Nacha AAP Cheat Sheet

Cheat sheet Nacha AAP Cheat Sheet Practice Questions Study Guide Print / Save PDF

ACH Operations 35% of exam Participants SEC Codes Same Day ACH Returns Reversals NOC

Rules & Regulations 32% of exam Rules Framework Authorization Compliance Audit Regulation E UCC Article 4A OFAC & BSA

Risk Management 20% of exam Exposure Limits TPS Registration 2026 Fraud Rules Account Validation Data Security Micro-Entries

ACH File Formatting 8% of exam Record Types Entry Detail Addenda Records Entry Hash

Other Payment Systems 5% of exam Fedwire CHIPS RTP & FedNow Check 21

Quick Facts Exam AAP Credential Accredited ACH Professional Format 120 MC, 100 scored Time 3 hours Pass Pass/no pass only 2026 Window Oct 5-31, 2026 2026 brochure fee $600 member / $725 nonmember Renewal 60 CE credits / 5 years

SEC Code Families AC Consumer, business, check-conversion, or cross-border PPD, WEB, TEL: consumer debits CCD, CTX: business entries ARC, BOC, POP: check conversion RCK, XCK: check collection fixes IAT: crosses a border

ODFI vs RDFI AC

ODFI Originator's bank Warrants each entry Sets exposure limits

RDFI Receiver's bank Posts and returns entries Sends NOCs Sends entries vs receives entries

SEC Code Picker AC Recurring consumer debit, written auth → PPD ( Signed or similar auth ) Online or mobile consumer debit → WEB ( Covers all P2P credits ) Phone-authorized consumer debit → TEL ( Record it or send notice ) B2B payment, one addenda → CCD ( 1 addenda record max ) B2B payment, full remittance → CTX ( Up to 9999 addenda ) Cross-border payment leg → IAT ( 7 mandatory addenda records ) Paper check at point of sale → POP ( Void and return the check ) Mailed bill-pay check received → ARC ( Notice to the check writer )

ACH Participants AC Originator Initiates entry via ODFI agreement ODFI Originator's bank; warrants entries RDFI Receiver's bank; posts and returns Receiver Authorizes debit/credit to account ACH Operator Switches entries; FedACH or EPN Third-Party Sender (TPS) Holds ODFI agreement for Originators

Return Timing Windows AC 2 days routine; 60 days unauthorized R01/R02/R03/R04: 2-day window R05/R07/R10/R11: 60-day window R29: business claim, still 2-day Signed WSUD unlocks the 60-day window

PPD vs CCD AC

PPD Consumer account Payroll, bills, deposits Written consumer authorization

CCD Business account Vendor or payroll funding 1 addenda record max Consumer vs business account

Return Code Picker AC Account has insufficient funds → R01 ( 2 banking days ) Account is closed → R02 ( 2 banking days ) Consumer says never authorized → R10 ( 60 days, needs WSUD ) Consumer revoked their authorization → R07 ( 60 calendar days ) Business account, unauthorized debit → R29 ( 2 banking days, no Reg E ) Customer placed a stop payment → R08 ( 2 banking days )

Consumer SEC Codes AC PPD Prearranged consumer debit/credit, written auth WEB Internet/wireless debit; all P2P credits TEL Phone-authorized debit; record or notice CIE Consumer-pushed credit to business MTE ATM-initiated consumer terminal entry

2-Day vs 60-Day Returns AC

2-Day Codes R01, R02, R03, R04 Administrative or funds issue

60-Day Codes R05, R07, R10, R11 Unauthorized or revoked, needs WSUD Routine error vs authorization dispute

Business & Check SEC Codes AC CCD B2B entry; 1 addenda max CTX B2B remittance; up to 9999 addenda IAT Cross-border leg; 7 mandatory addenda ARC Mailed bill-pay check conversion BOC Back-office check conversion POP Point-of-purchase check conversion RCK Re-presents NSF check under $2,500 XCK Collects a lost or destroyed check

NOC vs Reversal AC

NOC Fixes wrong data 6 banking days to act RDFI initiates it

Reversal Fixes a wrong entry 5 banking days limit Originator or ODFI initiates Correct info vs correct entry

Same Day ACH AC 2026 limit $1,000,000 per entry 2027 limit $10,000,000 effective Sept 17, 2027 IAT entries Not eligible for Same Day ACH Settlement 3 processing windows per day Cutoffs Set by each ACH Operator

2-Banking-Day Return Codes AC R01 Insufficient funds (NSF) R02 Account closed R03 No account/unable to locate R04 Invalid account number structure R08 Payment stopped by customer R09 Uncollected funds R29 Corporate customer advises not authorized

60-Calendar-Day Return Codes AC R05 Unauthorized debit via business SEC code R07 Authorization revoked by customer R10 Receiver says debit not authorized R11 Entry violates authorization terms (2020+)

NOC & Reversal Rules AC NOC purpose RDFI flags wrong entry data NOC action window 6 banking days or next entry Refused NOC ODFI corrects a bad NOC Reversal window 5 banking days after settlement Reversal label Description must say REVERSAL Bad reversal return R11 consumer; R17 otherwise

Rules Framework RU Nacha's role Private rule-maker, not a regulator ODFI warranty Entry is authorized and compliant Rule adoption Member ballot approves each change Payments Association Education and audits, not enforcement

Authorization Standards RU General standard Readily identifiable, clear terms Consumer debit auth Written and signed or similar Retention 2 years after revocation TEL auth Record call or send notice WEB auth Similarly authenticated online instruction

Compliance & Enforcement RU Annual audit Due by Dec 31 each year Audit records Keep proof for 6 years Enforcement Panel Classifies Egregious Violations Egregious threshold 500+ entries or $500k+ Class 3 sanction Up to $500,000 per occurrence

Regulation E & UCC 4A RU Reg E timeline 10-20 business days to decide Reg E extension 45-90 days if credited first Liability tiers $50 within 2 days; $500 later Business debit dispute No Reg E; use R29 UCC Article 4A Covers non-EFTA ACH credits

BSA, OFAC & Gov't Rules RU BSA/AML Federal duty, not Nacha-made OFAC screening ODFI screens Originator; RDFI Receiver 31 CFR Part 210 Governs federal ACH payments 31 CFR Part 212 Protects 2 months of benefits

2026 Risk Rule Phases RI Phase 1 March 20; Phase 2 June 22 Phase 1: ODFIs plus big volume Phase 2: everyone, no threshold RDFI credit monitoring mirrors this PAYROLL/PURCHASE labels start Phase 1

TPS vs TPSP RI

Third-Party Sender Holds the ODFI agreement Performs ODFI's warranties

Third-Party Service Provider No ODFI agreement itself Just builds or sends files Holds agreement vs just processes

ODFI Risk Controls RI Exposure limit Set, monitored, and reviewed TPS registration ODFI registers TPS within 30 days Nested TPS Flagged in Risk Mgmt Portal ODFI duty Underwrite and monitor Originators

2026 Fraud Monitoring Rules RI Phase 1 date March 20, 2026 Phase 1 scope ODFIs plus big Originators and TPSs RDFI Phase 1 10M-receipt RDFIs by Mar 20 Phase 2 date June 19, practically June 22 False Pretenses Fake identity or authority claim New descriptions PAYROLL and PURCHASE required

Account & Data Security RI WEB validation rule Effective March 19, 2021 Micro-Entries defined Credits under $1, since 2022 Micro-Entry fraud check Required since March 17, 2023 Data security rule Encrypt, truncate, or tokenize numbers

ACH File Record Hierarchy FI 1 File, 5 Batch, 6 Entry, 7 Addenda 1: File Header 5: Company/Batch Header 6: Entry Detail 7: Addenda, optional 8: Batch Control 9: File Control

ACH Record Types FI Type 1 File Header Type 5 Company/Batch Header Type 6 Entry Detail Type 7 Addenda (optional) Type 8 Batch Control Type 9 File Control

File Field Details FI Record length 94 characters, fixed format Entry hash Sum of routing numbers, rightmost 10 Trace number Tracks one specific entry IAT addenda 7 mandatory records always

Fedwire vs CHIPS OT

Fedwire True RTGS Settles instantly, individually Fed guarantees the payment

CHIPS Continuous net settlement Uses prefunded balances Not RTGS Gross settlement vs net settlement

Payment Rail Picker OT Need RTGS finality right now → Fedwire ( Central-bank money ) Large USD, want liquidity savings → CHIPS ( Netted, not RTGS ) Need instant 24-hour push credit → RTP or FedNow ( Seconds, no ACH batch ) Batch many debits and credits → ACH ( Scheduled settlement windows )

Fedwire & CHIPS OT Fedwire RTGS; settles each wire now CHIPS Nets continuously, not RTGS Both rails Credit-only, UCC 4A governed CHIPS funding Uses prefunded participant balances

RTP/FedNow vs ACH OT

RTP/FedNow Instant, 24/7 settlement Credit-push only Up to $10M each

ACH Scheduled batch windows Debits and credits Lower cost per entry Instant vs batched settlement

RTP & FedNow OT RTP Clearing House instant rail, nonstop FedNow Federal Reserve instant rail, nonstop Payment limit Both allow up to $10M vs. ACH Push-only; ACH also pulls debits

Common Traps

NSF vs Unauthorized Timing R01 NSF: 2 banking days ≠ R10 unauthorized: 60 calendar days

R11 Changed Meaning in 2020 Old R11: check truncation, 2-day ≠ New R11: terms violation, 60-day

ODFI Duties vs RDFI Duties ODFI warrants and underwrites entries ≠ RDFI posts, returns, and recredits

TPS Holds the Agreement, Not TPSP TPS signs the ODFI agreement ≠ TPSP just builds or sends files

Fedwire Settles Gross, CHIPS Nets Fedwire: RTGS, each payment alone ≠ CHIPS: continuous multilateral netting

AAP Cut Score Is Not Published Result is pass or no-pass ≠ No percentage or raw score given

Same Day Limit Is Still $1M $1,000,000 per entry through 2026 ≠ $10,000,000 starts September 17, 2027

Last Minute 1 . Ops 35%; Rules 32%; Risk 20% 2 . File 8%; Other systems 5% 3 . 2-day returns; 60-day unauthorized claims 4 . R11 now means terms violation 5 . Same Day limit $1M through 2026 6 . $10M Same Day limit starts 2027 7 . Fraud Phase 1 hits March 20 8 . Fraud Phase 2 hits June 22 9 . NOC: fix within 6 banking days 10 . Reversals need REVERSAL label, 5 days 11 . Fedwire is RTGS; CHIPS nets only 12 . Result is pass or no-pass only

Nacha AAP Accredited ACH Professional Practice Questions 158 questions Study Guide 56 topics Cheat Sheet 96 facts Flashcards 50 cards Games 20 terms Blogs 1 blog Podcast Word games 20 terms Guess the Term T E R M S Read the clue and guess the term in 6 tries. Word games 20 terms Term Match Swap tiles to line up three of the same term. Word games 20 terms Term Pairs ? ✓ ✓ ? ? Flip two cards at a time to find matching terms. Word games 20 terms Term Search Q T E R M X Find five hidden terms in a grid of letters.

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