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Occurring daily in the United States, Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments are a cost-effective, secure, and convenient payment method. Both consumers and businesses are utilizing ACH payments now more than ever. However, if you don’t have an understanding of this payment method, you may run into some difficulties while utilizing it in your business operations. One such difficulty is the event of an ACH return, during which an ACH payment is rejected because it does not meet the necessary standards for processing. To help you combat this potential difficulty, this article explains what an ACH payment is, what an ACH return is, and how to resolve ACH return code R43.
What Is an ACH Transfer?
The world at large is rapidly leaving their checkbooks in the drawer and leaving the house with no cash in hand. This has led to an increase in ACH payments over the last decade. In fact, the ACH Network saw 7.3 billion payments in just the first quarter of 2022. But what is an ACH payment?
An ACH transfer, or ACH payment, is an electronic funds transfer that delivers money from one bank to another bank via the Automatic Clearing House (ACH) Network. This network is only available to United States-based financial institutions. So, while ACH payments offer many advantages to business owners, you may not process international transactions through this payment method.
In the event of an ACH return, the ACH Network was unable to successfully transfer funds from one bank to another. The governing body of the ACH Network, the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA), sets the standards that each ACH payment must meet in order to process successfully. When an ACH payment doesn’t meet these standards, it’s returned with an ACH return code. As of publication, NACHA maintains over 80 ACH return codes. These codes work as your saving grace, as each communicates the specific reason for the return. Upon addressing the reason for the return, your ACH payment should process successfully.
What Does ACH Return Code R43 Mean?
ACH return code R43 indicates the presence of an invalid Depository Financial Institution (DFI) account number. The DFI is the payment recipient’s bank. Thus, the recipient’s bank account number was incorrect. The DFI account number must include at least one alphanumeric character to be valid.
Additionally, ACH return code R43 only occurs in Automatic Enrollment Entries (ENR). These specific entries are requests for enrollment in direct deposit or direct payment exclusive to a federal government agency. That said, return code R43 generates at the sole discretion of the federal government.
Formal definition
The formal definition for ACH return code R43 is, “Invalid DFI Account Number.”
Solutions to Fix R43 Return Code
ACH return code R43 cannot be resolved at the merchant level. Instead, the associated bank and/or government agency must address the issue. It’s also worth noting that return code R43 does not have a defined timeframe for expected resolution. While this may seem frustrating, ACH return code R43 will only generate if you engage in business with a federal agency. If you don’t do B2G business, you most likely won’t receive this return code.
All that said, don’t let the threat of ACH returns deter you from accepting ACH payments at your business. With returns occurring so rarely, the benefits of accepting ACH payments certainly outweigh the occasional pitfalls.
