Payment Systems

NACHA Updates Policy on Direct Access

NACHA's Board of Directors recently approved a Policy Statement on Direct Access that requires Originating Depository Financial Institutions (ODFIs) to register either:

Direct access relationships that involve origination of ACH debit transactions, or

To acknowledge that the institution does not maintain direct access relationships for ACH debit transactions.

For purposes of registration, direct access includes the following:

(1) Originators that transmit ACH files (transactions) directly to an ACH Operator using a financial institution's routing and transit number and settlement account; or

(2) Third Parties (either a financial institution's Third Party Service Provider or an Originator's Third Party Sender) that transmit ACH files (transactions) directly to an ACH Operator using a financial institution's routing and transit number and settlement account.

Conversely, direct access excludes:

(1) Financial institutions that transmit files using another financial institution's routing number or settlement account (correspondent/respondent relationships); and

(2) Third Parties that transmit ACH files solely on behalf of the financial institution and do not have direct agreements with Originators (and are not themselves Originators).

Check out NACHA's Operations Bulletin providing an executive summary and list of FAQs regarding direct access here. Additional information can be found on NACHA's Direct Access page.

If you have questions about this change, please contact our Member Call Center at (800) 772-2243, or e-mail here.