# Create and manage cardholders

Before you can issue a card, you must first create a cardholder to issue it to.
You can then update the cardholder's details as required. For example, phone number, email address, last name.

> **Note**
>
> Some regions require Address Verification Service (AVS) checks during card-not-present (CNP) transactions.
> You must provide a valid billing address when creating or updating a cardholder so the AVS checks can be performed.

---

## Create a cardholder

You can create a cardholder profile using the Dashboard and the API.

### Create a cardholder in the Dashboard

1. Sign in to the [Dashboard](https://dashboard.checkout.com).
2. Go to _Issuing_ > _Cardholders_.
3. Select _Create cardholder_.
4. Enter the cardholder's details as required.
5. Select _Create cardholder_. <br>
The cardholder's profile appears in the list on the _Cardholders_ page.

### Create a cardholder using the API

Call the [Create a cardholder](https://api-reference.checkout.com/tag/Cardholders/#operation/createCardholder) endpoint:

> **Information**
>
> Your base URL's `{prefix}` value is unique to your account and environment. To learn how to retrieve your base URLs for the sandbox and production environments, see [API endpoints](https://www.checkout.com/docs/developer-resources/api/api-endpoints.md).

**Production**

`POST` `https://{prefix}.api.checkout.com/issuing/cardholders`

**Sandbox**

`POST` `https://{prefix}.api.sandbox.checkout.com/issuing/cardholders`

#### Request example

```json
{
  "type": "individual",
  "reference": "X-123456-N11",
  "entity_id": "ent_fa6psq242dcd6fdn5gifcq1491",
  "first_name": "Toby",
  "middle_name": "Fitzgerald",
  "last_name": "Arden",
  "email": "toby.arden@example.com",
  "phone_number": {
    "country_code": "+1",
    "number": "415 555 2671"
  },
  "date_of_birth": "1985-05-15",
  "billing_address": {
    "address_line1": "654 Example St.",
    "address_line2": "Flat 987",
    "city": "London",
    "state": "London",
    "zip": "W1T 4TJ",
    "country": "GB"
  },
  "residency_address": {
    "address_line1": "654 Example St.",
    "address_line2": "Flat 987",
    "city": "London",
    "state": "London",
    "zip": "W1T 4TJ",
    "country": "GB"
  },
  "document": {
    "type": "national_identity_card",
    "front_document_id": "file_6lbss42ezvoufcb2beo76rvwly",
    "back_document_id": "file_aaz5pemp6326zbuvevp6qroqu4"
  }
}
```

#### Response example

```json
{
  "id": "crh_d3ozhf43pcq2xbldn2g45qnb44",
  "client_id": "cli_vkuhvk4vjn2edkps7dfsq6emqm",
  "entity_id": "ent_fa6psq242dcd6fdn5gifcq1491",
  "type": "individual",
  "status": "active",
  "reference": "X-123456-N11",
  "created_date": "string",
  "last_modified_date": "2019-09-10T10:11:12Z",
  "_links": {
    "self": {
      "href": "https://{prefix}.api.checkout.com/issuing/cardholders/crh_d3ozhf43pcq2xbldn2g45qnb44",
      "actions": [
        "GET"
      ],
      "types": [
        "application/json"
      ]
    },
    "cards": {
      "href": "https://{prefix}.api.checkout.com/issuing/cards",
      "actions": [
        "POST"
      ],
      "types": [
        "application/json"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Retrieve a cardholder using the API

After creating a cardholder profile, to retrieve their details, you can call the [Get cardholder details](https://api-reference.checkout.com/tag/Cards/#operation/getCardholder) endpoint.

---

## Update a cardholder

You can update a cardholder profile using the Dashboard and the API.

### Update a cardholder in the Dashboard

1. Sign in to the [Dashboard](https://dashboard.checkout.com).
2. Go to _Issuing_ > _Cardholders_.
3. Find the cardholder using the search or filters and select them.
4. On the _Cardholders_ details page, select _Edit cardholder_.
5. On the _Edit cardholder details_ page, update their information as required.
6. Select _Save_. <br>
The updated details are displayed on the _Cardholders_ details page.

### Update a cardholder using the API

Call the [Update a cardholder](https://api-reference.checkout.com/tag/Cardholders/#operation/updateCardholder) endpoint.

With this request, you can:

- Change a field's value.
- Provide a value for a field that wasn't included when you created the cardholder.
- Remove certain details by passing `null` as a field's value.

> **Information**
>
> Your base URL's `{prefix}` value is unique to your account and environment. To learn how to retrieve your base URLs for the sandbox and production environments, see [API endpoints](https://www.checkout.com/docs/developer-resources/api/api-endpoints.md).

**Production**

`PATCH` `https://{prefix}.api.checkout.com/issuing/cardholders/{cardholderId}`

**Sandbox**

`PATCH` `https://{prefix}.api.sandbox.checkout.com/issuing/cardholders/{cardholderId}`

#### Request example

```json
{
  "first_name": "Hannah",
  "middle_name": null,
  "last_name": "Bret",
  "date_of_birth": "1985-05-15",
  "phone_number": {
    "country_code": "+1",
    "number": "113 496 0872"
  },
  "email": "hannah.bret@example.com",
  "billing_address": {
    "address_line1": "123 High St.",
    "address_line2": "Flat 456",
    "city": "London",
    "state": "London",
    "zip": "SW1A 1AA",
    "country": "GB"
  },
  "residency_address": {
    "address_line1": "123 High St.",
    "address_line2": "Flat 456",
    "city": "London",
    "state": "London",
    "zip": "SW1A 1AA",
    "country": "GB"
  },
  "document": {
    "type": "national_identity_card",
    "front_document_id": "file_6lbss42ezvoufcb2beo76rvwly",
    "back_document_id": "file_aaz5pemp6326zbuvevp6qroqu4"
  }
}
```

#### Response example

```json
{
"last_modified_date": "2019-09-10T10:11:12Z",
"_links": {
	"self": {
		"href": "https://{prefix}.api.checkout.com/issuing/cardholders/crh_d3ozhf43pcq2xbldn2g45qnb44",
		"actions": [ "GET"],
		"types": ["application/json"]
    }
  }
}
```

## Next step

**[Issue a card](https://www.checkout.com/docs/card-issuing/issue-a-card.md)**

Issue a cardholder with a physical or virtual card.