ACH Transfer Timing and Cancellation Windows

Overview

If a Transfer was created in error, you can cancel before it is batched and sent to the Federal Reserve. You can cancel a transfer via the cancel transfer endpoint while it is in pending status and has not yet been batched. ACH transactions batch for distribution at the top of every hour. As a best practice, submit your cancellation 10 minutes before the top of the hour to allow sufficient time for processing. After the transfer is included in that hourly batch, it can no longer be canceled.

When You Can Cancel

Transfers can be cancelled via the API cancel transfer endpoint. Cancel a transfer 10 minutes before the top of the hour or before its next batching. Once a transfer has been batched and released, it can no longer be canceled.

For Same Day Transfers, account for Astra's specific release windows. For example, a Same Day Transfer created at 10:40 AM ET would need to be canceled before the 12:00 PM ET Same Day release (by 11:50 AM ET at the latest). Apply the same approach to any Transfer: cancel before its next scheduled release.

Example A: A transfer created at 9:30 AM ET should be canceled by 9:50 AM ET, ahead of the 10:00 AM hourly batch.

Example B: A transfer created at 8:30 AM ET should be canceled by 8:50 AM ET, ahead of the 9:00 AM hourly batch, even though its Next Day transmission window doesn't occur until 10:30 AM ET.

Settlement Schedule

The Federal Reserve's ACH Network processes payments 23¼ hours every business day and settles four times a day. Settlement occurs when the settlement service is open. The settlement system is closed on federal holidays and weekends, and on business days from 6:30 PM to 7:30 AM ET.