How Long Does it Take Funds to Be Deposited in My Merchant Account?

It’s one of the first questions asked by merchants. “How long does it take for funds to be deposited in my merchant account?”

Even though it’s a common question, there’s no for sure one answer we can give to all merchants.

First off, it’s going to revolve on whether you’re waiting on credit card processing or ACH. There can be different time frames, all depending on the type of transaction.

Also, there’s other hiccups that won’t happen for every transaction, but can occasionally delay your payments.

Here’s a guideline for when you can expect to see transactions deposited into your merchant account.

Credit card deposit time.

If you are running credit cards, it should take approximately 2-3 business days for the funds to be deposited in your account.

However, this can vary depending on if you run a transaction widely outside of your normal volume.

Credit card processors may delay the release of funds when a large transaction comes through. If your average transactions are $50-$250, and suddenly a $5,000-$10,000 charge is processed, you can expect some delays with those funds being deposited. This can happen even if you pay extra for next day funding.

Can you prevent delays from large transactions?

Normally, if there is an abnormally large transaction coming through, your processor takes the time to contact the card issuing bank to verify it’s a valid transaction. If you call your processor and notify them of the transaction ahead of time, they may be able verify the transaction sooner, and prevent an extra 24-48 hour delay.

ACH deposit time.

In contrast to credit card processing, ACH takes longer to deposit funds into your merchant account.

The standard time for ACH deposits can differ depending on your line of business. Usually the wait time is between 3-5 business days.

The catch is, if you’re considered a high-risk business, sometimes ACH can take up to 7 business days to deposit funds. There’s nothing you can really do to speed up this process, and your ACH provider should let you know upfront it may take longer to see funds deposited.

Want to take payments smarter?

Read about the success these merchants had with their credit card processing.