A trial deposit is a small test transfer, always less than $1, that a company sends to your bank account to confirm you actually own it. You get two of them, and to finish linking the account you log back into the app or website that started the process and type in the exact cent amounts. Match the numbers and the connection goes live. The transfers run through the ACH network, so the deposits usually land within one to three business days.
How the Verification Actually Works
Once you enter your bank details on the platform requesting verification, it sends two ACH credit entries to your account, each under a dollar. Under NACHA’s Micro-Entry rule, the company must pair those two credits with a single debit equal to their combined amount, and everything settles at the same time. Your balance ends up right where it started.1Nacha. Micro-Entry Rule So you might see $0.12 and $0.36 credited, followed by a $0.48 withdrawal.
NACHA requires senders to label these entries “ACCTVERIFY” in the transaction description, often alongside the company’s name, which is what to look for when you scan your statement. You need the two credit amounts, not the debit. Enter them on the confirmation screen and the link is verified.
Most platforms give you somewhere between five and 14 days and a limited number of attempts before the verification expires. Too many wrong guesses and you’ll be locked out and pushed back to the start.
How Long the Deposits Take to Arrive
Plan on one to three business days. The ACH network doesn’t run on weekends or Federal Reserve holidays, so a Thursday afternoon submission before a Monday holiday can stretch to four or five calendar days.2Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Holiday Schedule If you need the link working by a specific date, count business days, not calendar days.
What You Need to Start
Two numbers: your bank’s nine-digit routing number and your account number. On a paper check, the routing number sits at the bottom left and the account number is right next to it.3American Bankers Association. ABA Routing Number If you don’t keep checks, both appear inside your bank’s online portal or mobile app under account details.
Double-check every digit before you submit. A single wrong number is the most common reason trial deposits never show up.
Where You’ll Run Into Trial Deposits
This process is more common than most people realize. You’ll see it when you:
- Connect a checking account to a payment app like Venmo, PayPal, or Cash App.
- Link accounts at two different banks for recurring transfers.
- Set up direct deposit with a new employer or payroll provider.
- Fund an investment or brokerage account from your bank.
- Authorize automatic monthly debits for a mortgage or loan.
Standard consumer checking accounts don’t charge fees to receive these entries. The tiny per-item cost the Federal Reserve charges banks to process ACH transactions is a fraction of a penny and stays with the institution.4Federal Reserve Services. FedACH Services Fee Schedule
When the Deposits Don’t Arrive
If nothing shows up after three business days, something on the routing side went wrong. The usual culprits:
- A typo in the routing or account number, so the transaction bounces back.
- A closed account, which the bank rejects outright.
- A frozen account tied up in legal action or a bank dispute.
- A restricted account type. Some savings accounts, money market accounts, and business accounts won’t accept ACH micro-entries, and this is where people get stuck after triple-checking their numbers.
Failed entries return through the ACH network within a couple of business days. The platform that started the verification will usually tell you it didn’t work, but rarely says why. If your numbers are right and the account is open, call your bank and ask whether there’s a restriction on incoming ACH credits.
Faster Alternatives
The multi-day wait is the biggest downside of trial deposits, and many companies now skip it entirely. Instant verification services connect directly to your bank through a secure login. When you sign in through a service like Plaid, the platform confirms ownership and pulls your routing and account numbers in seconds instead of days, across more than 12,000 U.S. financial institutions.5Plaid. Auth – Instant Bank Account Verification API
Real-time payment rails are the other route. The Federal Reserve’s FedNow service, launched in 2023, moves funds between participating banks instantly, and companies are already building account verification on top of it. The Clearing House’s RTP network offers similar speed. As more banks join these networks, instant micro-deposits that settle the same second are likely to replace the three-day version for most consumers.
Trial Deposits You Didn’t Ask For
If small deposits appear in your account and you didn’t start a verification, take them seriously. Fraudsters sometimes ping accounts with micro-deposits to check whether they’re active before attempting larger unauthorized withdrawals. An “ACCTVERIFY” entry from a company you’ve never used is a warning sign, not a bonus.
Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, you have 60 days from the date your bank sends the statement showing an unauthorized transfer to report it.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC Chapter 41 Subchapter VI – Electronic Fund Transfers How fast you act controls how much you can be on the hook for:
- Reported within two business days of learning about it: liability capped at $50 or the amount of the unauthorized transfers, whichever is less.
- Reported after two business days but within 60 days of the statement: liability can reach $500.
- Reported after 60 days: you may be responsible for all unauthorized transfers that occur after the window closes.7eCFR. 12 CFR 1005.6 – Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers
When you call the bank, give your name, the account number, the approximate date and amount of the suspicious entries, and why you believe they’re unauthorized. The bank can ask you to put the report in writing within 10 business days. It then has 10 business days to investigate, and if it needs longer, it must provisionally credit the disputed amount to your account while the case continues for up to 45 days.8Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Procedures for Resolving Errors Every electronic transfer, including trial deposits, has to appear on your monthly statement with the amount, date, transfer type, and third-party name, so the record you need for a dispute is already there by rule.9eCFR. 12 CFR Part 205 – Electronic Fund Transfers (Regulation E)