# Initial payment for recurring payments

PSPs offer a variety of options for initial payment when setting up a new recurring payment. Typically used with recurring credit card payments, a PSP may require in initial payment, make it option, or not allow it at all.

The FinDock Payment API tells you what is allowed with payment method parameter, `InitialPaymentonRecurring`. *This is only available through custom front-end integrations and FinDock Giving Pages.*

The parameter is returned by the `GET PaymentMethods` endpoint. The returned options are:

* Required: The recurring payment setup *must* include a one-time payment block.
* Optional: The recurring payment setup *may* include a one-time payment block.
* No: The recurring payment setup *must not* include a one-time payment block.


If an initial payment is required or optional, you use the `OneTime` block to set the first payment. Below is an example of an API POST message where `InitialPaymentonRecurring` is required.


```json
    {
      "Recurring": {
        "Amount": 10,
        "Frequency": "Monthly",
        "StartDate": "2025-01-01",
        "EndDate": "2026-01-01"
      },
      "OneTime": {
        "Amount": 10
      },
      "SuccessURL": "https://www.example.com/success",
      "FailureURL": "https://www.example.com/failure",
      "Payer": {
        "Contact": {
          "SalesforceFields": {
            "FirstName": "First",
            "LastName": "Last",
            "Email": "first.last@email.address",
          }
        }
      },
      "PaymentMethod": {
        "Name": "CreditCard"
      }
    }
```

The `RecurringRequiresInitialPayment` is deprecated in favor of `InitialPaymentonRecurring`.