The basic steps to send an ACH payment
To make an ACH payment, you need your bank's website or app, the recipient's routing number and account number, and the amount you want to send. Log into your bank account, find the "Send Money" or "Pay Bills" section, enter the recipient's banking details, confirm the amount and date, and submit. Most banks let you schedule the payment for a future date or send it immediately, though immediate transfers often take one business day to arrive.
The recipient does not need to do anything on their end. The money moves from your account to theirs through the automated clearing house network, which is why it is called an ACH payment. You can send ACH payments to almost any U.S. bank account—checking, savings, or money market accounts.
The whole process takes about five minutes if you already have the recipient's information. If you do not, you will need to ask them for their routing number and account number before you start.
Key Takeaways
- You need the recipient's routing number and account number to send an ACH payment through your bank's website or app.
- ACH payments typically arrive within one business day, even if you request an immediate transfer.
- Most banks let you schedule ACH payments in advance or send them right away without any additional cost.
- Once you submit an ACH payment, you cannot cancel it if it has already been processed, so double-check the account number before you confirm.
Where to find your bank's ACH payment option
Log into your bank's website or open the mobile app. Look for a section labeled "Send Money," "Pay Bills," "Transfers," or "External Transfers." Some banks put this under an account menu or a "Payments" tab at the top of the page. If you cannot find it, call your bank's customer service line—they can walk you through it or tell you if your account type allows ACH transfers.
Not all account types support ACH payments. Some savings accounts or money market accounts may have restrictions on how many transfers you can make per month. Check your account agreement or ask your bank before you try to send money.
What information you need from the recipient
Ask the recipient for their routing number and account number. The routing number is a nine-digit code that identifies their bank. The account number is unique to their specific account and is usually 8 to 12 digits long.
The recipient can find both numbers on a check. The routing number is the first nine digits at the bottom left of the check, and the account number is the second set of numbers. They can also log into their own bank account and find these numbers in the account details section, or they can call their bank and ask.
You may also need the recipient's name and address, depending on your bank. Some banks require you to enter this information to verify the account before the transfer goes through.
Timing: when the money arrives
ACH payments take one to two business days to arrive, even if you request an immediate transfer. "Immediate" means your bank processes it right away, but the receiving bank still needs time to post the money to the recipient's account. Weekends and bank holidays do not count as business days, so a payment sent on Friday afternoon may not arrive until Monday or Tuesday.
Some banks offer a faster option called same-day ACH, which processes by the end of the same business day. Not all banks support this, and there may be a fee or a limit on how much you can send. Ask your bank whether same-day ACH is available on your account.
If you need money to arrive faster than one business day, ACH is not the right tool. Wire transfers arrive the same day but cost more and cannot be reversed. Peer-to-peer payment apps like Venmo or PayPal may also be faster, though they have their own limits and fees.
Fees and costs
Most banks do not charge a fee to send an ACH payment to another bank account. Some banks charge a small fee—usually $1 to $3—if you send more than a certain number of transfers per month, or if you use ACH to pay a bill through a third-party service. Check your bank's fee schedule or ask before you send the payment if you are unsure.
The recipient never pays a fee to receive an ACH payment. The cost, if any, falls on the sender.
What to do if you made a mistake
If you entered the wrong account number or amount, contact your bank immediately. Do not wait. If the payment has not been processed yet—usually within a few hours of sending it—your bank may be able to cancel it. Once the payment has been processed and sent to the receiving bank, it cannot be canceled through your bank.
If the money went to the wrong account, you will need to contact the recipient bank directly and ask them to reverse the transfer. This is not may provide to work, especially if the receiving account holder has already spent the money. Some banks will help; others will not. This is why double-checking the account number before you submit is critical.
If you sent money to the wrong person by mistake, you may have a case for fraud recovery through your bank's dispute process, but this is slow and uncertain. It is much faster and more reliable to prevent the mistake in the first place by verifying the account number with the recipient before you send anything.
ACH payments for bills and recurring payments
Many companies let you set up automatic ACH payments for bills—utilities, insurance, loan payments, subscriptions. You can usually do this through the company's website by entering your bank account information, or you can authorize the company to pull money from your account on a set date each month.
Be careful with automatic payments. Once you authorize a company to pull from your account, they will keep doing it until you cancel. If you forget to cancel before you close the account or switch banks, the payment may fail or bounce. Check your bank statements regularly to make sure the correct amount is being withdrawn on the correct date.
If a company charges you twice or takes the wrong amount, contact them first and ask them to reverse it. If they will not, file a dispute with your bank. You have the right to dispute an unauthorized or incorrect ACH debit within a certain time frame—usually 60 days from when the payment was posted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel an ACH payment after I send it?
It depends on timing. If you cancel within a few hours of sending it, before your bank processes it, you may be able to stop it. Once it has been processed and sent to the receiving bank, you cannot cancel it. Contact your bank immediately if you need to stop a payment—do not wait.
What happens if I give the wrong account number?
The money will go to whatever account matches that routing and account number. If the account exists but belongs to someone else, you will need to contact that person's bank and ask them to reverse the transfer. If the account number is invalid, the payment will bounce back to your account within one to two business days.
Is ACH payment safe?
ACH is as safe as any bank transfer. Your bank verifies the routing number and account number before sending the money. The main risk is user error—sending money to the wrong account because you copied the number wrong. Always verify the account number with the recipient before you submit the payment.
Can I send an ACH payment to someone at a different bank?
Yes. ACH works between any U.S. banks that participate in the clearing house network, which is nearly all of them. You do not need to use the same bank as the recipient.
How much money can I send with ACH?
Most banks do not have a limit on individual ACH transfers, but some do. Check with your bank about their maximum transfer amount. If you are sending a very large amount, your bank may flag it for review or ask you to verify the transaction before it goes through.