R11 ACH return code: Entry Not in Accordance with the Terms of the Authorization
The customer agrees that they authorized payments to this business, but says this payment did not match what they agreed to, for example the amount was wrong or it came too early.
R11 key facts
| Official title | Customer Advises Entry Not in Accordance with the Terms of the Authorization |
|---|---|
| Other names you may see | Check Truncation Entry Return. The title until March 31, 2020, when the code had a different meaning. |
| Returned by | Receiving bank (RDFI) |
| Time frame | 60 calendar days The receiving bank can send the return for up to 60 calendar days after the payment settled. It first gets a signed Written Statement of Unauthorized Debit from the account holder, then must send the return within six banking days of finishing its review. |
| Applies to | Consumer accounts Also used when a payment sent with a consumer payment type, such as ARC, BOC or POP, was taken from a business account. An unauthorized CCD or CTX payment from a business account uses R29. |
| Can you send it again? | Not the same payment. If the error can be corrected, you may send a corrected payment that follows the authorization, within 60 days of the settlement date of the return, without a new authorization. Nacha's examples of errors that cannot be corrected are a converted check (ARC, BOC or POP) where the required notice was not given, or where the check was not eligible to be converted. |
| Type of return | Standard return. Counts toward your unauthorized return rate. Nacha's limit is 0.5% of your debits. |
| Written statement | The bank needs a signed Written Statement of Unauthorized Debit from the account holder. |
Why R11 happens
- The amount was different from the authorized amount.
- The payment was taken before the authorized date.
- A returned payment was retried in a way the rules do not allow, such as with a fee added.
- A reversal was sent improperly.
What to do next
If you sent the payment
- Find out what was wrong with the payment.
- If the error can be fixed, fix it and send a new payment that matches the authorization. You can do this within 60 days of the return settling, without a new authorization.
- Do not simply send the same payment again.
- If the returned entry was a reversal, ask your bank what to do next. See ACH reversal.
If you got the notice about your own account
- Tell your bank as soon as you see the payment. Your bank can send it back through the ACH network for 60 days after it was taken. For a personal account, federal law (Regulation E) also lets you report it up to 60 days after the bank sent the statement that first shows it.
- Your bank will ask you to sign a Written Statement of Unauthorized Debit.
- Tell the business what was wrong so it can correct the payment.
Got a return file from your bank? Open it in the ACH file viewer to see the code next to each payment.
What "check truncation entry return" means
Until March 31, 2020, R11 was called Check Truncation Entry Return. It was used to send back a check truncation entry. Nacha says no payments of that kind have been sent since 2014.
Since April 1, 2020, R11 means the customer did authorize payments to the business, but this payment did not follow the terms. If a bank notice or report still shows the words "check truncation entry return" next to R11, read it with the current meaning.
Other words you may see on a statement are explained in ACH on a bank statement.
Questions and answers
What is an R11 return code?
R11 means "Customer Advises Entry Not in Accordance with the Terms of the Authorization". The customer has an authorization with you, but this payment had an error, such as the wrong amount or an early date.
Does R11 mean "check truncation entry return"?
Not any more. That was the meaning until March 31, 2020. Since April 1, 2020 Nacha uses R11 for payments that do not follow the terms of the authorization. Some older code lists still show the old title.
Do I need a new authorization after an R11 return?
No, if you can correct the error. You may send a corrected payment within 60 days of the settlement date of the R11 return. Some errors cannot be corrected, such as a converted check that was not eligible. If the customer no longer wants to pay by ACH, that is a different matter. See R07.
Sources
- Differentiating Unauthorized Return Reasons, Nacha
- Reversals and Enforcement, Nacha
- Originator Essentials, Nacha Risk Management Advisory Group
- 2024 ACH Quick Reference Guide, EPCOR
- 2024 ACH Quick Reference Guide for Corporate Users, EPCOR
- 12 CFR 1005.11, Procedures for resolving errors (Regulation E), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- ACH Return Reason Codes and Time Frames, CBS Bank
General information, not legal or financial advice. Rules change and banks set their own requirements. Check with your bank before you act. ACH Forms is not affiliated with Nacha.