Authorize a PayPal order, capture it in a separate call, and reauthorize it if the authorization has expired
domain: developer.paypal.com · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
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Steps
Create the order with intent set to AUTHORIZE rather than CAPTURE.
Call POST /v2/checkout/orders/{id}/authorize to obtain an authorization resource, and record its id and status.
When ready to collect funds, call POST /v2/payments/authorizations/{authorization_id}/capture — capture within the 3-day honor period is guaranteed, but captures attempted later (even though the authorization stays valid up to about 29 days) may be declined by the issuer.
If a capture fails because the honor period has passed, call POST /v2/payments/authorizations/{authorization_id}/reauthorize, then use the new authorization ID returned in that response for any subsequent capture — do not keep referencing the original ID.
If the held funds are no longer needed, call POST /v2/payments/authorizations/{authorization_id}/void; a voided or already fully captured authorization can no longer be captured or reauthorized.
Known gotchas
There is no literal EXPIRED status value on the authorization resource — expiration only surfaces as an error (for example AUTHORIZATION_EXPIRED) on a late capture or reauthorize attempt, so don't branch logic on a status enum that doesn't exist.
Reauthorization is only allowed roughly between day 4 and day 29 after the original authorization and typically caps the new amount close to the original; past that window you must create a new order and authorization instead.
You cannot void a reauthorization directly — you must void the original parent authorization, and each reauthorization produces a new authorization ID that all later calls must reference.
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