2026 ACH rule changes

Risk Management Topics - Fraud Monitoring Phase 2
June 19, 2026

These Rule amendments related to monitoring for fraud are part of a larger Risk Management package intended to reduce the incidence of successful fraud attempts and improve the recovery of funds after frauds have occurred. Learn more.

Risk Management Topics - Company Entry Descriptions
March 20, 2026

Standardized uses of the Company Entry Description can help parties in the ACH Network identify, monitor, and count the volume of payments for specific purposes; and can help manage risk.

Included in this portion of the Risk Management Rule amendments are two newly defined Company Entry Descriptions PAYROLL and PURCHASE. Learn more.

Risk Management Topics - Fraud Monitoring Phase 1
Effective March 20, 2026

These Rule amendments related to monitoring for fraud are part of a larger Risk Management package intended to reduce the incidence of successful fraud attempts and improve the recovery of funds after frauds have occurred. Learn more.

2024 new ACH rules

Risk Management Topics
Effective October 1, 2024

These Rule amendments are part of a larger Risk Management package intended to reduce the incidence of successful fraud attempts and improve the recovery of funds after frauds have occurred. Learn more.

Minor Rules Topics
Effective June 21, 2024

These changes will amend the Rules to address a variety of minor topics. Minor changes to the Rules are expected to have little-to-no impact on ACH participants and no significant processing or financial impact. Learn more.

2023 ACH rule changes

Micro-Entries
Phase 2 – March 17, 2023
This rule will define and standardize practices and formatting of Micro-Entries, which are used by some ACH originators as a method of account validation. Learn more.

2022 ACH rule changes

Increasing the Same Day ACH Dollar Limit
Implemented March 18, 2022

This rule change will continue to expand the capabilities of Same Day ACH. The per transaction dollar limit will be increased to $1 million on the effective date. Learn more.

Third-Party Sender Roles and Responsibilities
Implemented September 30, 2022

This rule change will clarify the roles and responsibilities of third-party senders in the ACH network. The rule change addresses the practice of using nested third-party senders and explicitly requires the third-party sender to conduct a risk assessment. Learn more.

Supplementing Data Security Requirements
Implemented June 3, 2022 – Phase 2

High-volume ACH originators who originate over two million items annually across all their origination banks must protect bank account numbers by rendering them unreadable when stored electronically. These originators will need to review and potentially update their data security efforts to be in compliance by June 30, 2022. Learn more.

Micro-Entries
Phase 1 – September 16, 2022

This Rule defines and standardizes practices and formatting of Micro-Entries, which are used by some ACH Originators as a method of account validation. Learn more.

2021 ACH rule changes

Supplementing Fraud Detection Standards for WEB Debits
Implemented March 19, 2021

If you originate ACH debits using the WEB SEC code, you will need to validate account information for new transactions and modifications to existing transactions that are originated on March 19, 2021 or later. The rule change does not require a specific validation method to be used. Some examples of possible validation methods are prenotes, micro-deposits or validation services offered through partnerships with third parties.

Important Update: On Oct. 19, 2020, Nacha published ACH Operations Bulletin #7 to address COVID-19 relief for the ACH network. In the bulletin, Nacha confirmed that they will not enforce the Supplementing Fraud Detection Standards rule for an additional period of one year from the effective date with respect to covered entities that are working in good faith toward compliance but that require additional time to implement solutions. Nacha strongly encourages all such covered entities to work towards compliance as soon as possible. Learn more.

Meaningful Modernization

The Meaningful Modernization rule change consists of five amendments that improve the ACH user experience by facilitating the adoption of new technologies and channels for the authorization and initiation of ACH entries.

The five new rules will be:

• More explicitly define standing authorizations for ACH debits
• Allow for oral authorizations beyond the traditional phone call
• Clarify ACH authorization standards across payment initiation channels
• Reduce the burdens associated with providing proof of authorizations
• Facilitate the use of electronic and oral Written Statements of Unauthorized Debit

Learn more.

Expanding Same Day ACH Processing Window
Implemented March 19, 2021

This new rule expands access to Same Day ACH by allowing Same Day ACH transactions to be submitted to the ACH Network for an additional two hours every business day. The new Same Day ACH processing window will go into effect on March 19, 2021. 
Contact your Wintrust Treasury Management officer to sign up for Same Day ACH or for more information. Learn more.

Supplementing Data Security Requirements
Implemented June 30, 2021

High-volume ACH originators who originate over six million items annually across all their origination banks must protect bank account numbers by rendering them unreadable when stored electronically. These originators will need to review and potentially update their data security efforts to be in compliance by June 30, 2021. In 2022, all originators who originate over two million items annually will be required to protect bank account numbers in the same manner. These originators must be in compliance by June 30, 2022. Learn more.

Reversals and Enforcements
Implemented June 30, 2021

The Reversals rule change establishes that the initiation of reversals or reversing entries can only be done for reasons outlined as permissible under the ACH rules. The Reversals rule also explicitly defines specific examples where the initiation of a reversal would be improper, such as reversing payroll transactions due to the Originator or Third-Party Sender failing to fund the entries. Learn more.