ACH return codes identify the reason an ACH payment was returned by the recipient's bank. They make it easier for originating and receiving financial institutions to spot and communicate payment failures.
Each code begins with 'R' followed by a two-digit number. For example, 'R04' indicates that an invalid account number was provided. In response, the ACH network returns payment to the originating party if it fails to complete the request. Payments returned in this way are typically referred to as ACH Returns. ACH return codes are standardized and maintained by NACHA, the governing body for the ACH network.
For further details including an updated listing of ACH Return Codes, go to https://www.moderntreasury.com/learn/ach-return-code-reference.
| Return Reason Codes for RDFIs | |
| R01 | Insufficient Funds - Available balance is not sufficient to cover the dollar value of the debit entry. |
| R02 | Account Closed - Previously active account has been closed by the customer or RDFI. |
| R03 | No Account/Unable to Locate Account - The account number structure is valid and passes the editing process, but does not correspond to an individual or is not an open account. |
| R04 | Invalid Account Number - The account number structure is not valid; the entry may fail check digit validation or may contain an incorrect number of digits. |
| R05 | Improper Debit to Consumer Account - A CCD, CTX, or CBR debit entry was transmitted to a Consumer Account of the Receiver and was not authorized by the Receiver. |
| R06 | Returned per ODFI's Request - ODFI has requested RDFI to return the ACH entry (optional to RDFI - ODFI indemnifies RDFI). |
| R07 | Authorization Revoked by Customer - Consumer, who previously authorized ACH payment, has revoked authorization from the Originator (must be returned no later than 60 days from the settlement date and the customer must sign an affidavit). |
| R08 | Payment Stopped - The receiver of a recurring debit transaction has stopped payment to a specific ACH debit. RDFI should verify the Receiver's intent when a request to stop payment is made to insure this is not intended to be a revocation of the authorization. |
| R09 | Uncollected Funds - Sufficient book or ledger balance exists to satisfy the dollar value of the transaction, but the dollar value of the transaction is in process of collection (i.e., uncollected checks) or cash reserve balance below the dollar value of the debit entry. |
| R10 | Customer Advises Not Known nor Authorized - The consumer has advised RDFI that the Originator of a transaction is not authorized to debit the account (must be returned no later than 60 days from the settlement date of original entry and the customer must sign an affidavit). |
| R11 | Check Truncation Entry Returned - used when returning a check safekeeping entry; RDFI should use the appropriate field in the addenda record to specify a reason for return (i.e., "exceeds dollar limit," "stale date," etc.). |
| R12 | Branch Sold to Another DFI - Financial institution receives entry destined for an account at a branch that has been sold to another financial institution. |
| R13 | RDFI Not Qualified to Participate |
| R14 | Account-holder Deceased [Representative Payee Deceased or Unable to Continue in that Capacity] - Account-holder is deceased (used in the event of death of a Representative Payee. guardian, or trustee). |
| R15 | Beneficiary Deceased [Beneficiary or Account Holder (Other Than a Representative Payee) Deceased] - Beneficiary entitled to payments is deceased. |
| R16 | Account Frozen - Funds unavailable due to specific action by the RDFI or by legal action. |
| R17 | File Record Edit Criteria - Fields not edited by the ACH Operator are edited by the RDFI; field(s) causing processing error must be identified in the addenda record of return. |
| R18 | Improper Effective Entry Date |
| R19 | Amount Field Error |
| R20 | Non-Transaction Account - ACH entry is destined for a non-transaction account (i.e., an account against which transactions are prohibited or limited). |
| R21 | Invalid Company Identification - The number used in the Company ID field in error. |
| R22 | Invalid Individual ID Number - in the CIE entry the Individual ID Number is used by the Receiver to identify the account; the Receiver has indicated to RDFI that the number the Originator identified is not correct. |
| R23 | Credit Entry Refused by Receiver - The receiver refuses credit entry because of one of the following conditions: (1) the minimum amount required by the Receiver has not been remitted, (2) the exact amount required has not been remitted, (3) the account subject to litigation and Receiver will not accept transaction, (4) acceptance of transaction results in an overpayment, (5) Originator is not known by Receiver, or (6) Receiver has not authorized the credit entry. |
| R24 | Duplicate Entry - RDFI has received what appears to be a duplicate entry (i.e., trace number, date, dollar amount, and/or other data that matches another transaction). |
| R25 | Addenda Error |
| R26 | Mandatory Field Error |
| R27 | Trace Number Error |
| R28 | Routing Number Check Digit Error |
| R29 | Corporate Customer Advises Not Authorized - RDFI has been notified by the Receiver (non-consumer) that entry was not authorized. |
| R30 | RDFI Not Participant in Check Truncation Program |
| R31 | Permissible Return Entry (CCD and CTX only) - RDFI has been notified by ODFI that ODFI agrees to accept a return entry beyond the normal return deadline. |
| R32 | RDFI Non-Settlement |
| R33 | Return of XCK Entry - RDFI, at its discretion, returns an XCK entry (code only used for XCK returns) XCK entries may be returned up to 60 days after the settlement date. |
| R34 | Limited Participation DFI |
| R35 | Return of Improper Debit Entry |
| R36 | Reserved |
| R37 | Reserved - The source document to which an ACH entry relates has been presented for payment. |
| R38 | STOP PAY (ARC) - STOP PAY (ARC) |
| R39 | Reserved |
| R40 | Non-Participant in ENR Program (ENR only) [Return of ENR Entry by Federal Government Agency (ENR only)] |
| R41 | Invalid Transaction Code (ENR only) |
| R42 | Routing Number/Check Digit Error (ENR only) |
| R43 | Invalid DFI Account Number (ENR only) |
| R44 | Invalid Individual ID Number (ENR only)[Invalid Individual ID Number/Identification Number (ENR only)] |
| R45 | Invalid Individual Name (ENR only) [Invalid Individual Name/Company Name (ENR only)] |
| R46 | Invalid Representative Payee Indicator (ENR only) |
| R47 | Duplicate Enrollment (ENR only) |
| R48 | Reserved |
| R49 | Reserved |
| R50 | State Law Affecting RCK Acceptance - RDFI is in one of the states that have not accepted the Uniform Commercial Code and hasn't revised its consumer agreements to allow for electronic presentment, OR the RDFI is in a state that requires all canceled checks to be returned in the consumer statement. |
| R51 | Item is Ineligible, Notice Not Provided, Signatures Not Genuine, Item Altered or Amount of RCK Entry not Accurately Obtained From the Item |
| R52 | Stop Payment - RDFI determines that a stop payment has been placed on the item to which the RCK entry relates. RDFI has 60 days following settlement to return. |
| R53 | Paper backup missing or not in agreement - In addition to an RCK entry, the item to which the RCK entry relates has also been presented for payment. |
| R54 | Reserved |
| R55 | Reserved |
| R56 | Reserved |
| R57 | Reserved |
| R58 | Reserved |
| R59 | Reserved |
| Dishonored Return Codes for ODFIs | |
| R60 | Reserved |
| R61 | Misrouted Return - RDFI of the original entry has placed the incorrect transit/routing number in the Receiving DFI Identification field. |
| R62 | Incorrect Trace Number - Trace Number found in positions 07-21 in the addenda record of the Return is different from the trace number of the original entry. |
| R63 | Incorrect Dollar Amount - The dollar amount in the Entry Detail Record of the Return is different from the dollar amount of the original entry. |
| R64 | Incorrect Individual Identification - Individual ID number reflected in the Entry Detail Record of the Return is different from the Individual ID number used in the original entry. |
| R65 | Incorrect Transaction Code - Transaction Code in the Entry Detail Record of the Return is not the return equivalent of the Transaction Code in the original entry. (All entries must be returned as received: i.e., credit as credit, debit as debit, demand as demand, savings as savings.) |
| R66 | Incorrect Company Identification - Company ID number used in the Company/Batch Header Record of the Return is different from the ID number used in the original entry. |
| R67 | Duplicate Return - ODFI has received more than one return for the same entry. |
| R68 | Untimely Return - Return was not sent within the time frame established by the rules. |
| R69 | Multiple Errors - Two or more fields are incorrect (i.e. original entry trace number, amount, individual ID number, company ID, and/or Transaction Code). |
| R70 | Permissible Return Entry Not Accepted |
| R71 | Misrouted Dishonored Return |
| R72 | Untimely Dishonored Return |
| R73 | Timely Original Return |
| R74 | Corrected Return |
| R80 | CROSS-BORDER CODING ERROR |
| R81 | NON-PARTICIPANT IN CROSS-BORDER PROGRAM |
| R82 | INVALID FOREIGN RECEIVING DFI IDENTIFICATION |
| R83 | FOREIGN RECEIVING DFI UNABLE TO SETTLE |
| R84 | NOT PROCESSED BY GATEWAY |
| R85 | INCORRECTLY CODED OUTBOUND INT'L PAYMENT |
| Correction Codes | |
| C01 | Corrected Account |
| C02 | Corrected Routing |
| C03 | Corrected Routing and Account |
| C04 | Corrected Name |
| C05 | Corrected Tran Code |
| C06 | Corrected Account and Tran Code |
| C07 | Corrected Routing, Account, and Tran Code |
| C08 | Corrected Foreign Routing |
| C09 | Corrected Individual ID Number |
| C10 | Corrected Company Name |
| C11 | Corrected Company ID |
| C12 | Corrected Company Name and Company ID |
| C13 | Addenda Format Error |
| C61 | Misrouted Notification Of Change |
| C62 | Incorrect Trace Number |
| C63 | Incorrect Company Identification Number |
| C64 | Incorrect Individual Identification Number |
| C65 | Incorrectly formatted Corrected Data |
| C66 | Incorrect Discretionary Data |
| C67 | Routing Number not from Original Entry Detail Record |
| C68 | DFI Account Number not from Original Entry Detail Record |
| C69 | Incorrect Transaction Code |
| Internal Codes for Rejected Transactions | |
| I00 | PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED R02,R03,R04,R20 ON THIS ACCOUNT (RCK) |
| I01 | Invalid Amount |
| I02 | Transaction Still Pending |
| I03 | Check Represented Maximum Times |
| I04 | Max Check Amount Exceeded |
| I05 | Max Fee Exceeded |
| I06 | Invalid Date |
| I07 | Transaction Too Old |
| I08 | Invalid Routing Number |
| I09 | Duplicate in Batch |
| I10 | Duplicate from Other Customer |
| I11 | Fee Rejected for Invalid Check |
| I12 | Duplicate in POS Batch |
| I13 | VOIDED POS Transaction |
| I14 | Invalid Account Number |
| I15 | Invalid Check Number |
| I16 | Missing Amount |
| I17 | Invalidated per Request |
| I18 | Item PAID |
| I19 | Reserved |
| I20 | Item Refunded |
| I23 | PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED ARC/LBX TRANSACTION |
| I24 | PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED R02, R03,R04, R20 ON THIS ACCOUNT (RCK) |
| I25 | PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED R02, R03, R04, R20 ON THIS ACCOUNT (EFT) |
| I26 | EFT Received within Window |
| I27 | EFT Too old |
| I28 | Void Transaction Successful |
| I29 | Void Could Not Be Matched |
| I30 | POS Batch Duplicated (re-processed) |
| I31 | LOCKBOX AMT OVER 5000 |
| I32 | RCK NAME MISSING |
| I33 | REMOTE DEPOSIT AMOUNT OVER LIMIT |
| I40 | PREV RECVD R07, R08, R10 ON THIS ACCOUNT |
| I41 | RCK Over 120 days old |
| I60 | RCK Fee Sent as Paper Draft |