What Information Is Required for ACH Payments?

The information required for ACH payments is a short, fixed list: the full legal names of the sender and receiver, the receiving bank’s nine-digit routing number, the account number, the account type (checking or savings), and a signed authorization from the account holder. Businesses originating ACH files add a handful of company-level fields, and international transfers require significantly more. Everything else is detail around those core items.

The Core Bank Account Details

Three pieces of banking information form the backbone of every ACH entry.

  • Routing number. A nine-digit number assigned by the American Bankers Association that identifies the specific financial institution. It functions as the bank’s address inside the ACH network.1American Bankers Association. ABA Routing Number
  • Account number. The unique number tied to the specific checking or savings account that will be credited or debited.
  • Account type. You must specify whether the account is checking or savings. Banks process these through different internal systems, and picking the wrong one is a common reason entries get returned.

Copy these from an official source rather than from memory. A single transposed digit can send money to the wrong account or trigger a return, and return fees stack up quickly.

How to Find Your Routing and Account Numbers

The simplest source is a paper check. The routing number is the first string of nine digits printed along the bottom-left edge. The account number follows it, usually in the center. The third number at the far right is the check number, which ACH doesn’t use.

If you don’t have checks, log into your bank’s online portal or mobile app. Most banks display both numbers under account details or settings. Monthly statements show them near the top of the document in the account summary.

Personal Identification Information

Both the sender and receiver must provide a full legal name, or the registered business name if a company is involved. Under the Bank Secrecy Act’s Customer Identification Program, banks must collect at minimum your name, date of birth (for individuals), a street address, and a government-issued identification number such as a Social Security number or taxpayer ID before you can open an account or originate transfers.2eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Non-U.S. persons can substitute a passport number or alien identification card number.

These checks exist because the same infrastructure that moves payroll also attracts fraud and money laundering. Banks must screen ACH participants against federal watchlists, and delays caused by fraud screening or Bank Secrecy Act compliance are explicitly permitted under Regulation E.3eCFR. 12 CFR Part 1005 – Electronic Fund Transfers (Regulation E) Accurate personal details up front are the fastest way to avoid those holds.

Credit or Debit: Who Provides the Information

The direction money flows changes who needs what.

  • ACH credit (push). The sender pushes money into the receiver’s account. Payroll direct deposit is the classic example. The sender needs the receiver’s routing number, account number, and account type.
  • ACH debit (pull). The receiver pulls money from the sender’s account. Recurring bill pay typically works this way. The receiver needs the sender’s banking details plus written authorization to withdraw funds.

The distinction matters because debits carry higher fraud risk, and the rules around authorization are stricter than for credits.

Authorization

No ACH debit can legally leave a consumer account without authorization. Under federal law, a preauthorized electronic fund transfer from a consumer’s account may only be authorized in writing, and the consumer must receive a copy of that authorization.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1693e – Preauthorized Transfers For internet payments, “in writing” includes an electronic authorization displayed on screen with clear terms.5Nacha. ACH File Details – ACH Guide for Developers

A compliant authorization form must specify the payment amount (or indicate that amounts vary), the frequency and timing of debits, and how the authorization can be revoked. Nacha’s rules require seven essential elements in a consumer debit authorization, including clear instructions on how to cancel, the timeframe for doing so, and whom to contact.6Nacha. The Importance of Compliant ACH Authorizations A debit without proper authorization, or on a form missing required elements, is grounds for dispute.

Authorization Varies by Transaction Type

The documentation you need depends on the Standard Entry Class (SEC) code, which categorizes how the payment was set up.

  • PPD (Prearranged Payment and Deposit). Consumer payments such as direct deposit or recurring bill pay. Requires written authorization signed by the account holder.5Nacha. ACH File Details – ACH Guide for Developers
  • WEB (Internet-Initiated). Consumer authorizations online or by mobile device. The authorization must be displayed electronically with clear terms, and the originator must use commercially reasonable fraud detection and validate the account before the first debit.7Nacha. Supplementing Fraud Detection Standards for WEB Debits
  • TEL (Telephone-Initiated). Oral authorization over the phone. One-time payments require either a recorded call or written confirmation. Recurring TEL debits require a copy of the authorization to be provided to the consumer.
  • CCD (Corporate Credit or Debit). Business-to-business transfers such as vendor payments. Authorization is typically handled through a standing agreement between the two companies rather than a per-transaction form.

Choosing the wrong SEC code isn’t a technicality. It determines what authorization records you have to keep, and using the wrong one creates liability if a transaction is disputed.

Additional Fields for Business Originators

If you’re a business sending ACH payments rather than an individual, each batch file carries data fields beyond the basic account details.

  • Company Name. The name that appears on the receiver’s bank statement. Nacha rules require a name the receiver will recognize, not an obscure parent-company name or abbreviation.
  • Company ID. Usually your federal Employer Identification Number, though some originating banks assign a separate identifier. It stays consistent across all your entries.
  • Entry Description. A short label such as “PAYROLL” or “VENDORPMT” that appears on the receiver’s statement and helps them identify the transaction.
  • Effective Entry Date. The date you want the transfer to settle.
  • SEC Code. The Standard Entry Class code identifying the transaction type.

Your originating bank will typically provide a template or portal that collects all of these fields. Getting the Company Name right matters more than people realize. A payment labeled with a name the recipient doesn’t connect to the charge is far more likely to generate a dispute or a call to their bank.

Additional Information for International ACH Transfers

When an ACH payment involves a financial institution or account in another country, it’s classified as an International ACH Transaction (IAT) and requires significantly more information. Each IAT entry must include at least seven mandatory addenda records carrying compliance data for Bank Secrecy Act screening and Office of Foreign Assets Control review.8Nacha. IAT Specific Data Elements

Beyond the standard routing and account numbers, you’ll need to supply:

  • The originator’s full name, street address, city, state, country, and postal code
  • The receiver’s full name, identification number, street address, city, state, country, and postal code
  • The originating bank’s name, ID, and country code
  • The receiving bank’s name, ID, and branch country code
  • The payment amount in the foreign currency and a brief reason for payment

Every IAT entry gets screened against sanctions lists. Missing or inaccurate information on any of these addenda records can delay or block the payment entirely.

Validating the Information Before You Send

Sending an ACH payment to a bad account number wastes days and generates fees. Nacha requires originators of WEB debit entries to validate that an account is open and accepts ACH transactions before the first debit.7Nacha. Supplementing Fraud Detection Standards for WEB Debits Even where validation isn’t required, it’s sensible practice. Two common methods:

  • Prenotes. A pre-notification entry is a zero-dollar test transaction sent through the ACH network to confirm the routing number, account number, and account type are valid. It uses a unique transaction code that flags it as a verification entry. Prenotes take two to three business days to process, and you have to wait for the result before sending a live payment.9Nacha. Micro-Entries (Phase 1)
  • Micro-deposits. Two small deposits (typically under a dollar each) are sent to the account. The account holder confirms the exact amounts, proving they have access. Nacha rules require these entries to carry the description “ACCTVERIFY” so the recipient knows they are for verification.9Nacha. Micro-Entries (Phase 1)

Commercial account validation services offer faster, near-real-time results, though Nacha doesn’t mandate any specific method. For businesses onboarding new customers or vendors, building validation into the workflow catches errors before they become costly returns.

What Happens When the Information Is Wrong

When an ACH entry can’t be processed, the receiving bank sends it back with a return code. The codes most often tied to bad information:

  • R02 — Account Closed. The account was valid at some point but has since been closed.
  • R03 — No Account / Unable to Locate. The account number looks structurally valid but doesn’t match any open account at that bank.
  • R04 — Invalid Account Number. The account number structure itself is wrong, such as having too many or too few digits.

Returns typically process within two banking days. Each one often carries a fee from the originator’s bank, and repeated returns can get a business flagged by Nacha for excessive return rates. R03 and R04 are the most preventable, and both come down to someone entering the wrong account number. Validating details before the first transaction eliminates most of them.