean?
A: This email is automatically triggered when you connect a bank account to TurboTenant. It is not a charge — no payment has been taken. It simply confirms that your bank account is now authorized for future payments when rent or other charges come due. No action is needed. You can cancel or update this authorization at any time by giving TurboTenant 30 days' notice.
Q: How do I set up autopay and optional rent payment features?
A: Access the Payments section in your Lease Profile to enable autopay, set monthly payment amounts, configure due dates, and activate features like automated late fees and rent reminders. These features streamline your rental payments and improve organization.
Q: How can I confirm if autopay is already turned on?
A: Log in to your TurboTenant account and navigate to your settings. Autopay status can be managed directly from there.
Q: What should I do if I'm unable to manage my payment method via the app?
A: Use a web browser to log in to TurboTenant's renter portal. This can often address app-related issues when making changes to payments.
Q: Can I add multiple payment methods for rent?
A: Yes, you can now add multiple payment methods to pay your rent with. You cannot split the payment for the rent between multiple methods in one transaction, but if your landlord allows partial payments you can submit separate payments with the different payment options.
Q: Can I use a prepaid gift card to pay my rent?
A: No, prepaid cards like Visa or Mastercard gift cards cannot be used for rent payments.
Q: I received a message saying, "The credentials you provided are incorrect." What should I do?
A: Double-check that the login details you entered in Stripe match those used for your bank account, including your email and phone number. If the issue persists, try logging in directly to your bank's website to confirm your credentials.
Q: What online banks don't integrate well with Stripe?
A: Some online banks, such as Chime, Bilt Mastercard, and GreenDot, may not work reliably with Stripe's instant login or card verification options. If you're using one of these institutions, you'll likely need to enter your bank details manually.
These banks tend to have a higher rate of connection or verification failures. If you encounter an error during setup, we recommend using a standard checking account from a major bank institution for a more reliable experience.
Q: Can I bypass Stripe if I manually add my payment method?
A: Manual connection for your bank account still goes through Stripe at this time. Stripe is a secure payment attachment portal used by many companies.
Q: What is the 6-character code required for verifying my bank account with TurboTenant?
A: If you received the micro-deposit but do not see the verification code, we recommend contacting your bank directly. We do not have a way to view this information. Additionally, ensure you are checking your bank account statement within 48 hours of the deposit. If delayed further, contact TurboTenant support for further assistance with manual troubleshooting or alternate solutions.
Q: Where do I find my verification code?
A: Check your bank account transaction history. The 6-character code will appear in the description of the small deposit transactions from Stripe. You will want to use the first 6 characters in the transaction.
Q: I'm getting an error when I click "Enter Code." What's wrong?
A: Please contact TurboTenant support directly - we'll need to help you complete the verification process.
Q: I verified my account but keep getting sent back to Stripe when trying to make a payment. What is the issue?
A: Please contact our team if you are stuck in the verification loop and let our team know the details so we can assist you with this.
Q: Do I need to disable Autopay before updating my payment method?
A: Yes. If Autopay is enabled, you may need to disable it before you can update or remove your current payment method.
Q: Can I switch my payment method?
A: Yes, you can switch from a credit or debit card to a bank account (ACH) at any time, or add an additional payment method that you can use during checkout.
Q: Why should I use a bank account (ACH) instead of a card?
A: ACH payments are often more secure and can help you avoid card convenience fees, making them a more cost-effective option for paying rent.