There are times when you will want your clients to read and accept terms and conditions before making a payment in PayPal. The great thing about the following approach is that it will work for just about any website, whether the site is simply written in HTML or uses a CMS like WordPress, Joomla or Drupal.

Here is how to add a checkbox to your PayPal button.

STEP 1 -- Add the following Javascript code on your page:

<script type="text/javascript"> // <![CDATA[
function confSubmit() {
  if(!document.getElementById("accept").checked) {
    alert("Please read and accept the Terms and Conditions in order to continue.");
    return false;
  }
} // ]]></script>

STEP 2 -- Replace the following piece of code in the PayPal form created by the PayPal button generator:

<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">

…with…

<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" onsubmit="return confSubmit();">

STEP 3 -- Insert the following code just before the line that starts with <input type="image" name="submit" …:

Option 3A -- Terms and Conditions on the Same page:

<p><input id="accept" type="checkbox"> I have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions</p>

Option 3B -- Terms and Conditions on a Different page:

If the Terms and Conditions are on a separate page, turn the text into a link. For example:

<p><input id="accept" type="checkbox"><a href="terms-and-conditions/" target="_blank">I have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions</a></p>

That's it. As a result of these changes, a new check box will appear right above the PayPal button. If the customer clicks the button without checking the box, the button will not work and a message will be displayed.

Note: Should the JavaScript be disabled, the checkbox will have no effect and the client will be able to proceed with the transaction regardless of whether the checkbox is checked or not.