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What are the cut-off times for ACH payments?

You can send your ACH payments by: 

  • DirectSend/sFTP (also known as direct transmission and straight-through processing);  
  • File Transfer Facility (FTF) in Online Banking for Business; or  
  • the ACH Payments service in Online Banking for Business.   

Cut-off times for these ACH payment options are: 

 

Transaction type Origination method Cut-off time (CT)
Next Day ACH transactions DirectSend or FTF 8 p.m.
ACH Payments service 8 p.m.
Same Day ACH transactions  DirectSend or FTF 2:15 p.m.
ACH Payments service 2 p.m.

Next Day ACH prefunding transactions 

 

The process when ACH prefunding transactions are returned for non-sufficient funds (NSF): 
 

  • We’ll attempt to secure sufficient funds up until 5:30 p.m. CT on the day you send your ACH payment file to us and will continue to do so until 5:30 p.m. CT the next business day. Note: Funds secured on the next business day will result in a delayed settlement date. 

  • If we don’t secure sufficient funds in time, we’ll cancel the prefunding request and let you know that the ACH batch has been deleted due to non-sufficient funds (NSF). If this happens, you’ll need to recreate and resend the ACH payment. 

 DirectSend or FTF  5:30 p.m. 
ACH Payments service 5:30 p.m.
Same Day ACH prefunding transactions  DirectSend or FTF 12:30 p.m.
ACH Payments service 12:15 p.m
ACH Positive Pay exception decisions via ACH Fraud Control in Online Banking for Business  DirectSend or FTF 8 p.m.
ACH Payments service 8 p.m.

 

Note: We recommend sending your ACH transactions 30-60 minutes before the cut-off to allow more time for unexpected issues.   

Availability of these payment options depends on your ACH service setup. If you’re unsure which setup you have or if you would like to add Same Day ACH to your account, please contact your BMO representative. 

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