Validating a bank account is essential for seamless financial operations — but sometimes it doesn’t go as planned. If you’ve ever encountered the “Unable to Validate Bank Account” message, here’s why it happens and how you can fix it. 

Why Bank Account Validation Matters

Bank account validation ensures the account details you enter are correct and active. It directly impacts the success of ACH transfers, direct deposits, and online payments. When validation fails, it can lead to delays, rejected transactions, and even financial setbacks. 

Common Causes of Validation Failures

1. Incorrect Information

One of the most frequent causes of validation failure is simple typos — especially in routing or account numbers.

• Routing Numbers identify the bank in a transaction. Even a single incorrect digit can block transactions and result in validation errors.
  
• Account Numbers must match the bank record and align with the account holder’s name. Outdated or mismatched numbers will fail validation.
  

Always double-check these numbers before submitting them.

2. Closed Accounts 

Transactions to closed accounts are automatically rejected. If a customer closes their account — especially without notifying you — any further debit or credit attempts will fail.

Banks may also have internal policies affecting account status visibility. Keeping account statuses updated helps prevent validation issues.

3. Bank Restrictions

 

Certain bank-imposed settings can block validation:

• Debit Blocks – Prevent external debits until lifted by the account holder.
  
• Transaction Limits – Some savings accounts limit withdrawals/transactions per month, causing failures when these limits are exceeded.
  

Reach out to your bank if you suspect these restrictions are affecting validation.

How to Fix “Unable to Validate Bank Account” Issues

If you’re struggling with validation, don’t worry — there are practical solutions.

 Verification Methods

ACHgenie Built-in Bank Account Validation

Coming Soon: ACHgenie is an ACH software that will be offering secure bank account validation services designed to support instant live bank account verification. That will help businesses reduce failures, fraud, and onboarding friction.

Plaid Instant Verification

Plaid connects directly to a user’s bank for fast, real-time validation. However, validation can fail due to multi-factor authentication requirements, outdated credentials, or restrictive bank security settings. If this happens, try temporarily adjusting security settings or re-authenticating and then retry the verification.

Manual Entry

When instant verification tools like Plaid aren’t available, users can manually enter their routing number and bank account number. Even small typos can trigger validation errors, so carefully double-check all details before submitting.

ACHGenie’s upcoming validation capabilities will help automatically verify routing number formats, check digits, and account structure to catch errors before they cause payment failures.

Two Small Deposits

Some platforms verify bank accounts by sending two small test deposits (typically under $1). The user confirms the deposit amounts to prove account ownership. While highly reliable, this method usually takes 2–4 business days and may slow down onboarding.

ACHgenie will soon support micro-deposit-based validation as part of a flexible verification toolkit—giving businesses multiple ways to validate accounts while staying NACHA-compliant.

Correcting Errors

Update Account Details
Review and correct any mistakes in the routing or account number. Even one wrong digit can cause validation to fail.

Check with the Bank
Sometimes the issue isn’t on your end. Contact the bank to ensure there are no blocks or restrictions preventing validation.

Double-Check for Typos
Reread every number carefully. Typos are one of the most common and preventable causes of failed validation.

Communicate with Support

Contact Platform Support
If problems persist, your payment platform’s support team can offer targeted help and troubleshoot known bank-specific issues.

Understand Bank Policies
Each bank has unique rules. Some accounts block external debits/credits by default. Understanding these policies helps you take the right actions.

Preventative Measures to Avoid Validation Failures

Reducing validation problems before they arise saves time and frustration. Try these best practices:

Account Setup Best Practices

✔ Accurate Account Info
Always verify your routing and account numbers before saving them.

✔ Appropriate Account Types
Choose the right account type for frequent transactions — a business account often handles higher volumes better than a basic savings account.

Regular Updates

✔ Status Checks
Check that accounts are active and able to receive both debits and credits.

✔ Immediate Updates
If a customer changes banks or updates account details, update this information in your system right away.

Monitor Transactions

Transaction Alerts
Enable alerts for failed transactions or unusual activity so you can act fast.

Review Statements
Regularly review account statements for discrepancies or unexpected patterns.

Tools and Resources for Better Bank Account Management

 

 

Having the right tools can make validation smoother and more reliable.

ACHgenie – A powerful ACH software for financial institutions that provides the following features:

• Edit and validate ACH files, even when they contain errors.
• Verify ABA numbers quickly using an embedded database.
• Coming soon: ACHgenie will allow bank account validation.
• Reduce the risk of payment rejections.
  

Online Banking Platforms
Modern online banking tools offer:

• Real-time transaction monitoring
  
• Automated alerts for activity, low balances, or issues
  

Using these tools helps keep your account details accurate and reduces validation hiccups.

“Frequently Asked Questions”

What is bank account validation?

Bank account validation is the process of confirming that the account details you’ve entered — such as routing and account numbers — are correct and that the account is active and ready to send/receive transactions. It helps prevent failed payments and errors.

Why is bank account validation important?

It ensures that payments are sent to the right account, reduces errors and fraud, improves compliance with financial rules, and provides smoother ACH transfers and online payments. 

How long does bank account validation take?

It depends on the method:

• Instant API-based verification can validate immediately. 
• Micro-deposit methods (two small deposits) can take 2–4 days. 

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