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If you accept ACH payments at your business, you may come across ACH return code R64. While this code can create a snag in your business’s cash flow, it’s easily fixed.
Electronic fund transfers (EFT) are one of the most popular ways to make payments nowadays, with two-thirds of adults across the globe familiar with making and receiving electronic payments.[1]The World Bank Group. “COVID-19 Drives Global Surge in use of Digital Payments“. Accessed January 13, 2023. And since ACH payments are classified as electronic fund transfers, it’s only natural for them to do well in today’s payments landscape.
Another commonly-used electronic funds transfer is an electronic check or an “eCheck.” Sometimes confused for one another, eCheck and ACH payments do differ from one another. Their main commonality is that an eCheck is technically a subcategory of the Automatic Clearing House—so eCheck transfers use the ACH Network to process their payments.
Most merchants prefer using ACH over other forms of EFTs due to the affordability of ACH processing. However, no payment method comes without its faults. While processing ACH payments, you may run into a rejected payment with an accompanying ACH return code, such as ACH return code R64.
What Does ACH Return Code R64 Mean?
Let’s rewind and discuss what an ACH return code is! When an ACH payment cannot be processed, the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA) issues a return code. This code communicates the underlying issue preventing the ACH payment from processing. So while receiving ACH return code R64 can feel frustrating, the code itself is actually presenting a solution.
Formal Definition
Like with all the other return codes, ACH Return Code R64 — Incorrect Individual Identification has a formal definition:
The individual identification number reflected in the entry detail record of the return is different from the individual identification number used in the original entry.
Solutions to Fix R64 Return Code
As per the formal definition, ACH return code R64 means that the two individual ID numbers from the entry transaction and the return transaction don’t match up. If you experience this error code, contact an ACH operator at the Receiving Depository Financial Institution (RDFI). Inform the agent of the different ID numbers so that they can perform an ACH reversal on the return. Afterward, the agent should be able to initiate a new return with the correct identification numbers, and you will be on your way to smoothly accepting ACH payments again!
