What is Stripe, and why do you need it?
Stripe is a payment processing company. It's the plumbing that sits between a shopper's credit card and a business's bank account — used by everything from small shops to Fortune 500 companies to safely accept card payments online.
Car Show Expert uses Stripe so that when an entrant or a spectator pays by card, the money goes directly into your own Stripe account — not into an account we control. We never see or hold your funds, and we never see full card numbers. Stripe handles the sensitive parts: verifying the card, moving the money, and paying it out to your bank on a regular schedule you control from your Stripe dashboard.
This matters for two reasons: it's more secure (you're trusting a company whose entire business is payment security, not a car show platform), and it means you get paid without waiting on us to forward anything.
What "connecting" actually means
When you click Connect with Stripe on your Settings page, you're using something called Stripe Connect — a way for a platform like Car Show Expert to let you link your own, independent Stripe account rather than sharing one big account between every organiser on the platform.
Specifically, Car Show Expert uses what Stripe calls a Standard account. In plain terms: it's a full Stripe account that belongs entirely to you. You log into it separately at dashboard.stripe.com, you can see every payment and payout there, and you could use that same account with other services too. Car Show Expert simply gets permission to create a checkout page for your entrants and route their payment into your account — nothing more.
For the authoritative, up-to-date explanation of Standard accounts straight from Stripe, see Stripe's Standard accounts documentation .
What Stripe will ask you for
Clicking Connect with Stripe on the Settings page takes you to Stripe's own signup flow. If you already have a Stripe account, you can sign in and connect it instead of creating a new one. If you're starting from scratch, Stripe will typically ask for:
Your name or business name. Most car show organisers sign up as an individual or a sole proprietor rather than a registered company — Stripe supports both.
A bank account for payouts. This is where your entry fees and admission payments get deposited. You'll enter routing and account numbers.
A business profile. A short description of what you do (e.g. "community car show") and how you'll use Stripe.
Identity verification details. Depending on your country, the size of your payment volume, and local regulations, Stripe may ask for a date of birth, address, and sometimes a tax ID (like an SSN or EIN in the US) to confirm who you are.
These requirements aren't set by Car Show Expert. They're set by Stripe and by financial regulators, and they can vary by country and change over time. Rather than us guessing at every possible case, always treat what Stripe asks for on screen — and Stripe's own documentation — as the authoritative answer:
How long verification takes
For most individuals, Stripe verifies the information you provide almost immediately, and you can start accepting card payments the same day. Occasionally Stripe needs a closer look — for example if the details you entered don't immediately match a public record, or if it needs an extra document to confirm your identity. In those cases verification can take a few days.
If Stripe needs more information from you, they'll email you directly — not through Car Show Expert — with exactly what's needed and a link to provide it. Keep an eye on the inbox you used to sign up for Stripe, including your spam folder.
While verification is in progress, your Accept card payments online option in Settings may not work yet — leave your other payment methods (cash, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App) enabled in the meantime so entrants aren't stuck without a way to pay.
This is a one-time setup
You only need to connect Stripe once per organisation, not once per show. Every show you run afterwards — Basic or Expert — can accept card payments through the same connected account. If you ever need to update your bank account, business details, or verification documents, you do that directly inside your Stripe dashboard at dashboard.stripe.com — Car Show Expert doesn't need to be involved.
In summary
- Stripe is a payment processor — it handles card details and moves money, Car Show Expert never touches your funds
- Car Show Expert uses a Stripe Standard account — it belongs entirely to you and you can log into it separately
- Stripe will typically ask for your name/business details, a payout bank account, and identity verification information
- Exact requirements are set by Stripe and regulators, not by Car Show Expert — check stripe.com/docs for the current rules
- Verification is usually instant, occasionally takes a few days if Stripe needs extra information
- If Stripe needs more from you, they'll email you directly
- You only connect Stripe once — it applies to every show under your organisation from then on