Account Validation and Verification
Ensure bank account accuracy and reduce return risk with PCE’s robust validation methods: instant EWS, prenotes, and micro-deposits.
Before initiating any ACH debit, it’s critical to confirm that the customer’s bank account is valid, open, and can receive transactions. PCE offers three complementary verification methods—Instant EWS, Prenotification, and Micro-deposits—so you can choose the right balance of speed, coverage, and user experience for your application.
Prerequisites & limitations
- An active PCE merchant account with ACH debit permissions
- Accurate routing and account numbers provided by the customer
Limitations
- Instant EWS requires Early Warning Services connectivity (limited to participating banks)
- Prenotes introduce a 2-day delay; micro-deposits introduce a 1–2 day delay
Instant EWS Verification
Perform a real-time lookup against Early Warning Services to confirm that the account is active, owned by the customer, and free of negative history. Ideal for high-volume consumer apps that require instant onboarding with minimal friction.
Prenotification (Prenote)
Send a zero-dollar ACH entry to test the routing and account numbers. The receiving bank must return invalid prenotes within two business days; if no return is received, the account is marked valid. Use when you need 100% bank coverage and can tolerate a short delay.
Micro-deposit Verification
Issue two small, random credit amounts to the customer’s account. After 1–2 business days, the customer enters these amounts in your app to prove access. Once confirmed, PCE debits the same amounts back. Provides universal bank support at the cost of extra latency and user effort.
Updated 3 days ago