> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rapidcert.co.nz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Billing & payments

> How to make payments and view billing history in RapidCert

# Billing & payments

Some evaluations require payment before they can be processed.

## When payment is required

Payment is always taken **at the start** of the process — when you click **Begin Accreditation** (for a new accreditation) or **Renew** (for a renewal). Your evaluation is created only after payment is confirmed.

Payment may be required for:

* **New accreditations** — when starting for the first time
* **Renewals** — when renewing an existing accreditation
* **Score reviews** — when requesting a review of an assessed evaluation (if a fee applies, it is non-refundable)

<Note>
  Not all accreditations require payment. This depends on the evaluation type and client group configuration.
</Note>

## Fixed-price accreditation slots

Some accreditation slots are assigned by your client group administrator with a **fixed price**. When a slot has a fixed price set:

* The checkout modal shows the pricing type as **Fixed** next to the template name.
* The price shown during checkout is final and cannot be reduced by a coupon or consultant discount code.
* The coupon code field may still appear in the checkout flow but any code entered is not applied to the total.
* Urgent pricing is not offered on fixed-price slots — the urgent-pricing toggle is hidden.
* A fixed price of `$0` skips the Stripe checkout step entirely; the evaluation is created immediately after you confirm.

If you believe the price shown is incorrect, contact your client group administrator — the fixed price is set by them, not by you.

## Payments and labelled slots

If an accreditation has a [slot label](/guides/contractors/certifications#labelled-accreditation-slots), the label is carried through the payment flow:

* Payment receipt emails include the label alongside the certification type (e.g. `SHEPrequal Assessment - Auckland Hotel`).
* Your billing history page shows the label on each transaction row for the affected accreditation.

This lets you match a payment to the specific accreditation slot it relates to when your company holds more than one slot of the same type.

## Payment flow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start your accreditation">
    Click **Begin Accreditation** or **Renew** on the accreditation card on your dashboard. The accreditation setup opens.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete setup details">
    Fill in any required setup fields (such as category or employee count, depending on your client's configuration).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review pricing">
    Review the template, pricing tier, and GST breakdown. You can enter a coupon code if you have one. If the template is free (no charge applies), the **Continue to Checkout** button changes to **Confirm and continue** — no billing address or card details are required.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete payment">
    * **If the total is greater than \$0** — click **Continue to Checkout**. You are prompted to confirm your billing address, then redirected to Stripe Checkout to enter your card details and confirm payment.
    * **If the template is free (\$0)** — click **Confirm and continue**. The evaluation is created immediately with no billing address or Stripe redirect required.
    * **If a coupon reduces a paid template to \$0** — you are still redirected to Stripe Checkout. Stripe records the discount for tracking purposes even though no charge is made.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Return to RapidCert">
    Your evaluation has been created — return to your dashboard to begin answering questions.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  All card payments are processed securely through Stripe. RapidCert does not store your card details. Free templates skip the billing address step and Stripe entirely; paid templates discounted to \$0 still go through Stripe for discount tracking.
</Info>

### Zero-total (\$0) accreditations

There are two ways a checkout can result in a \$0 total, and they behave differently:

**Free templates** — some evaluation types are configured with no charge. In this case:

* The action button reads **Confirm and continue** rather than **Continue to Checkout**.
* No billing address is collected and there is no Stripe redirect.
* Submitting it creates your evaluation directly.
* The transaction still appears in your [billing history](#billing-history) marked as paid with a \$0 amount.

\*\*Paid templates discounted to $0** — if a coupon or consultant discount reduces a paid template's price to $0:

* You are still redirected to Stripe Checkout, even though no charge is made.
* Stripe records the discount for tracking purposes.
* After Stripe confirms the \$0 session, you are returned to RapidCert and your evaluation is created.

<Note>
  Refunds are not available for \$0 evaluations because no charge was made. If you change pricing tier (for example, standard to urgent) after applying a discount, the coupon is re-validated against the new tier and the total is recalculated.
</Note>

## Billing history

Navigate to **Billing & Payments** in the sidebar to view your payment history. The table shows:

| Column         | Description                                |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| Date           | When the payment was made                  |
| Description    | What the payment was for                   |
| Payment Method | The card used                              |
| Status         | Paid, Pending, Refunded, or Partial Refund |
| Amount         | The total amount charged                   |
| Refunded       | Any amount refunded                        |
| Actions        | Link to view the Stripe receipt            |

## Refunds

Contact support with your payment details to request a refund. Refund policies vary by evaluation type and client group.

<Note>
  Refunds are not offered on zero-total (\$0) evaluations because no charge was made.
</Note>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="My payment was declined">
    * Check your card details on the Stripe page
    * Ensure you have sufficient funds
    * Try a different card
    * Contact your bank if the issue persists
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I was charged twice">
    Check your billing history and compare with your bank statement. Contact support with details if you see a duplicate charge.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I need a GST invoice">
    Open the Stripe receipt from the **View Receipt** link, or contact support for specific invoicing requirements.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I was redirected back without completing payment">
    No charges have been made and no evaluation has been created. Return to your dashboard and click **Begin Accreditation** or **Renew** again to restart the process.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I see an error saying I don't have access to this company">
    Your account does not have access to the company you are trying to pay for. This can happen if you have been removed from the company or if you are signed in to the wrong account. Sign out and sign back in, then try again. If the problem persists, contact support.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I see an error saying no template was found for my details">
    The client's evaluation template has not been configured for your selected category, subcategory, or company size. Contact support so the template configuration can be reviewed and corrected.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Evaluations" icon="clipboard-check" href="/guides/contractors/evaluations">
    Complete and submit evaluations
  </Card>

  <Card title="Getting started" icon="rocket" href="/guides/contractors/getting-started">
    Return to the overview
  </Card>
</CardGroup>