How Bank of America's Online Bill Pay Works

What Bank of America Online Bill Pay Does

Bank of America Online Bill Pay is a service that lets you send money from your Bank of America checking or money market account to pay bills without writing checks or using the mail. You can pay almost any person or business — utilities, credit card companies, landlords, contractors, or anyone else who accepts payments. The service is included free with most Bank of America deposit accounts.

The payment goes through Bank of America's system, which either delivers it electronically to the biller or mails a check on your behalf if the biller doesn't accept electronic payments. You control the payment date, and you can set up one-time payments or recurring payments that repeat on a schedule you choose.

Key Takeaways

• Bank of America Online Bill Pay is free and included with most checking and money market accounts; you access it through your online banking login.
• You can pay any person or business by entering their name and mailing address, even if they are not set up to receive electronic payments.
• Payments typically arrive within one to three business days for electronic delivery, or five to seven business days if Bank of America mails a check.
• You can schedule payments in advance, set up recurring payments, and cancel or edit payments up until the day they are sent.
• Bank of America does not charge you a fee, but some billers may charge a fee if you pay them through this service — check with them first.

How to Set Up and Send Your First Payment

Log into your Bank of America online banking account using your username and password. From the main menu, select "Bill Pay" or "Pay Bills" — the exact wording depends on whether you are using the website or the mobile app. If you have never used Bill Pay before, you may need to accept the terms and conditions first.

Click "Add a Payee" or "New Payee." Enter the name of the person or business you want to pay, their mailing address, and any account number they have assigned to you (for example, your account number with the utility company). Bank of America will ask whether this payee accepts electronic payments; if you are unsure, select "No" and Bank of America will mail a check instead. Save the payee to your list.

Once the payee is saved, select them from your payee list and enter the amount you want to pay. Choose the date you want the payment to arrive — this is not the date you are sending it, but the date you want the recipient to receive it. Review all the details and confirm the payment. Bank of America will show you a confirmation number; write it down or take a screenshot.

Payment Timing and How the Money Moves

Bank of America processes payments on business days only, Monday through Friday. If you schedule a payment for a weekend or holiday, it will process on the next business day. The time from when you schedule the payment to when the recipient receives it depends on the delivery method.

For electronic payments to billers who accept them directly (most credit card companies, utilities, and loan servicers), the money typically arrives within one to three business days. For check payments that Bank of America mails on your behalf, allow five to seven business days for delivery by mail, plus one to two days for the recipient to process it. The money leaves your Bank of America account on the date you scheduled, not on the date the recipient receives it.

If you need a payment to arrive by a specific date, count backward from that date and schedule your payment accordingly. For a utility bill due on the 15th, for example, schedule the electronic payment for the 12th or 13th to be safe.

Managing Payments You Have Already Scheduled

You can view all your scheduled and past payments by logging into Bill Pay and selecting "Payment History" or "Scheduled Payments." This shows you the payee name, amount, scheduled date, and status (pending, sent, or delivered).

You can edit or cancel a payment as long as it has not yet been sent — usually up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day before the scheduled payment date. To cancel, select the payment and click "Cancel Payment." To change the amount or date, select "Edit" and make your changes. Once a payment has been sent, you cannot cancel it through Bill Pay; you would need to contact Bank of America or the payee directly.

If you want to stop a recurring payment, go to your payee list, select the payee, and choose "Stop Recurring Payment" or "Delete Payee." This stops future payments but does not affect payments that have already been sent.

Fees and Charges You Should Know About

Bank of America does not charge you a fee to use Online Bill Pay. The service is free with most checking accounts, money market accounts, and some savings accounts. Check your account agreement or call Bank of America to confirm that Bill Pay is included with your specific account type.

However, some billers charge a fee if you pay them through a third-party payment system like Bank of America's Bill Pay. Credit card companies, for example, sometimes charge a convenience fee if you pay by electronic transfer rather than by mail or their own website. Before you set up a payment to a new payee, contact them or check their website to ask whether they charge a fee for payments made through Bill Pay. If they do, you may choose to pay them directly instead.

What to Do If a Payment Does Not Arrive

If a payment you scheduled has not arrived by the date you expected, first check your Bank of America Bill Pay history to confirm the payment was actually sent. Look for a status of "Sent" or "Delivered." If the status shows "Pending," the payment has not yet been processed and will go out on the scheduled date.

If the payment shows "Sent" but the recipient says they have not received it, contact Bank of America's Bill Pay support. You can reach them through your online banking account, by phone at the number on the back of your debit card, or by visiting a Bank of America branch. Have your confirmation number and the payee name and address ready. Bank of America can verify whether the payment was delivered and, if it was lost in the mail, can issue a replacement payment or refund.

If the recipient received the payment but applied it to the wrong account, contact the recipient directly to ask them to correct it. Bank of America cannot redirect a payment once it has been delivered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay someone who does not have a bank account?

Yes. Bank of America can mail a check to any person or business with a mailing address. You do not need their bank account number or routing number. When you add them as a payee, tell Bank of America that they do not accept electronic payments, and a check will be mailed instead.

What if I do not know the payee's mailing address?

You will need a mailing address to set up the payee in Bill Pay. Search online for the business's mailing address, or call them and ask. For individuals, use the address where you want the check to be mailed. If you cannot find an address, you may not be able to use Bill Pay for that payee.

Can I pay my rent or mortgage through Bank of America Bill Pay?

Yes, you can pay rent or a mortgage through Bill Pay. Add your landlord or mortgage servicer as a payee with their mailing address. Most mortgage servicers accept electronic payments, so the money will arrive within one to three business days. For rent paid to an individual landlord, Bank of America will mail a check, which takes five to seven business days.

Is my payment information find?

Bank of America uses encryption and security measures to protect your payment information. Your login is password-protected, and the data sent to billers is encrypted. However, do not share your Bank of America login with anyone, and do not use Bill Pay on a public or shared computer unless you log out completely when finished.

Can I set up Bill Pay on my mobile phone?

Yes. The Bank of America mobile app includes Bill Pay with the same features as the website. Log in with your username and password, select "Bill Pay," and follow the same steps to add payees and schedule payments. Payments scheduled through the app are the same as those scheduled on the website and appear in the same payment history.