The core information an ACH payment requires
An ACH payment moves money from one bank account to another through the Federal Reserve's network. To start that movement, you need to provide your bank with five pieces of information about where the money is going: the recipient's name, their bank routing number, their account number, the account type (checking or savings), and the dollar amount.
Your own bank already has your account details on file, so you do not need to provide those. But the receiving bank needs enough information to match the money to the right person and the right account. If any of these five pieces is wrong or incomplete, the payment will either be rejected before it leaves your bank, or it will bounce back after a few business days.
The recipient's name matters more than most people think. Banks use it as a secondary check against the account number. If the name does not match what the receiving bank has on file for that account number, some banks will reject the payment outright. Others will let it through but flag it for manual review, which adds delay.
Key Takeaways
- You must provide the recipient's full name, routing number, account number, account type, and the payment amount before your bank will process an ACH transfer.
- The routing number identifies the receiving bank; the account number identifies the specific account within that bank.
- A mismatch between the name on the account and the name you provide can cause the payment to be rejected or delayed.
- ACH payments typically take one to three business days to complete, so plan ahead if the money needs to arrive by a specific date.
- If a payment is rejected, your bank will return it to your account within one to two business days, and you can resubmit with corrected information.
Where to find the routing number and account number
The routing number is a nine-digit code that identifies the specific bank or credit union. You can find it in three places: at the bottom left of your checks (if you have them), on your bank's website in the account details or settings section, or by calling your bank's customer service line.
The account number is usually printed at the bottom of your checks as well, right after the routing number. If you do not have checks, log into your online banking portal and look for account details, account information, or a section labeled "account and routing numbers." Some banks also print this information on statements or deposit slips.
If you are sending money to someone else's account, ask them directly for their routing number and account number. Do not rely on a third party to provide these—mistakes in transcription happen often. If the recipient is a business or government agency, their website or invoice usually lists both numbers.
Why the account type matters
ACH transfers work differently depending on whether the receiving account is a checking account or a savings account. Your bank needs to know which one so it can route the payment to the correct account type at the receiving bank.
Most ACH payments go to checking accounts, but if you are sending money to a savings account, money market account, or money market savings account, you must specify that. Providing the wrong account type can cause the payment to be rejected or routed to the wrong account entirely.
Information you should verify before submitting
Before you authorize an ACH payment, double-check the recipient's name against any documentation you have—an invoice, a contract, a letter from the organization. The name must match exactly what the receiving bank has on file. If the account is under "John Smith" but you enter "Jon Smith," the payment may be rejected.
Verify the routing number and account number separately. Read them digit by digit if you are typing them in manually. A single wrong digit in a nine-digit routing number or a multi-digit account number will send the money to the wrong place or cause the payment to fail.
Confirm the dollar amount is correct. ACH payments cannot be reversed once they are processed and accepted by the receiving bank, so if you send the wrong amount, you will have to contact the recipient and ask them to send the money back.
What happens if you provide incorrect information
If your bank catches the error before processing—usually because the routing number is invalid or the account number is the wrong length—the payment will be rejected immediately. Your bank will notify you, and the money will stay in your account. You can then correct the information and resubmit.
If the error is not caught until after the payment is sent, the receiving bank will reject it and send it back to your bank. This process takes one to two business days. Once the payment returns to your account, you will see it reappear as a credit, and you can resubmit with the correct information.
If the routing number and account number are valid but belong to the wrong person, the money will land in someone else's account. The receiving bank is not required to reverse the payment on its own. You will need to contact the receiving bank, explain the error, and ask them to reverse it. This can take several days or longer, and there is no may provide the other account holder will cooperate.
Information you do not need to provide
You do not need to provide the recipient's address, phone number, email, or Social Security number for a basic ACH payment. Your bank only needs the name, routing number, account number, account type, and amount.
Some businesses or government agencies may ask for additional information—like a reference number, invoice number, or memo line—but these are for their own record-keeping and do not affect whether the ACH payment goes through. If a form asks for these details, fill them in, but understand they are separate from the core payment information.
Timing and when to submit payment information
ACH payments typically take one to three business days to complete after you submit them. The exact timeline depends on when you submit the payment and your bank's processing schedule. If you submit an ACH payment on a Friday afternoon, it may not begin processing until Monday morning.
If you need money to arrive by a specific date, submit the payment at least three business days before that date. If the receiving bank is closed on a holiday, add an extra day. Some banks offer same-day ACH for an additional fee, but this is not standard and must be requested at the time of payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to provide my own routing and account number when I send an ACH payment?
No. Your bank already has your account information on file. You only need to provide the recipient's routing number, account number, name, and account type. Your bank uses your account details from its own records to pull the money out.
What if the recipient's name on the account is slightly different from what I have?
Contact the recipient and ask for the exact name as it appears on their bank account. Banks use name matching as a fraud check, and a mismatch—even a small one like "Robert" versus "Bob"—can cause the payment to be rejected or delayed. It is better to get it right the first time.
Can I send an ACH payment with just the account number?
No. Your bank needs both the routing number and the account number. The routing number tells it which bank to send the money to; the account number tells that bank which account within the bank should receive it. Without both, the payment cannot be processed.
What if I do not know whether the account is checking or savings?
Ask the recipient directly. If you cannot reach them, most ACH payments default to checking accounts, so you can try that first. If the payment is rejected, resubmit and specify savings. Do not guess, because the wrong account type can cause the payment to fail or go to the wrong account.
Is it safe to give someone my routing number and account number?
Your routing number is public information—it is printed on every check and available on your bank's website. Your account number is more sensitive. Only provide both to people or organizations you trust. If someone asks for this information unsolicited, verify their identity through an official channel before sharing it.