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# Update a business-person link

PATCH https://api-sandbox.payabli.com/api/v2/businesses/{businessReference}/people/{personReference}
Content-Type: application/json

Applies a partial update to a business-person link. Send only the fields you want to change; omitted fields are kept.

Reference: https://docs.payabli.com/developers/api-reference/businesses/update-a-business-person-link

## Authentication

- `Authorization` header (bearer token, required) — Bearer authentication of the form `Bearer <token>`, where token is your auth token.

## Servers

- `https://api-sandbox.payabli.com/api` (Sandbox, default)
- `https://api.payabli.com/api` (Production)

## Request

### Path parameters

- `businessReference` (string, required) — The business reference (`businessUuid`).
- `personReference` (string, required) — The person reference.

### Body (application/json)

This endpoint expects an UpdateBusinessPersonRequest.

- `personType` (enum, optional) — The person's role on the business.
  - Allowed values: `Owner`, `Director`, `Contact`, `Signer`, `AuthorizedUser`, `Employee`
- `ownershipPercentage` (double, optional) — The person's ownership percentage (0 to 100).
- `isPrimaryController` (boolean, optional) — Whether the person is the business's primary controller.
- `isSigner` (boolean, optional) — Whether the person signs the business's boarding applications. Only an owner can be the signer. Setting `isSigner` to `true` on a person with another `personType` returns `400` with the message `Only an owner can be the signer.` Changing the signer's `personType` away from `Owner` returns the same error. Setting it to `true` removes it from every other person linked to the business. Setting it to `false` leaves the business with no signer until you set another one.
- `title` (string, optional, nullable) — The person's job title at this business, from 1 to 100 characters. Updating it changes the title for this business only. Omitting it, or sending `null` or a blank value, keeps the stored title. You can replace a title, but you can't clear it.
- `primaryEmail` (string, optional) — The relationship's primary email address.
- `secondaryEmail` (string, optional) — The relationship's secondary email address.
- `primaryPhoneNumber` (string, optional) — The relationship's primary phone number.
- `secondaryPhoneNumber` (string, optional) — The relationship's secondary phone number.
- `billingAddress` (PersonAddressRequest, optional) — The billing address for the relationship.
- `mailingAddress` (PersonAddressRequest, optional) — The mailing address for the relationship.

## Response

### 200

The link was updated.

- `success` (boolean, required) — Whether the request succeeded.
- `message` (string, required, nullable) — A human-readable result message.
- `traceId` (string, required, nullable) — The trace identifier for the request, useful for support.
- `data` (BusinessPersonLink, required, nullable) — The business-person link.

## Errors

### 400 Bad Request Error

Bad request / invalid data.

- `isSuccess` (boolean, required) — Always `false` for error responses.
- `responseText` (string, required) — Error text describing what went wrong.
- `responseCode` (integer, optional) — Code for the response. Learn more in [API Response Codes](/developers/api-reference/api-responses).
- `responseData` (PayabliErrorBodyResponseData, optional) — Object with detailed error context.

### 401 Unauthorized Error

Unauthorized request.

- `isSuccess` (boolean, required) — Always `false` for error responses.
- `responseText` (string, required) — Error text describing what went wrong.
- `responseCode` (integer, optional) — Code for the response. Learn more in [API Response Codes](/developers/api-reference/api-responses).
- `responseData` (PayabliErrorBodyResponseData, optional) — Object with detailed error context.

### 404 Not Found Error

The requested resource wasn't found.

- `isSuccess` (boolean, required) — Always `false` for error responses.
- `responseText` (string, required) — Error text describing what went wrong.
- `responseCode` (integer, optional) — Code for the response. Learn more in [API Response Codes](/developers/api-reference/api-responses).
- `responseData` (PayabliErrorBodyResponseData, optional) — Object with detailed error context.

### 500 Internal Server Error

Internal server error.

- `isSuccess` (boolean, required) — Always `false` for error responses.
- `responseText` (string, required) — Error text describing what went wrong.
- `responseCode` (integer, optional) — Code for the response. Learn more in [API Response Codes](/developers/api-reference/api-responses).
- `responseData` (PayabliErrorBodyResponseData, optional) — Object with detailed error context.

## Types

### PersonAddressRequest

An address included in a person request.

- `addressLine1` (string, optional) — The first line of the street address.
- `addressLine2` (string, optional) — The second line of the street address (suite, unit, and so on).
- `cityLocality` (string, optional) — The city or locality.
- `stateProvince` (string, optional) — The two-letter state or province code.
- `postalCode` (string, optional) — The postal or ZIP code.
- `country` (string, optional) — The two-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code.
- `type` (enum, optional) — The role the address plays for the person.
  - Allowed values: `legal`, `billing`, `shipping`, `remittance`, `mailing`, `physical`, `residential`

### BusinessPersonLink

A person's link to a business, with the relationship's role, ownership, and relationship-scoped contact details.

- `businessReference` (string, required) — The reference of the linked business.
- `personReference` (string, required) — The reference of the linked person.
- `personType` (string, required) — The person's role on the business, returned in lowercase (for example `owner`).
- `beneficialOwner` (boolean, required) — Whether the person qualifies as a beneficial owner. Derived by Payabli.
- `isPrimaryController` (boolean, required) — Whether the person is the business's primary controller.
- `isSigner` (boolean, required) — Whether the person signs the business's boarding applications.
- `title` (string, required, nullable) — The person's job title at this business.
- `primaryEmail` (string, required, nullable) — The relationship's primary email address.
- `secondaryEmail` (string, required, nullable) — The relationship's secondary email address.
- `primaryPhoneNumber` (string, required, nullable) — The relationship's primary phone number.
- `secondaryPhoneNumber` (string, required, nullable) — The relationship's secondary phone number.
- `createdAt` (datetime, required) — When the link was created.
- `updatedAt` (datetime, required) — When the link was last updated.
- `_links` (BusinessPersonLinks, required) — Hypermedia links for the link resource.
- `ownershipPercentage` (double, optional, nullable) — The person's ownership percentage (0 to 100). Present for owners.
- `billingAddressUuid` (string, optional, nullable) — Reference to the stored billing address for the relationship. Present when a billing address was set.
- `mailingAddressUuid` (string, optional, nullable) — Reference to the stored mailing address for the relationship. Present when a mailing address was set.

### PayabliErrorBodyResponseData

Object with detailed error context.

- `explanation` (string, optional) — Human-readable explanation of what happened.
- `todoAction` (string, optional) — Suggested resolution.

### BusinessPersonLinks

Hypermedia links for a business-person link.

- `self` (string, optional) — Relative path to the business-person link.
- `business` (string, optional) — Relative path to the linked business.
- `person` (string, optional) — Relative path to the linked person.

## Examples

**Request**

```json
{
  "isPrimaryController": true,
  "primaryEmail": "updated.contact@example.com"
}
```

**Response**

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "message": "Business person updated successfully",
  "traceId": "0HNOIME81PCS8:00000582",
  "data": {
    "businessReference": "019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55",
    "personReference": "01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d",
    "personType": "owner",
    "beneficialOwner": true,
    "isPrimaryController": true,
    "isSigner": true,
    "title": "CEO",
    "primaryEmail": "updated.contact@example.com",
    "secondaryEmail": "contact.alt@example.net",
    "primaryPhoneNumber": "3055551212",
    "secondaryPhoneNumber": "3055559876",
    "createdAt": "2026-08-14T17:24:31.3877241Z",
    "updatedAt": "2026-08-14T17:26:08.9110000Z",
    "_links": {
      "self": "/v2/businesses/019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55/people/01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d",
      "business": "/v2/businesses/019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55",
      "person": "/v2/people/01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d"
    },
    "ownershipPercentage": 100
  }
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python
import requests

url = "https://api-sandbox.payabli.com/api/v2/businesses/019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55/people/01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d"

payload = {
    "isPrimaryController": True,
    "primaryEmail": "updated.contact@example.com"
}
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer <token>",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.patch(url, json=payload, headers=headers)

print(response.json())
```

```javascript
const url = 'https://api-sandbox.payabli.com/api/v2/businesses/019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55/people/01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d';
const options = {
  method: 'PATCH',
  headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <token>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: '{"isPrimaryController":true,"primaryEmail":"updated.contact@example.com"}'
};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}
```

```go
package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://api-sandbox.payabli.com/api/v2/businesses/019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55/people/01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"isPrimaryController\": true,\n  \"primaryEmail\": \"updated.contact@example.com\"\n}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("PATCH", url, payload)

	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}
```

```ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://api-sandbox.payabli.com/api/v2/businesses/019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55/people/01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Patch.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Bearer <token>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"isPrimaryController\": true,\n  \"primaryEmail\": \"updated.contact@example.com\"\n}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body
```

```java
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.patch("https://api-sandbox.payabli.com/api/v2/businesses/019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55/people/01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"isPrimaryController\": true,\n  \"primaryEmail\": \"updated.contact@example.com\"\n}")
  .asString();
```

```php
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('PATCH', 'https://api-sandbox.payabli.com/api/v2/businesses/019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55/people/01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d', [
  'body' => '{
  "isPrimaryController": true,
  "primaryEmail": "updated.contact@example.com"
}',
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Bearer <token>',
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
]);

echo $response->getBody();
```

```csharp
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://api-sandbox.payabli.com/api/v2/businesses/019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55/people/01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.PATCH);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", "Bearer <token>");
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{\n  \"isPrimaryController\": true,\n  \"primaryEmail\": \"updated.contact@example.com\"\n}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift
import Foundation

let headers = [
  "Authorization": "Bearer <token>",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = [
  "isPrimaryController": true,
  "primaryEmail": "updated.contact@example.com"
] as [String : Any]

let postData = JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: parameters, options: [])

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://api-sandbox.payabli.com/api/v2/businesses/019fed1a-3d6e-75d3-a81e-cba3874b0a55/people/01a0014d-ce1a-7110-9bac-c4c59647a88d")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "PATCH"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers
request.httpBody = postData as Data

let session = URLSession.shared
let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
  if (error != nil) {
    print(error as Any)
  } else {
    let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse
    print(httpResponse)
  }
})

dataTask.resume()
```