R13 ACH return code: Invalid ACH Routing Number
What R13 means
The routing number on the payment is not a valid ACH routing number, so the ACH Operator rejected it before it reached a bank.
R13 key facts
| Official title | Invalid ACH Routing Number |
|---|---|
| Returned by | ACH Operator |
| Time frame | Next file delivery This is not a bank return deadline. The ACH Operator rejects the entry while processing the file and sends it back with its next file delivery. |
| Applies to | Consumer and business accounts |
| Can you send it again? | Yes. The entry was rejected before it reached the receiving bank, so correct the error and send a new entry. |
| Type of return | Standard return |
Why R13 happens
- A typing mistake in the routing number.
- A routing number that is used for wire transfers only.
- An old routing number that was retired after a bank merger.
What to do next
If you sent the payment
- Check the routing number. It must have 9 digits and pass the checksum.
- Ask the customer for their bank's ACH routing number.
- Correct your records and send a new payment. The rejected one never reached the bank.
If you got the notice about your own account
- Look up your bank's routing number for ACH or electronic payments and send it to the business.
Got a return file from your bank? Open it in the ACH file viewer to see the code next to each payment.
Questions and answers
Is R13 "RDFI not qualified to participate"?
Some older lists use that wording. The current Nacha title is Invalid ACH Routing Number. In both cases the cause is a routing number that cannot receive ACH payments.
Sources
- 2024 ACH Quick Reference Guide, EPCOR
- ACH Return, NOC and Transaction Codes, Commerce Bank
- 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.