Reference
ACH return codes: the full list and what to do
Every Nacha return reason code from R01 to R77, what it means, how long the bank has to send it, and what to do about it. Codes follow the format R## where the number indicates the reason.
ACH return codes list (R01 to R77)
| Code | Reason |
|---|---|
| R01 | Insufficient Funds Available balance is not enough to cover the transaction. What to do: Retry up to 2 more times within 180 days of the original payment's settlement date, for the same amount, or ask the customer for another way to pay. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R02 | Account Closed The receiving bank account has been closed. What to do: Do not retry. Contact the customer for a new account. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R03 | No Account / Unable to Locate Account The account number does not match an open account at the bank. What to do: Verify the account number with the customer. Do not retry until corrected. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R04 | Invalid Account Number Structure Account number fails the bank's structural validation. What to do: Correct the account number, then send it as a new entry. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R05Unauthorized | Unauthorized Debit to Consumer Account Using Corporate SEC Code A consumer account was debited with a business entry code (CCD or CTX). What to do: Stop. Get a consumer authorization and use a consumer SEC code (PPD, WEB, or TEL) before debiting again. Return window: 60 calendar days |
| R06 | Returned per ODFI Request The originator's bank (ODFI) asked for the payment back, usually at the originator's request. The customer's bank decides whether to send it. What to do: Internal action. No retry needed. Return window: No set window |
| R07Unauthorized | Authorization Revoked by Customer The customer told their bank the authorization is revoked. What to do: Stop all future debits. Confirm cancellation with the customer. Return window: 60 calendar days |
| R08 | Payment Stopped A stop-payment order has been placed on this transaction. What to do: Do not retry without a new authorization. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R09 | Uncollected Funds Sufficient book balance, but funds are not yet available. What to do: Same retry rule as R01: up to 2 more times within 180 days of the original, same amount. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R10Unauthorized | Customer Advises Originator Is Not Known to Receiver and/or Originator Is Not Authorized by Receiver to Debit Receiver's Account The customer says they don't know your business, or never authorized it to debit their account. What to do: Stop debits. Check that the company name on their bank statement is one they'd recognize. Get a new authorization before debiting again. Return window: 60 calendar days |
| R11Unauthorized | Customer Advises Entry Not in Accordance with the Terms of the Authorization Authorization existed but the entry differs (wrong amount, wrong date). What to do: Fix the error and send a new entry that matches the original authorization within 60 days of the return's settlement date. No new authorization needed. Otherwise, get a new authorization. Return window: 60 calendar days |
| R12 | Account Sold to Another DFI The account moved to a branch sold to a different financial institution. What to do: Contact the customer for new routing information. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R13 | Invalid ACH Routing Number Routing number fails ACH network validation. What to do: Correct the routing number and send again. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R14 | Representative Payee Deceased or Unable to Continue in That Capacity The named representative payee is deceased or can no longer act. What to do: Stop debits. Find the new payee or escalate. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R15 | Beneficiary or Account Holder (Other Than a Representative Payee) Deceased The account holder is deceased. What to do: Stop debits. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R16 | Account Frozen / Entry Returned per OFAC Instruction Account is frozen due to legal or compliance action. What to do: Do not retry. Compliance review. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R17 | File Record Edit Criteria / Entry with Invalid Account Number Initiated Under Questionable Circumstances / Return of Improperly-Initiated Reversal Formatting or edit problems, or the customer's bank believes the debit is fraudulent or an improper reversal. What to do: Check the return details. If it says QUESTIONABLE or IMPROPER REVERSAL, stop, do not resubmit, and talk to our team. Only a formatting R17 should be corrected and resent. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R18 | Improper Effective Entry Date The effective entry date is invalid. What to do: Adjust the date and resubmit. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R19 | Amount Field Error Amount field is invalid or zero where not allowed. What to do: Correct the amount and resubmit. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R20 | Non-Transaction Account Account is not eligible for ACH transactions (for example, a CD). What to do: Do not retry without another account. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R21 | Invalid Company Identification Originator company ID is invalid for the receiver. What to do: Verify the originator setup and resubmit. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R22 | Invalid Individual ID Number The individual ID does not match the receiver's records. What to do: Confirm and correct the identifier. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R23 | Credit Entry Refused by Receiver Receiver does not accept the credit. What to do: The money comes back to you. Pay the receiver another way, or confirm they don't want it. Return window: 2 banking days after the refusal |
| R24 | Duplicate Entry A duplicate of a prior entry was detected. What to do: Accept the return. Don't also reverse the payment, or it gets undone twice. If you already sent a reversal, talk to our team. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R25 | Addenda Error The addenda record is missing or formatted wrong. What to do: Correct the addenda and resubmit. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R26 | Mandatory Field Error A required field is missing or invalid. What to do: Correct the field and resubmit. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R27 | Trace Number Error The trace number is missing or doesn't match the original entry. What to do: Correct and resubmit. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R28 | Routing Number Check Digit Error The routing number's check digit is wrong. What to do: Correct the routing number and resubmit. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R29Unauthorized | Corporate Customer Advises Not Authorized A business account holder says the debit was not authorized. What to do: Stop debits. Don't refund separately: the return already sent the money back. Get a new authorization before debiting again. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R30 | RDFI Not Participant in Check Truncation Program The receiving bank doesn't accept truncated check entries. What to do: Collect the payment another way. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R31 | Permissible Return Entry (CCD/CTX) Allowed under late-return rules for CCD or CTX entries. What to do: Process the return as instructed. Return window: N/A |
| R32 | RDFI Non-Settlement Receiving bank cannot settle. What to do: Contact the receiving bank. Try again later. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R33 | Return of XCK Entry A Destroyed Check Entry is being returned. What to do: Process the return. Return window: 60 calendar days |
| R34 | Limited Participation DFI A federal or state banking regulator has limited the customer's bank's participation in ACH. What to do: Process the return. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R35 | Return of Improper Debit Entry A debit was sent on an entry type or account that only accepts credits. What to do: Do not retry. Confirm the account and entry type. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R36 | Return of Improper Credit Entry A credit was sent on an entry type that only allows debits (ARC, BOC, POP, RCK, TEL, XCK). What to do: Do not retry. Send the funds another way. Return window: Next file delivery |
| R37 | Source Document Presented for Payment The original check was already presented. What to do: Do not retry the eCheck. Return window: 60 calendar days |
| R38 | Stop Payment on Source Document Stop payment placed on the original check. What to do: Do not retry the eCheck. Return window: 60 calendar days |
| R39 | Improper Source Document / Source Document Presented Issue with the source check document. What to do: Investigate the document. Do not retry. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R50 | State Law Affecting RCK Acceptance The receiving bank is in a state that doesn't accept RCK entries. What to do: Do not retry under RCK. Return window: 2 banking days |
| R51Unauthorized | Item Related to RCK Entry is Ineligible / RCK Entry is Improper Re-presented Check entry is invalid. What to do: Do not retry under RCK. Return window: 60 calendar days |
| R52 | Stop Payment on Item Related to RCK Entry Stop payment on a re-presented check. What to do: Do not retry. Return window: 60 calendar days |
| R53 | Item and RCK Entry Presented for Payment Both the original check and an RCK have been processed. What to do: Investigate and reconcile. Return window: 60 calendar days |
Return window is how long the customer's bank has to send the return, counted from the settlement date. Banking days skip weekends and federal holidays. "Next file delivery" codes are sent back by the bank or the ACH network right away.
Enrollment and dishonored return codes
Most merchants never see these. If one shows up on your account, ask our team.
Enrollment (ENR) return codes, R40 to R47
Returns of automated enrollment entries sent to federal government agencies.
- R40Return of ENR Entry by Federal Government Agency
- R41Invalid Transaction Code (ENR)
- R42Routing Number / Check Digit Error (ENR)
- R43Invalid DFI Account Number (ENR)
- R44Invalid Individual ID Number (ENR)
- R45Invalid Individual Name / Company Name (ENR)
- R46Invalid Representative Payee Indicator (ENR)
- R47Duplicate Enrollment (ENR)
Dishonored and contested return codes, R61 to R77
Used between the two banks when a return itself is wrong, late, or disputed.
- R61Misrouted Return
- R62Return of Erroneous or Reversing Debit
- R67Duplicate Return
- R68Untimely Return
- R69Field Error(s)
- R70Permissible Return Entry Not Accepted / Return Not Requested by ODFI
- R71Misrouted Dishonored Return
- R72Untimely Dishonored Return
- R73Timely Original Return
- R74Corrected Return
- R75Return Not a Duplicate
- R76No Errors Found
- R77Non-Acceptance of R62 Dishonored Return
ACH return rate thresholds
Nacha measures each business's returned debits over the preceding 60 days or two calendar months. Going over 0.5% unauthorized breaks Nacha rules. Going over the 3% administrative or 15% overall level starts a Nacha inquiry into the business and the processor that sends its payments.
Verifying the bank account before the first payment is the simplest way to keep R02, R03, and R04 down. See bank account verification.
| Return type | Codes counted | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Unauthorized | R05, R07, R10, R11, R29, R51 | 0.5% |
| Administrative | R02, R03, R04 | 3% |
| Overall | All debit returns, except RCK | 15% |
Retrying a returned ACH payment
Nacha lets you retry a payment returned R01 or R09 up to two more times, within 180 days of the original settlement date.
- Same amount, company name, and company ID as the original.
- "RETRY PYMT" in the company entry description.
- No late fee added to the retry. A fee needs its own authorization.
- R02, R03, R04: get new account details and the customer's authorization for that account first. That's a new payment, not a retry.
- R11: fix the error so the payment matches the original authorization, and send it within 60 days of the return's settlement date.
- R05, R07, R10, R29: stop, and get a new authorization before debiting again.
How to reduce ACH returns
Most returns trace back to a few fixable causes. Each step below targets specific codes.
Verify the account first
Check that the account is real and open before the first debit. It catches typos and closed accounts up front. See bank account verification.
Get a clear authorization and keep it
Use the right entry type for the customer (consumer or business, online or phone) and store the signed or recorded authorization.
Use a name customers recognize
The company name on their bank statement should match the business they know. An unfamiliar parent-company name is a common cause of "I don't know this charge."
Warn before an unusual debit
If the amount or date changes from what the customer agreed to, tell them before you pull it.
Retry insufficient funds carefully
Time retries around paydays, stay within two retries in 180 days, and stop if it keeps failing. See the retry rules.
Act on notifications of change
When a bank sends a notification of change, update the account details before the next payment.
ACH return codes FAQ
What is an ACH return code?
When a bank sends an ACH payment back, it attaches a return code (R01, R02, and so on) that says why. The code tells you whether to retry, fix the account details, or stop.
How long does a bank have to return an ACH payment?
Most returns must be sent within 2 banking days of settlement. Unauthorized returns on consumer accounts (R05, R07, R10, R11) and some check-related codes can come back up to 60 calendar days later.
What's the difference between R10 and R29?
Both mean the account holder says the debit wasn't authorized. R10 is a consumer account and can come back up to 60 calendar days later. R29 is a business account and must come back within 2 banking days.
Can I retry a returned ACH payment?
Only R01 and R09 returns can be retried as they are: up to two more times within 180 days of the original, for the same amount. Other codes need the problem fixed first, and R05, R07, R10, and R29 need a new authorization.
What's the difference between an ACH return and a chargeback?
A chargeback reverses a card payment. An ACH return sends a bank payment back with a return code. The ACH glossary covers more terms.
What ACH return rate is too high?
Nacha sets a 0.5% limit for unauthorized returns. Going over 3% for administrative returns (R02, R03, R04) or 15% for all debit returns starts a Nacha inquiry. Rates are measured over the preceding 60 days or two calendar months.
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