Managing Merchant ACH Debit Failures and Returns

Learn how manage merchant ACH debit failures and returns and how impact merchant funding and transfers

When Payabli attempts to debit or credit a merchant, and the ACH transaction fails (either when sending money to merchants or pulling funds), the system returns a specific code that identifies the reason for the failure. These returns can trigger holds and prevent batches from being processed.

This guide explains how a merchant ACH debit failure or return can impact merchant funds, potential account suspensions, and resolution procedures.

Notification process

To help partners manage transfer exceptions and ACH returns, Payabli has several automated notifications that you must enable. These notifications alert you when a transfer fails or a return is received.

We recommend that partners enable the following notifications:

• Transfer Error
• Transfer Return

You can read about other available transfer notifications in Notifications and Webhooks Overview: Pay In Events. See Manage Notifications (UI) for help setting up these notifications.

These notifications help you catch transfer exceptions and ACH returns early, so you can resolve them quickly and prevent account suspensions and funding delays.

Common return codes

This section explains the most common ACH return codes that affect merchant debits, and their resolutions.

Return Code	Explanation	Settlement Impact	Resolution Requirement
R01: Insufficient Funds	There weren’t enough funds in the account at the time of the debit attempt.	May lead to account suspension	Ensure sufficient funds and confirm when Payabli can reattempt the debit
R02: Account Closed	The bank has closed the account on file.	Account suspension until resolved	Provide updated banking details immediately
R03: Cannot Locate Account	The provided account details are incorrect or outdated.	Account suspension until resolved	Verify and update banking details
R05: Unauthorized Corporate Debit	The bank has rejected the debit as unauthorized.	Account suspension until resolved	Provide written confirmation authorizing Payabli to debit the account
R07: Authorization Revoked	The customer has revoked authorization for debits.	Account suspension until resolved	Provide written confirmation authorizing Payabli to debit the account
R08: Payment Stopped	A manual stop payment was placed on the ACH debit.	May affect transaction processing	If unintentional, remove the stop payment and confirm when Payabli can reattempt
R24: Duplicate Entry	The transaction was mistakenly processed more than once.	No significant impact	No action required; Payabli will void the duplicate entry
R29: Debit Block	The bank has blocked Payabli from debiting the account.	Account suspension until resolved	Contact bank to authorize Payabli as an approved ACH processor
R38: Source Document Stop Paid	Specific item stop payment.	May affect transaction processing	If unintentional, remove the stop payment and confirm when Payabli can reattempt
R52: Stop Payment	Stop payment order active.	May affect transaction processing	If unintentional, remove the stop payment and confirm when Payabli can reattempt
R61: Misrouted Return	The return may have been incorrectly processed.	Possible processing delay	Payabli will work to resolve; confirm any updated banking information
R67: Duplicate Return	Return entry processed more than once.	No significant impact	No action required; Payabli will handle automatically

If an ACH return indicates unauthorized debits, account closure, or insufficient funds, Payabli may suspend deposits until the issue is cleared.

During suspension, the merchant’s deposits may be held until the issue is resolved.

Preventing ACH returns on debits

To prevent ACH returns for attempted debits that could impact transfers, merchants should take the following steps:

1. Make sure banking information is up to date

   Check your account details and make sure that your banking information is correct. Use the Payabli UI or contact Support to update your details.

2. Make sure sufficient funds are available

   Make sure that the account has sufficient funds to help float returned transactions and other debits without impacting your transfers.

3. Authorize Payabli as an approved ACH processor with your bank

   Some banks require pre-authorization for ACH transactions. To ensure smooth processing and prevent ACH returns due to authorization issues, we recommend that merchants take the following steps:

   1. Authorize ACH transactions with your bank in advance.
   2. Provide the bank with the ACH ID and descriptor: 1841393599 / WFMSPROPAY for allowlisting.

   Pre-authorization is not always required, it depends on the bank.

4. Manage your account status

   If the merchant no longer uses Payabli, contact Support to make sure their account is properly closed to prevent unexpected returns.

Recommended messages for your clients

Partners can use these email templates to alert their merchants about ACH returns and the necessary steps to resolve them.

Template 1: Insufficient Funds (R01)

Subject: Action Required: ACH Debit Returned – Insufficient Funds

Dear [Merchant Name],

We attempted to debit your account, but the transaction was returned due to insufficient funds (ACH Return Code: R01).

Transaction Details:

• Amount of Attempted Debit: $[Amount]
• Reason for Attempted Debit: [Explain purpose, e.g., settlement, fee, etc.]
• Date of Attempted Debit: [Date]

Please ensure that sufficient funds are available and confirm when we can reattempt the debit.

Let us know if you need assistance.

Best,
[Your Name]
Partner Team

Template 2: Account Closed (R02)

Subject: Urgent: ACH Debit Failed – Account Closed

Dear [Merchant Name],

We attempted to debit your account, but the transaction was returned due to a closed account (ACH Return Code: R02).

Transaction Details:

• Amount of Attempted Debit: $[Amount]
• Reason for Attempted Debit: [Explain purpose]
• Date of Attempted Debit: [Date]

Please provide updated banking details at your earliest convenience to ensure uninterrupted processing.

Best,
[Your Name]
Partner Team

Template 3: Unable to Locate Account (R03) / Invalid Account Number (R04)

Subject: Action Required: Incorrect Bank Account Details

Dear [Merchant Name],

We attempted to debit your account, but the transaction was returned due to incorrect or invalid account details (ACH Return Code: R03/R04).

Transaction Details:

• Amount of Attempted Debit: $[Amount]
• Reason for Attempted Debit: [Explain purpose]
• Date of Attempted Debit: [Date]

Please verify and provide updated banking information so we can process your transactions smoothly.

Best,
[Your Name]
Partner Team

Template 4: Unauthorized Corporate Debit (R05) / Authorization Revoked by Customer (R07)

Subject: Urgent: ACH Debit Authorization Needed

Dear [Merchant Name],

We received a return for your recent ACH debit, marked as unauthorized (ACH Return Code: R05/R07).

Transaction Details:

• Amount of Attempted Debit: $[Amount]
• Reason for Attempted Debit: [Explain purpose]
• Date of Attempted Debit: [Date]

To continue processing, we will need a written confirmation that you authorize Payabli to debit your account. Please confirm your authorization or provide an updated payment method.

Best,
[Your Name]
Partner Team

Template 5: Payment Stopped (R08) / Stop Payment ADJ (R52) / Source Document Stop Paid (R38)

Subject: ACH Payment Stopped – Immediate Action Needed

Dear [Merchant Name],

We attempted to debit your account, but the transaction was returned due to a stop payment request (ACH Return Code: R08/R52/R38).

Transaction Details:

• Amount of Attempted Debit: $[Amount]
• Reason for Attempted Debit: [Explain purpose]
• Date of Attempted Debit: [Date]

If this was unintentional, please confirm when we can reattempt the debit. If there is an issue, kindly provide further details so we can assist.

Best,
[Your Name]
Partner Team

Template 6: Debit Block (R29)

Subject: ACH Debit Blocked by Your Bank

Dear [Merchant Name],

We attempted to debit your account, but the transaction was returned due to a debit block set by your bank (ACH Return Code: R29).

Transaction Details:

• Amount of Attempted Debit: $[Amount]
• Reason for Attempted Debit: [Explain purpose]
• Date of Attempted Debit: [Date]

Please contact your bank to authorize Payabli as an approved ACH debit processor and let us know once this has been resolved.

Best,
[Your Name]
Partner Team

Template 7: Duplicate Entry (R24) / Duplicate Return (R67)

Subject: Duplicate ACH Transaction Identified

Dear [Merchant Name],

We identified a duplicate ACH transaction that was returned under (ACH Return Code: R24/R67).

Transaction Details:

• Amount of Attempted Debit: $[Amount]
• Reason for Attempted Debit: [Explain purpose]
• Date of Attempted Debit: [Date]

We have voided the duplicate entry, and no further action is required on your end. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Best,
[Your Name]
Partner Team

Template 8: Misrouted Return (R61)

Subject: ACH Return Issue – Misrouted Transaction

Dear [Merchant Name],

Your recent ACH debit was returned due to a misrouted transaction (ACH Return Code: R61).

Transaction Details:

• Amount of Attempted Debit: $[Amount]
• Reason for Attempted Debit: [Explain purpose]
• Date of Attempted Debit: [Date]

We are working on resolving this issue, but please let us know if you have any updated banking information.

Best,
[Your Name]
Partner Team

See Also:

Conceptual Guide: How Money Moves

User Guide: Manage Notifications in the UI