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):
| 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.