Source: https://rivet.global/blog/same-day-ach-cutoff-times-and-limits-us
Published: 2026-09-01 · Updated: 2026-09-01 · By Alexia M.

# Same Day ACH cutoff times and limits for businesses

Same Day ACH explained for US businesses: the three Nacha submission windows, settlement times, the $1 million per-payment limit, fees and when to use it.

## Key takeaways

- Nacha's Same Day ACH has three submission deadlines for banks: 10:30 a.m., 2:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Eastern.
- Each Same Day ACH payment can be up to $1 million.
- Your bank or provider sets an earlier cutoff so it can submit in time.
- Same Day ACH often costs more than standard ACH; providers set their own fee.

"Same day ACH cutoff times" and "same day ach limit" are the top completions after "same day ACH". Businesses use it for urgent payroll, supplier payments and refunds.

## The windows

| Bank submission deadline (ET) | Settlement (ET) |
|---|---|
| 10:30 a.m. | 1:00 p.m. |
| 2:45 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. |
| 4:45 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. |

These are the Federal Reserve's FedACH times for banks. Your provider's cutoff for you is earlier, often 30 to 60 minutes before.

## The limit

Each Same Day ACH payment can be up to $1 million. Larger payments go standard ACH or by wire.

## When to use it

- Payroll that slipped.
- A supplier who will not ship until paid.
- A refund a customer is waiting for.

## When a wire is better

Wires settle individually in real time on Fedwire and cannot be reversed in the same way. For large, final payments, wires are often the right choice. See [ACH vs wire transfer](/blog/ach-vs-wire-transfer).

## Paying into the United States: the local rail

| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Local rail | ACH for batch payments; RTP and FedNow for instant transfers |
| Run by | Nacha for ACH; The Clearing House for RTP; the Federal Reserve for FedNow |
| Settlement | Same-day ACH within the business day, standard ACH the next; RTP and FedNow in seconds, 24/7, where both banks take part |

Source: [Nacha: Same Day ACH](https://www.nacha.org/rules/same-day-ach-moving-payments-faster). Checked when this guide was last updated; the scheme's own page has the current figures.

## Where Rivet fits

Rivet gives registered companies USD details for receiving ACH and wires on the free Starter plan and sends payouts on local rails, including ACH in the US. Fees per payout are $2 on Starter, $1 on Growth and $0.50 on Scale. Rivet is not a bank; regulated partner institutions hold the funds. See [NACHA 2026 ACH rules](/blog/nacha-2026-ach-rules).

## Questions

### What are Same Day ACH cutoff times?

Banks submit Same Day ACH files to the operators by 10:30 a.m., 2:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. ET. Your provider's cutoff for you is earlier.

### What is the Same Day ACH limit?

$1 million per payment under Nacha rules.

### Does Same Day ACH cost more?

Often. Providers set their own fees; some include it free on certain plans.

### Can I use Same Day ACH for international payments?

No. Same Day ACH is a domestic US rail. International ACH (IAT) has its own rules.