What Is This About?
To publish your app on the Apple App Store, you need an active Apple Developer Program membership ($99 USD/year). Many users run into payment failures or enrollment delays during setup, often caused by account misconfigurations that are easy to fix.
This guide walks you through the most common issues and how to resolve them.
Before You Start
Make sure the following are in place before attempting enrollment:
Your Apple ID uses an email address (not a phone number). Phone-number-format Apple IDs are known to cause failures.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is enabled on your Apple ID.
A major international credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) is linked to your Apple ID.
Any VPN or proxy is turned off. This is one of the most common causes of payment failure.
Your Apple ID region, billing address, and phone number all match the same country.
⚠️ Warning: Apple Gift Cards, Apple ID balances, and prepaid cards cannot be used to pay for the Developer Program enrollment.
Payment Authorization Failed
You see: "Your payment authorization failed" or "Your purchase could not be completed."
Follow these steps in order:
Verify your card details. Double-check the card number, expiration date, and billing address in your Apple ID settings. The billing address must exactly match your bank records.
Disable any VPN or proxy. Apple's payment system flags transactions that appear to come from a different location than your billing address.
Check your address formatting. If your address was captured via an ID scan, the OCR may have read it incorrectly. Verify it matches your bank or government records exactly.
Try a different card. Some regional or smaller bank cards are not accepted. A major international credit card is the safest option.
Contact your bank. Some banks block international transactions by default. Call your bank to pre-authorize the Apple charge, then retry.
Wait 24 hours and try again. Multiple failed attempts can temporarily lock you out. Waiting a full day before retrying often clears this.
💡 Tip: If enrollment keeps failing on the Apple Developer website, try using the Apple Developer app on your iPhone or Mac instead (or vice versa). Some users report success by switching methods.
"Your Enrollment Could Not Be Completed" Error
You see: A generic error after submitting your information, or an "Unknown Error" message.
Confirm your Apple ID region matches your phone number. A mismatch between your Apple ID's country setting and the phone number you registered with is a known trigger. Update your Apple ID region or create a new Apple ID with the correct settings.
Try enrolling from a different device. If the Apple Developer app on Mac fails, try your iPhone — and make sure the Apple ID signed into the device is the same one you're enrolling with.
Try the web enrollment option. Go to developer.apple.com/enroll and select "Continue on the web." This can bypass errors encountered in the app.
📌 Note: If you are located in India, you must enroll through the Apple Developer app. The website enrollment option is not available for your region.
Payment Processed but Enrollment Stuck on "Pending"
You see: Your bank confirms the charge, you may have an Apple receipt, but your Developer account still shows "Purchase your membership" or "Pending."
Wait up to 48 hours. Apple states that purchase processing can take up to 48 hours. During holidays or high-volume periods, delays may extend further.
Check your enrollment status. Sign in at developer.apple.com/account to view your current status.
Contact Apple Developer Support if it has been longer than 48 hours. Include your Enrollment ID and Order ID in the request.
⚠️ Warning: Do not make a second payment if your first one was already charged. This creates duplicate charges that are difficult to resolve and does not speed up activation.
Organization Enrollment Delays
Organization enrollments require additional identity and legal verification, so they typically take longer than individual enrollments.
To avoid unnecessary delays:
Verify your D-U-N-S number is active and accurate using Apple's D-U-N-S Lookup Tool.
Ensure the enrolling person has legal signing authority — they must be an owner, executive, senior project lead, or someone with documented authorization.
Confirm your company website is live and publicly accessible. Apple rejects enrollments tied to placeholder pages, parked domains, or social media profiles.
Keep your phone line available for international calls. Apple will call to verify your identity. Make sure your carrier allows incoming international numbers.
How to Contact Apple Developer Support
If the steps above don't resolve your issue, reach out to Apple directly:
Go to developer.apple.com/support.
Click "Contact Apple Developer Support."
Sign in with the Apple ID you used for enrollment.
Select "Membership and Account" → "Program Enrollment."
Choose Phone, enter your number, and click "Call Me." Apple will call you back, usually within minutes.
💡 Tip: Have your Enrollment ID, Order ID (if a payment was made), and Apple ID email address ready before contacting support. This significantly speeds up resolution.
Quick Reference: Dos and Don'ts
Do:
Use an email-format Apple ID
Use a major international credit or debit card
Disable your VPN before enrolling
Match your Apple ID region to your billing address and phone number
Wait 48 hours before escalating a pending enrollment
Contact Apple Developer Support for unresolved issues
Don't:
Use a phone-number-format Apple ID
Use Apple Gift Cards or Apple ID balance for enrollment
Enroll while connected to a VPN
Use mismatched regions across your Apple ID, billing, and phone settings
Make a second payment if the first charge already went through
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does it take for Apple to activate my Developer account after payment?
A: Organization enrollments can take several weeks due to additional verification.
Q: Can I use a prepaid card or Apple Gift Card to pay for the Developer Program?
A: No. Apple requires a major international credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) linked to your Apple ID.
Q: My payment went through but my account still says "Pending." Should I pay again?
A: No. Do not make a second payment. Wait 48 hours, then contact Apple Developer Support with your Enrollment ID and Order ID.
Q: Does using a VPN cause enrollment issues?
A: Yes. VPNs are one of the most common causes of payment and enrollment failures. Always disable your VPN before starting the process.
Q: Why is it taking so long?
A: Apple performs additional checks for organizations, including D-U-N-S verification and a legal authority review. This process can take two to four weeks. If it exceeds that, contact Apple Developer Support.
Q: I've tried everything and still can't enroll. What should I do?
A: Contact Apple Developer Support with your Enrollment ID and Order ID.