PAYPAL – Shipping address error

Hi

Debug log is at the end of this message. I currently disabled PayPal on the site (site is www,flowers24hours.com.au). I had to implement custom checkout to allow “local pick up” option. While it exists in WooCommerce, it is only available as a Gutenberg block and theme in use is not yet compatible, so had to improvise. My custom code detects local pickup method and disables validation of shipping fields. It works OK with Apple Pay and credit card payments, but fails for PayPal with error: “Please enter a valid shipping address”.

Here is the log:

2025-12-09T00:03:32+00:00 Error API error: Array
(
    [url] => https://api-m.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders
    [method] => POST
    [http_status] => 422
    [request] => Array
(
    [intent] => CAPTURE
    [payer] => Array
        (
            [name] => Array
                (
                    [given_name] => Rudolf
                    [surname] => Ladyzhenskii
                )

            [email_address] => rudolfl@rumatech.com
        )

    [payment_source] => Array
        (
            [paypal] => Array
                (
                    [attributes] => stdClass Object
                        (
                        )

                )

        )

    [purchase_units] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [amount] => Array
                        (
                            [value] => 269.90
                            [currency_code] => AUD
                            [breakdown] => Array
                                (
                                    [item_total] => Array
                                        (
                                            [currency_code] => AUD
                                            [value] => 269.90
                                        )

                                    [shipping] => Array
                                        (
                                            [currency_code] => AUD
                                            [value] => 0.00
                                        )

                                    [tax_total] => Array
                                        (
                                            [value] => 0.00
                                            [currency_code] => AUD
                                        )

                                    [discount] => Array
                                        (
                                            [value] => 0.00
                                            [currency_code] => AUD
                                        )

                                    [handling] => Array
                                        (
                                            [currency_code] => AUD
                                            [value] => 0.00
                                        )

                                )

                        )

                    [items] => Array
                        (
                            [0] => Array
                                (
                                    [name] => PX3  Noel Table Centre Piece - Standard Arrangement
                                    [quantity] => 2
                                    [unit_amount] => Array
                                        (
                                            [currency_code] => AUD
                                            [value] => 134.95
                                        )

                                    [sku] => bwcqy9ihhs
                                    [description] => Product ID: 8165. Variation ID: 8788
                                )

                        )

                )

        )

    [application_context] => Array
        (
            [shipping_preference] => SET_PROVIDED_ADDRESS
            [return_url] => https://www.flowers24hours.com.au/wc-api/ppcp_checkout_return/?_checkoutnonce=b6f499e85d
            [cancel_url] => https://www.flowers24hours.com.au/checkout-rl-header/?ppcp_action=canceled
            [brand_name] => Flowers 24 Hours
            [locale] => en-US
        )

)

    [error] => Array
        (
            [name] => UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY
            [details] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [field] => /purchase_units/0/shipping/address
                            [issue] => MISSING_SHIPPING_ADDRESS
                            [description] => The shipping address is required when shipping_preference=SET_PROVIDED_ADDRESS.
                        )

                )

            [message] => The requested action could not be performed, semantically incorrect, or failed business validation.
            [debug_id] => 0f3298c5b80ad
            [links] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [href] => https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/reference/orders/v2/errors/#MISSING_SHIPPING_ADDRESS
                            [rel] => information_link
                            [method] => GET
                        )

                )

        )

)

Hi,

Yes, exactly!

Firstly, why does payment plugin care about shipping?

Secondly, I am setting all address fields ‘required’ to false in case I use my own local pickup. This happily bypasses Woocommerce own checks. Something like this (just an extract from the code)

add_filter('woocommerce_checkout_fields', function($fields) {
if (strstr($chosen_shipping,"local_pickup") ||
            strstr($chosen_shipping, "free"))
    {
        $fields['shipping']['shipping_address_1']['required'] = false;
        $fields['shipping']['shipping_city']['required'] = false;
    }
});

PayPal plugin fails this flow. I did upgrade of PayPal plugin and WooCommerce itself at same time. It is possible that changes in Woo highlighted the issue in PayPal plugin.

I also tried to “fix” by using this code and it did not work: (not being called)

add_filter('woocommerce_cart_needs_shipping_address', function ($needs)
{
    error_log("Check if need shipping - " . $needs);
    $chosen_methods = WC()->session->get( 'chosen_shipping_methods' );
    $chosen_shipping = $chosen_methods[0];
    // Cater for both original site and dev site
    if (strstr($chosen_shipping,"local_pickup") ||
            strstr($chosen_shipping, "free"))
    {
        return false;
    }
    return $needs;

});

I am getting the error upon clicking on the PayPal button to pay. Seem that plugin checks for address BEFORE order is recorded, so all my checks fail as they are pretty much done just before order is being processed by Woo.

Rudolf

Thank you

Yes, I do have “Disable PayPal Shipping Address” enabled. If I keep it on, PayPal uses PayPal address from account. Site is a flower delivery one offering both local pickup and delivery. Naturally, most people send to address different from their own address.

Thank you for providing the hook. This is what I was after. I will try to implement it.

By the way, may be it can be added as an option in the plugin? Something like “allow checkout without shipping address” or like?

Thank you again

Rudolf