Return codes - Getting Started

ACH return codes

Transactions that are returned by the Consumer’s bank include an ACH return code based on the reason for the return. Return codes commonly used by US financial institutions are described in the following table.

Code	Reason	Description
R01	Insufficient funds	The available balance is not sufficient to cover the debit transaction.
R02	Account closed	A previously open account is now closed.
R03	No account or unable to locate the account	The account number does not correspond to the individual identified in the entry or the account number designated is not an open account.
R04	Invalid account number	The account number fails the check digit validation or the account number structure is not valid.
R05	Unauthorized debit to consumer account	A debit entry was transmitted to a consumer account and the consumer had not authorized the entry.
R06	Return requested by ODFI (Originating Depository Financial Institution)	The ODFI has requested that the RDFI (Receiving Depository Financial Institution) return the ACH entry.
R07	Authorization revoked by consumer	A consumer, who previously authorized an entry, has revoked the authorization.
R08	Stop payment	A consumer has requested a stop payment of the entry.
R09	Uncollected funds	The available balance is sufficient but there transactions in the process of collection, bringing the available balance down.
R10	Customer advises not authorized	Consumer advises not authorized, notice not provided, improper source document, or amount not accurately obtained from source document.
R11	Check truncation entry return	To be used when returning a check truncation entry.
R12	Branch sold to another DFI	RDFI unable to post entry destined for a bank account maintained at a branch sold to another financial institution.
R13	RDFI not qualified to participate or invalid routing number	Financial institution does not receive commercial ACH entries or the routing number is incorrect.
R14	Representative payee deceased or unable to continue in that capacity	The representative payee authorized to accept entries on behalf of a beneficiary is either deceased or unable to continue in that capacity. Beneficiary is not deceased.
R15	Beneficiary or account holder deceased	The beneficiary entitled to payments is deceased or the bank account holder, other than a representative payee, is deceased.
R16	Account frozen	Access to account is restricted due to a specific action taken by the RDFI or by legal action.
R17	File record edit criteria	Fields rejected by RDFI processing (identified in return addenda).
R18	Improper effective entry date	Entries have been presented prior to the first available processing window for the effective date.
R19	Amount field error	Improper amount field formatting.
R20	Non transaction account (If general ledger)	Policies or regulations (such as Regulation D) prohibit or limit activity to the account indicated.
R21	Invalid company identification	The company ID information not valid. Normally CIE (Customer Initiated Entry) entries.
R22	Invalid individual ID number	Individual ID used by receiver is incorrect (CIE entries).
R23	Credit entry refused by receiver	Receiver returned entry because minimum or exact amount not remitted, bank account is subject to litigation, or payment represents an overpayment, originator is not known to receiver or receiver has not authorized this credit entry to this bank account.
R24	Duplicate entry	The RDFI has received a duplicate entry.
R25	Addenda error	Improper formatting of the addenda record information.
R26	Mandatory field error	Improper information in a mandatory field.
R27	Trace number error	The original entry trace number is not valid for return entry or addenda trace numbers do not correspond with entry detail record.
R28	Routing number or check digit error	The check digit for transit routing number is incorrect.
R29	Corporate customer advises not authorized	The RDFI has been notified by business account holder that a specific transaction is unauthorized.
R30	RDFI not participant in check truncation program	Financial institution not participating in automated check safekeeping application.
R31	Permissable return entry	The RDFI has been notified by business account holder that a specific transaction is unauthorized.
R32	RDFI non-settlement	The RDFI isn’t able to settle the entry.
R33	Return of XCK (destroyed check) entry	The RDFI determines at its sole discretion to return an XCK entry; an XCK return entry may be initiated by midnight of the sixtieth day following the settlement date of the XCK entry.
R34	Limited participation DFI	The RDFI participation has been limited by a federal or state supervisor.
R35	Return of improper debit entry	ACH debit not permitted for use with the CIE standard entry class code (except for reversals).
R36	Return of improper credit entry	ACH credit not permited for use with the CIE standard entry class code (except for reversals).
R37	Source document presented for payment	Check used for an ARC (accounts receivable conversion), BOC (back office conversion), or POP (point of purchase) entry has also been presented for payment.
R38	Stop payment on source document	A stop payment has been placed on a check used for an ARC entry.
R40	ENR - Return of ENR (automated enrollment) entry by federal government agency	Non-participant in ENR program.
R41	ENR - Invalid transaction code	Either the transaction code included in field 3 of the addenda record is not valid or it is not appropriate with regard to an automated enrollment entry.
R42	ENR - Routing number or check digit error	The routing number or the check digit included in field 3 of the addenda record is not valid.
R43	ENR - Invalid DFI account number	The consumer’s account number in field 3 of the addenda record must include at least one alphanumeric character.
R44	ENR - Invalid individual ID number	The individual ID number in field 3 of the addenda record doesn’t match a corresponding ID in federal government records.
R45	ENR - Invalid individual name / company name	The name of the consumer in field 3 of the addenda record doesn’t match a corresponding name in the federal government agency records.
R46	ENR - Invalid representative payee indicator	The representative payee indicator code in field 3 of the addenda record is missing or invalid.
R47	ENR - Duplicate enrollment	The entry is a duplicate of an automated enrollment entry already initiated.
R50	RCK - State law prohibits truncated checks requires canceled checks to be returned in the consumer statement.	The ODFI is in a state that hasn’t accepted the Uniform Commercial Code or requires cancelled checks to be returned in the consumer statement.
R51	RCK - Item is ineligible	The item is ineligible, notice not provided, signatures not genuine, item altered, or amount of RCK entry not accurately obtained from the item.
R52	RCK - Stop payment on item	The RDFI has determined that a stop payment has been placed on the item.
R53	Item and ACH entry presented for payment	The item to which the ACH entry relates has also been presented for payment.
R61	ODFI - Misrouted return	The RDFI of the original entry has entered the incorrect routing number.
R62	ODFI - Incorrect trace number	The trace number in the addenda record doesn’t match the trace number of the original entry.
R63	ODFI - Incorrect dollar amount	The dollar amount in the return is different from the dollar amount in the original entry.
R64	ODFI - Incorrect individual identification	The individual ID number in the return is different from the individual ID number in the original entry.
R65	ODFI - Incorrect transaction code	The transaction code in the return is not the return equivalent of the transaction code in the original entry.
R66	ODFI - Incorrect company identification	The company ID number in the company/batch header of the return is different from the ID number used in the original entry.
R67	ODFI - Duplicate return	The ODFI has received more than one return for the same entry.
R68	ODFI - Untimely return	The return wasn’t sent within the required time frame.
R69	ODFI - Multiple errors	Two or more fields are incorrect.
R70	ODFI - Permission return entry not accepted	The ODFI has not agreed to accept the entry or the return entry.
R71	Contested - misrouted dishonored return	The ODFI misrouted the dishonored return entry to the wrong RDFI using an incorrect routing number.
R72	Contested - untimely dishonored return	The ODFI didn’t submit the dishonored return entry within the five day deadline.
R73	Contested - timely original return	The RDFI certifies that the original return entry was submitted by the applicable deadline.
R74	Contested - corrected return	The RDFI is correcting a previous return entry that was dishonored using return code R69 because it contained incomplete or incorrect information.
R80	Cross-border payment coding error	The entry contains invalid cross-border payment codes.
R81	Non-participant in cross-border program	The OGO (Originating Gateway Operator) doesn’t have an agreement with the ODFI to process cross-border entries.
R82	Invalid foreign RDFI ID	The reference used to identify the foreign receiving DFI of an outbound cross-border entry is invalid.
R83	Foreign RDFI unable to settle	The cross-border entry is being returned due to settlement problems in the foreign payment system.
R84	Entry non processed by OGO (for cross border programs)	The entry has not been processed and is being returned at the discretion of the OGO.
REJ	Refused by processing bank	The entry has been refused by the processing bank.

Transaction Returns

ACH return codes