Slash Crosses $150m in Annual Revenue

Learn more
R13

ACH Return Code R13: Invalid ACH Routing Number

Invalid ACH Routing Number

Account type: Consumer and Non-Consumer

Time Frame for Return: Next file delivery time after processing

SEC Codes: All

ISO Code: RC08

What is an ACH Return Code?

An ACH return code is a standardized code used to explain why an Automated Clearing House (ACH) transaction was returned by the receiving bank.

Codes are issued by the Receiving Depository Financial Institution (RDFI) and maintained by Nacha, the organization that governs the ACH Network. Certain codes may apply to consumer accounts, non-consumer (business) accounts, or both. These codes help banks, payment processors, and originators understand what went wrong during an ACH transaction so they can determine the appropriate next steps, such as retrying the payment, correcting information, or contacting the customer.

Why you're seeing ACH Return Code R13

Code R13 means the routing number provided for the ACH entry is not valid. This may have occurred because:

  • The routing number was entered incorrectly. A missing or incorrect digit caused the routing number to fail validation.
  • The routing number is not enabled for ACH. Some routing numbers printed on checks (ABA routing numbers) are valid for paper checks but not for ACH transactions.
  • The routing number is outdated or inactive. The bank or branch associated with the routing number is no longer valid for ACH processing.

Sending ACH Payments with Slash

You can send domestic or international ACH payments using Slash by following these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Payments dashboard and click Transfer Funds in the top-right corner.
  2. Select a recipient using saved contact and banking information, or add a new recipient by entering their contact and bank details.
  3. Choose the Slash account you want to use as the payment source, select ACH Transfer as the payment method, choose the destination bank account, and enter the payment amount (in USD).
  4. Optionally, send the recipient an email confirmation with a payment description. You can also add a memo with internal notes that are visible only to you and other Slash account administrators.
  5. Review the recipient's bank name, account number, and ACH routing number to ensure the payment details are correct.
  6. Once all information is confirmed, click Send Payment.

Slash offers 24/7 support by phone and email to help resolve any issues with sending payments. You can also improve how you manage ACH transfers by scheduling recurring ACH payments, receiving low-balance notifications, and tracking returned payments alongside other transactions. With Slash, you can view all account balances, ACH activity, and transfers in one centralized dashboard.

How to resolve this return code

Follow these steps to address and prevent this ACH return.

1

Verify the ACH-specific routing number.

Contact the recipient or their bank directly to confirm the correct routing number for ACH transactions.

2

Update the routing information.

Replace the invalid routing number in your system with the verified ACH routing number.

3

Confirm ACH support before resubmitting.

Ensure the routing number is enabled for ACH transactions, as some routing numbers only work for paper checks.

Send ACH payments with confidence

Slash provides real-time account validation, intelligent retry logic, and comprehensive analytics to help you minimize ACH returns and optimize your payment operations.

Apply in less than 10 minutes today

Join the 5,000+ businesses already using Slash.