ACH transfer limits: how much can you send?

ACH stands for Automated Clearing House, and refers to common transfers you might make or receive on a daily basis. ACH payments are overseen by an organization called NACHA®¹, and include direct debits, EFT payments, electronic bank transfers and eChecks.

ACH payments can be made more or less from any US bank or credit union - to any US bank or credit union. However, varying limits apply depending on who you hold an account with.

If you’re planning on sending a large payment via ACH soon, you’ll want to know the ACH transfer limits which might apply. Read on for all you need to know about the type of limits there are, and where to find yours.

What are ACH transfer limits with different banks?

We’ll look at some of the ins and outs of how ACH limits are set and how you might be able to change them in just a moment.

But first, let’s take a sample of a few major US banks and credit unions to see what type of limits are in effect. As you’ll see - the picture can vary quite a lot from one organization to another.

If you’re new to ACH payments you can also learn more about what ACH payments are and how they work here.

Pay for your international transfer via ACH with Wise

Most US banks can’t support international ACH transfers. Wise has a solution.

Arrange a Wise payment online or in the Wise app, to any of 70+ countries, and pay using a local ACH credit or debit, in dollars. Wise will then pay out the agreed amount and currency, directly to your recipient’s bank account in the destination country.

Wise is an international money transmitter specialist which built its own payment network to make transfers overseas cheaper and faster — over 50% of Wise payments are instant, and you could get lower fees and a better exchange rate compared to your bank, too*.

Get started with Wise

Note: the speed of transaction claim depends on funds availability, approval by Wise’s proprietary verification system and systems availability of our partners’ banking system, and may not be available for all transactions

Factors that impact ACH transfer limits

As we’ve seen above, the limits on ACH transfers can vary enormously depending on the account type you have and who you bank with.

These limits are set by each institution - in fact, the overseeing organization, NACHA, allows payments of up to 1 million USD⁶.

Banks and credit unions set their own limits based on factors like their own individual policies, different approaches to managing security and the capacity they have for managing payment volumes.

How do you increase your ACH transfer limit?

You’ll need to check with your own bank if you can increase your ACH limit. Some banks do allow this.

For example, with Bank of America you may be able to increase your limit by adding extra security to your account such as getting a USB security key or using one time passcodes which are sent to your phone.

If you’re struggling to make a payment with ACH, or if you’re just wanting to compare your options, it makes sense to look at some alternatives.

If you need to send money overseas, for example, and want to use an ACH, most banks can’t help. Wise can. Learn about Wise limits here, to see if it’s a good option for your upcoming payment.

What happens if you go over your ACH transfer limit?

If you hit your ACH transfer limit, the payment you’re trying to arrange will usually be rejected. If you’re setting your transfer up online you’ll see a message explaining your limits - and if you’re in a branch the customer service team will talk you through the applicable limits and your available options.

ACH transfer limits compared to other payment methods

While limits do vary a lot from one bank to another you’ll often find that ACH limits are lower compared to wire transfers.

There may also be differences based on how you arrange your ACH, so online and mobile transfers might be limited for security reasons, while higher limits may apply if you phone or pop into a branch where staff can more thoroughly verify your identity.

Common questions about ACH transfer limits

What is the ACH transfer limit for Bank of America?

Bank of America ACH limits are set at 1,000 USD per transaction for personal customers, and 5,000 USD per transaction for small businesses. These limits may be increased by adding extra security features to your account.

What is the ACH transfer limit for business accounts?

Each bank has its own ACH limits for business accounts. Generally small business ACH limits will be higher compared to personal customers, to reflect the requirement to manage higher volumes of money on a day to day basis.

Is there a limit on ACH transfers from savings accounts?

Some banks may have different limits from checking to saving accounts - you’ll need to ask your own bank, or check your account terms and conditions to see what the limit is for your specific account.

Use this guide to ACH transfer limits to get a broad overview - and check out your own account’s details online or by popping into your local branch.