# Get Default Payment Method

Source: https://recoupable.dev/docs/api-reference/accounts/payment-method-get

Retrieve the default payment method on file for an account. Returns `card: null` when no payment method has been saved yet — the top-up dialog uses this to decide whether to show a pre-charge confirmation (card present) or route to a checkout session to collect one (`card: null`). Cards are returned even when expired; callers should compare `exp_month` / `exp_year` against the current date and warn the customer, since an off-session charge against an expired card will decline.

## GET /api/accounts/{id}/payment-method

Full OpenAPI specification: https://recoupable.dev/docs/spec/accounts.json

## Authentication

This operation requires one of the security alternatives in the specification below. Security scheme definitions are included where present in the published specification.

[Authentication guide](https://recoupable.dev/docs/authentication)

## Operation and referenced schemas

```json
{
  "openapi": "3.1.0",
  "info": {
    "title": "Recoup API - Accounts",
    "description": "API documentation for the Recoup platform - an AI agent platform for the music industry",
    "license": {
      "name": "MIT"
    },
    "version": "1.0.0"
  },
  "servers": [
    {
      "url": "https://api.recoupable.dev"
    }
  ],
  "paths": {
    "/api/accounts/{id}/payment-method": {
      "get": {
        "description": "Retrieve the default payment method on file for an account. Returns `card: null` when no payment method has been saved yet — the top-up dialog uses this to decide whether to show a pre-charge confirmation (card present) or route to a checkout session to collect one (`card: null`). Cards are returned even when expired; callers should compare `exp_month` / `exp_year` against the current date and warn the customer, since an off-session charge against an expired card will decline.",
        "parameters": [
          {
            "name": "id",
            "in": "path",
            "description": "The unique identifier (UUID) of the account. Must be the authenticated account or another accessible via organization membership.",
            "required": true,
            "schema": {
              "type": "string",
              "format": "uuid"
            }
          }
        ],
        "security": [
          {
            "apiKeyAuth": []
          },
          {
            "bearerAuth": []
          }
        ],
        "responses": {
          "200": {
            "description": "Default payment method retrieved successfully (may be `null` if none on file).",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/AccountPaymentMethodResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "401": {
            "description": "Unauthorized - invalid or missing authentication",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/AccountPaymentMethodErrorResponse"
                },
                "example": {
                  "error": "Unauthorized"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "403": {
            "description": "Forbidden - the account is not the caller's and not an organization they belong to (an unknown id also returns 403, never 404)",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/AccountPaymentMethodErrorResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "components": {
    "schemas": {
      "AccountPaymentMethodResponse": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "account_id",
          "card"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "account_id": {
            "type": "string",
            "format": "uuid",
            "description": "The unique identifier of the account this payment method belongs to.",
            "example": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000"
          },
          "card": {
            "oneOf": [
              {
                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/SavedCard"
              },
              {
                "type": "null"
              }
            ],
            "description": "Default card on file. `null` when the account has never saved a payment method — the top-up flow will route through a checkout session in that case."
          }
        }
      },
      "AccountPaymentMethodErrorResponse": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "error"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "error": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Human-readable error message.",
            "example": "Unauthorized"
          }
        }
      },
      "SavedCard": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "brand",
          "last4",
          "exp_month",
          "exp_year",
          "funding"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "brand": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Card brand. Common values: `visa`, `mastercard`, `amex`, `discover`, `diners`, `jcb`, `unionpay`, `unknown`.",
            "example": "visa"
          },
          "last4": {
            "type": "string",
            "pattern": "^\\d{4}$",
            "description": "Last four digits of the card number. Safe to display in UI for identification.",
            "example": "4242"
          },
          "exp_month": {
            "type": "integer",
            "minimum": 1,
            "maximum": 12,
            "description": "Card expiration month (1-12). Compare against the current month to detect expired cards.",
            "example": 12
          },
          "exp_year": {
            "type": "integer",
            "description": "Card expiration year (full 4-digit year). Compare against the current year to detect expired cards.",
            "example": 2026
          },
          "funding": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Funding type. Common values: `credit`, `debit`, `prepaid`, `unknown`.",
            "example": "credit"
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "securitySchemes": {
      "apiKeyAuth": {
        "type": "apiKey",
        "in": "header",
        "name": "x-api-key",
        "description": "Your Recoup API key. [Learn more](/quickstart#api-keys)."
      },
      "bearerAuth": {
        "type": "http",
        "scheme": "bearer"
      }
    }
  }
}
```