Return Codes
Category | Reason for Return | Return Code | Description | Entry Type | RDFI Deadline |
Funds Availability | Insufficient Funds | R01 | Available balance is not sufficient to cover the dollar value of the debit entry. | ALL | 24 Hrs |
Funds Availability | Uncollected Funds | R09 | Sufficient book/ledger balance exists, but value of uncollected items brings available balance below amount of debit entry. | ALL | 24 Hrs |
Funds Availability | Account Frozen/Entry Returned Per OFAC Instruction | R16 | Funds unavailable due to action by the RDFI or by legal action; or OFAC has instructed the RDFI or Gateway to return the entry. | ALL | 24 Hrs |
Account Rejects | Account Closed | R02 | Previously active account has been closed. | ALL | 24 Hrs |
Account Rejects | No Account/Unable to Locate Account | R03 | Account number structure is valid, but doesn't match individual identified in entry or is not an open account. (May not be used to return ARC, BOC or POP entries simply because they do not contain an individual name.) | ALL | 24 Hrs |
Account Rejects | Invalid Account Number | R04 | Account number structure not valid. Edit of check digit or number of account digits failed. | ALL | 24 Hrs |
Account Rejects | Non-Transaction Account | R20 | RDFI policies/regulations restrict activity to account indicated. | ALL | 24 Hrs |
Authorization | Unauthorized Debit To Consumer Account Using Corporate SEC Code | R05 | A debit entry that was transmitted to a consumer account of the Receiver was not authorized by the Receiver. Written Statement is required. | CCD, CTX(consumer only) | 60 Days |
Authorization | Authorization Revoked by Customer | R07 | Consumer who previously authorized entries has revoked authorization with the Originator. Written Statement is required. | PPD, TEL and WEB | 60 Days |
Authorization | Payment Stopped | R08 | The Receiver has requested the stop payment of a specific ACH debit entry. Stop Payment form recommended. | ALL | 24 Hrs |
Authorization | Customer Advises Originator is Not Known to Receiver and/or Originator is Not Authorized by Receiver to Debit Receiver's Account | R10 | Receiver advises that an entry is not authorized. Written Statement is required. | ARC, BOC, IAT, POP, POS, PPD, TEL, WEB | 60 Days |
Authorization | Customer Advises Entry Not in Accordance with Terms of the Authorization | R11 | Authorization obtained, but error in payment (e.g. wrong amount; debit date before authorized; incomplete transaction; improper source document or exceeds reinitiation attempts). Written Statement is required. | ARC, BOC, IAT, POP, POS, PPD, TEL, WEB | 60 Days |
Authorization | Corporate Customer Advises Not Authorized | R29 | Receiver has notified RDFI that corporate debit entry transmitted to a corporate account is not authorized. | CCD, CTX | 24 Hrs |
Authorization | Permissible Return Entry | R31 | ODFI agrees to accept a return after the "24-hour" deadline of a corporate entry reported unauthorized. | CCD, CTX | Negotiated |
Death | Representative Payee Deceased | R14 | Representative Payee is deceased or unable to continue in that capacity; cease future payments. (Beneficiary may be entitled to future deposits through another account.) Used primarily for the return of federal government benefits. | Consumer Only | 24 Hrs |
Death | Beneficiary or Account Holder Deceased | R15 | The beneficiary entitled to benefits or account holder (other than Representative Payee) is deceased; cease future payments. Used primarily for the return of federal government benefits. | Consumer Only | 24 Hrs |
Special Concern | Credit Entry Declined by Receiver | R23 | Receiver declines transaction because amount is inaccurate, results in overpayment, account is in litigation or Originator is not known to the Receiver. | ALL CREDIT ENTRIES | 24 Hrs (after Receiver notifies RDFI) |
Special Concern | Return of XCK Entry | R33 | RDFI determines at its discretion to return a Destroyed Check Entry. | XCK | 60 Days |
Erroneous Entries | Returned per ODFI's Request | R06 | ODFI has requested RDFI to return an entry. | ALL | Negotiated |
Erroneous Entries | File Record Edit Criteria/ Entry with Invalid Account Number Initiated Under Questionable Circumstances/ Return of Improperly-Initiated Reversal | R17 | Fields edited by the RDFI cannot be processed. The field causing the error should be identified in the Addenda Information field of the Addenda Record. RDFI believes the transaction was initiated under questionable circumstances; 'QUESTIONABLE' should be identified in the Addenda Information field. The RDFI or Receiver has Identified a Reversing Entry as one that was importoperly intiated by the Originator or the ODFI.*Under the IRS Refund Return Opt-In Program, RDFIs can return suspicious or questionable tax refund credits using R17. If an RDFI participates in this program, it can return a tax refund credit for 60 days after the Settlement Date of the income tax refund. | ALL | 24 Hrs* |
Erroneous Entries | Invalid Company Identification | R21 | Number used in the Company ID field is incorrect. | CIE | 24 Hrs |
Erroneous Entries | Invalid Individual Identification Number | R22 | The ID number used to identify the account is not correct. | CIE, MTE | 24 Hrs |
Do's and Don'ts of ACH Returns
Do return ACH entries timely to meet required deadlines. For “24-hour” return reason codes, the ODFI must receive the return by opening of business on the second banking day after the Settlement Date of the original entry. Returns sent electronically on either the Settlement Date or the day after the Settlement Date may meet this deadline. For “60-day” returns, the ODFI must receive the return by the opening of business on the banking day following the sixtieth calendar day after the Settlement Date of the original entry.
Do contact an ODFI if an ACH entry was returned with the wrong return reason code or to ask if the ODFI will allow for the return of the original entry using return reason code “R06 — Returned per ODFI’s Request.”
Do obtain a letter of indemnification if an ODFI requested an entry be returned “R06 - Returned per ODFI’s Request.”
Do know that debit entries returned as “R01 - Insufficient Funds” or “R09 - Uncollected Funds” must be reinitiated within 180 days of the Settlement Date of the original entry.
Don’t return a debit because a Receiver is not pleased with the goods or services. Subsection 2.4.3 states the ODFI does not warrant the goods or services related to Entries. Any dispute over goods and services must be handled outside the ACH Network.
Dishonored Return Entries
What is a Dishonored Return Entry?
An ODFI has the right to dishonor a return entry received from the RDFI if the entry was found to be returned outside of the established return timeframes, or if the information in the return entry was incomplete or incorrect. Dishonored return entries must be transmitted within 5 banking days after the Settlement Date of the return entry and are identified through the use of Dishonored Return Reason Codes, which are listed below.
Return Code | DEFINITION | RDFI RESPONSE | SPECIAL CONSIDERATION |
R61 | Misrouted Return—Return was received by wrong financial institution due to incorrect routing number. | Return Original Entry Using Correct RTN | Obtain correct routing number from original entry detail. Since return may now be untimely, ODFI contact is suggested. |
R62 | Return of Erroneous or Reversing Debit—The use of the reversal process resulted in, or failed to correct, an unintended credit to the Receiver. | Contest as R77 or Accept | Verify whether both the erroneous entry and the related reversing entry were returned; or the funds related to the entry in error were not recoverable from the Receiver. |
R67 | Duplicate Return—More than one return entry has been sent for the same entry. | Contest as R75 or Accept | Verify whether return was a duplicate. If not, then contest as indicated. If a duplicate, accept the Dishonored Return. |
R68 | Untimely Return—Return entry did not meet return deadline. | Contest as R73 or Accept | Verify timeliness of return. If return was timely, contest as indicated. If return was untimely, accept the Dishonored Return. |
R69 | Field Errors—Return contained one or more input errors. Addenda Record indicates field(s) in error:01—Account Number 02—Trace Number 03—Amount 04—Individual ID 05—Transaction Code 06—Company ID 07—Effective Entry Date | Correct and Return as R74 or Contest as R76 | Verify source of error(s) from original entry detail. Enter correct information in appropriate fields of Contested Dishonored Return and contest as R74. If no errors were found, contest as R76. |
R70 | Permissible Return Not Accepted/Return Not Requested—RDFI initiated a return as “R31—Permissible Return Entry” without ODFI permission or as “R06— Returned per ODFI’s Request” when the ODFI did not request such a return. | Contact ODFI Regarding Discrepancies | Use of R31 and R06 must be negotiated with the ODFI. Contact your Payments Association for clarification. |
What is a Contested Dishonored Return Entry?
An RDFI may dispute a Dishonored Return entry received from the ODFI. Contested Dishonored Return entries must be transmitted within 2 banking days after the Settlement Date of the Dishonored Return entry and are identified by Contested Dishonored
Return Reason Codes (listed below). An ODFI may not contest a Contested Dishonored Return through the ACH Network. Any further action concerning the entry must be pursued outside of the ACH Network.
What is a Corrected Return Entry?
An RDFI receiving a Dishonored Return entry indicating the return entry contained incorrect information may transmit a Corrected Return entry. This must be done within 2 banking days of the Settlement Date of the Dishonored Return entry.
Return Code | DEFINITION |
R71 | Misrouted Dishonored Return—ODFI misrouted the Dishonored Return to the wrong RDFI (incorrect routing number). |
R72 | Untimely Dishonored Return—ODFI has not sent Dishonored Return Entry by return deadline. |
R73 | Timely Original Return—RDFI claims the original return was sent within the timeframe designated in the ACH Rules. |
R74 | Corrected Return—RDFI is correcting a return which was dishonored as “R69—Field Errors” because it contained incomplete or incorrect information. |
R75 | Original Return Not a Duplicate—RDFI claims original return entry is not a duplicate of an entry previously returned by the RDFI, used to dishonor return reason code “R67—Duplicate Return.” |
R76 | No Errors Found—RDFI claims the original return entry did not contain the errors indicated by the ODFI in the Dishonored Return entry “R69—Field Errors.” |
R77 | Non-Acceptance of R62 Dishonored Return—RDFI returned both the erroneous entry and related reversing entry; or RDFI was unable to recover the funds related to the entry in error from the Receiver. |
ACH Operator Exceptions
What is an ACH Operator Reject?
When an ACH Operator receives an entry or entry data that does not meet the acceptance criteria of ACH record formatting specifications, it will either return the entry or reject the entire batch or file containing the entry.
Fields are subject to edit by the ACH Operator and contain data critical for posting of an ACH entry. Rejected entries are identified through the use of ACH Operator Return Reason Codes, which are listed below.
OPERATOR REJECT CODES | DESCRIPTION | REASON(S) FOR USE OF THE REJECT CODE |
R13 | Invalid ACH Routing Number | Entry contains an RDFI or Gateway Identification that is not a valid ACH Routing Number. |
R18 | Improper Effective Entry Date | Effective Entry Date of a credit entry is beyond the 2 banking day processing window. Effective date of a debit entry is beyond the 1 banking day processing window. |
R19 | Amount Field Error | Amount field is non-numeric; is not zero in non-valued entry (i.e., prenote, DNE, ENR, NOC, Refused NOC or zero dollar entry); is zero in a valued ACH transaction format; or is greater than $25,000 for ARC, BOC and POP entries. |
R25* | Addenda Error | An error(s) exists in the Addenda Record in regard to the application of codes, incorrect values, addenda content or required formatting standards (i.e., ANSI or NACHA-endorsed banking convention). |
R26* | Mandatory Field Error | An error exists in a field that is mandatory for ACH processing. |
R27* | Trace Number Error | Original Entry Trace Number is not present in the Addenda Record of an automated return or the trace number disagrees with the previous entry. |
R28 | Routing Number Check Digit Error | The check digit for a routing number is invalid. |
R30 | RDFI Not Participant in Check Truncation Program | A check truncation entry is being directed to a non-participating RDFI. Routing number is incorrect for a check truncation entry. |
R32 | RDFI Non-Settlement | RDFI is unable to settle the entry. |
R34 | Limited Participation DFI | RDFI’s participation has been limited by a federal or state supervisor. |
R35 | Return of Improper Debit Entry | A debit entry was originated that is not permitted for a Customer-Initiated Entry (CIE) or a loan transaction. |
R36 | Return of Improper Credit Entry | A credit entry was originated that is not permitted for ARC, BOC, POP, RCK, TEL or XCK. |
Rejected entries have not been delivered to the intended financial institution or Receiver. Original entries or returns must be reinitiated with the correct information. Deadlines are not extended for rejected entries.
*Refer to Appendix 4 of the ACH Rules for a detailed listing of error conditions
Notifications of Change
What is a Notification of Change (NOC)?
An RDFI may send an NOC to an ODFI for the purpose of identifying incorrect information contained in an ACH entry and providing correct data for use in future entries. Correct data is contained in the change field(s) of the NOC and is sent using the Standard Entry Class (SEC) code COR. In transmitting an NOC, the RDFI’s warranty supersedes and renders inoperative any similar warranty of the ODFI. NOCs must be transmitted within 2 banking days of the Settlement Date of the entry to which the NOC relates and are identified through the use of NOC codes, which are listed below.
FIELDS CONTAINING INCORRECT INFORMATION | NOC CODE | DESCRIPTION OF ERROR | CHANGE FIELD ENTRY PROCEDURE |
Account Number | C01 | Account number is incorrect or is formatted incorrectly. | Enter correct account number in Change Field 1. |
Routing Number | C02 | Due to merger or consolidation, a once valid routing number must be changed. | Enter correct routing number in Change Field 1. |
Routing Number and Account Number | C03 | Due to a merger or consolidation, the routing number must be changed and account number structure is no longer valid. | Enter correct routing number in Change Field 1, and enter correct account number in Change Field 2. |
Transaction Code | C05 | Transaction Code is incorrect and is causing entry to be routed to the wrong type of account (checking, savings, general ledger, or loan). | Enter correct Transaction Code* in Change Field 1. |
Account Number and Transaction Code | C06 | Account number is incorrect and transaction is being routed to the wrong type of account (checking, savings, general ledger, or loan). | Enter correct account number in Change Field 1and correct Transaction Code* in Change Field 2. |
Routing Number, Account Number and Transaction Code | C07 | Due to a merger or consolidation, a routing number must be changed, account number structure is no longer valid and the transaction should be routed to another type of account. | Enter correct routing number in Change Field 1, enter correct account number in Change Field 2, and enter correct Transaction Code* in Change Field 3. |
Incorrect Receiving DFI Identification | C08 | Receiving DFI ID in an IAT is incorrect. | Enter correct Receiving DFI ID in first 34 positions of the Corrected Data Field. |
Incorrect Individual ID Number or Incorrect Receiver ID Number | C09 | Individual ID number is incorrect. | Change Fields are left blank. Verify Standard Entry Class Code; use for CIE, IAT, MTE, POS and SHR entries only |
Addenda Format Error | C13 | Entry Detail Record was correct, but information in the Addenda Record was unclear/formatted incorrectly (i.e., addenda information is not formatted in ANSI or NACHA-endorsed banking conventions). | Change Fields are left blank. (Correction to addenda devised by Originator and ODFI.) |
Incorrect SEC Code for Outbound International Payment | C14 | Used by Gateway to let ODFI know that future entries should be identified as IAT. | IAT in the first three positions of the Corrected Data Field identifies the payment as international. Further payments must use the IAT format. |
*Refer to Appendix 3 of the ACH Rules for a list of Transaction Codes.