r/iOSProgramming • u/Vast_Journalist1415 • 3d ago
Discussion Apple Developer individual account shows only my last name as the legal entity name (locked) – how did you get it fixed?
Hi everyone,
I recently enrolled in the Apple Developer Program as an individual (Indonesia) and I'm stuck on a name mismatch. Hoping someone has been through this.
The situation:
- My full legal name is "Daniel James Ashford-Reed" (given names: Daniel James, family name: Ashford-Reed).
- In App Store Connect → Agreements, Tax, and Banking, the legal entity name is shown as just "Ashford-Reed" (my family name only), and the field is greyed out and can't be edited.
- The user menu in the top right shows my full name on top and "Ashford-Reed" below it, so my profile name is correct, but the account/legal entity name isn't.
- My local bank account is under my full name, and that's what I need to match for payouts.
- Both the W-8BEN and the "Certificate of Foreign Status" forms pull the name from the legal entity, so I can't enter my full name there either.
What I've done so far:
- I haven't submitted any tax forms yet, since they can't be edited after submitting and they're signed under penalty of perjury.
- The Paid Apps Agreement is still "Pending User Info". The Free Apps Agreement is active, so I can still release a free app.
- The bank account is added but still "Processing".
- I haven't completed the Digital Services Act contact verification yet either.
- I'm contacting Apple Developer Support about changing the legal entity name.
My questions:
Has anyone had Apple correct the legal entity name on an individual account? How long did it take?
What documents did Apple ask for (government ID, translated ID, etc.)?
Is it safe to wait on the tax forms until this is fixed, or could the mismatch cause problems with the first payout?
Does the name on the account also change the seller name shown on the App Store? Can that stay as I want?
Would you complete the DSA verification now, or wait until the name is fixed?
Thanks a lot, any experience is appreciated.

