Stripe Connect: creating invoices on behalf of connected accounts

TL;DR

With Stripe Connect, create invoices on behalf of connected accounts using direct charges or destination charges so the invoice, branding, and tax identity belong to the seller. Authenticate as the platform and specify the connected account (Stripe-Account header) so the invoice is created in their account context. The seller's invoice numbering, tax settings, and branding apply, not yours. This keeps tax liability and branding correct: the invoice is legally the seller's document, and your platform is the software, not the merchant of record.

The query

Stripe Connect: creating invoices on behalf of connected accounts

Use this when

• Marketplace sellers needing their own branded invoices
• Issuing invoices with the seller's tax identity
• Platform vs seller merchant-of-record invoicing

Not for

• Platform-owned SaaS billing (use your own account normally)
• Collecting the platform fee separately (use application fees)

Steps

1. Decide the charge model: direct (seller is merchant of record) vs destination (platform charges, then transfers).

Expected output: The legal and money-flow model is chosen first.

1. Create the invoice in the connected account's context via the Stripe-Account header.

Expected output: The invoice carries the seller's identity and settings.

1. Confirm the seller's branding, tax IDs, and invoice numbering appear correctly.

Expected output: The PDF looks like the seller's invoice, not yours.

1. Test the full flow in test mode with a connected test account.

Expected output: Creation, finalization, and payment all work in context.

1. Document who handles disputes, refunds, and tax filings for these invoices.

Expected output: Seller and platform never argue about ownership later.

Variant phrasings

Stripe Connect create invoice on behalf of connected account

marketplace seller invoices Stripe Connect

Stripe-Account header invoice creation

Root cause

The Stripe-Account header scopes the invoice into the seller's account because invoices are legal documents tied to a business identity: tax IDs, numbering, and branding must be the seller's. Creating it in your platform account would make you the merchant of record with the wrong tax identity.

Edge cases

• Onboarding must be complete before the seller's tax settings exist; check capabilities
• Webhooks for these invoices arrive on the connected account's stream; route them accordingly

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_kWkiuc5Fl-KG3WDeZ9UsqQ