ACH payments from Fidelity let you move money to another bank account without a wire fee
An ACH payment (Automated Clearing House) is a bank-to-bank transfer that takes one to three business days and costs nothing. Fidelity lets you send ACH payments directly from your brokerage account to any U.S. bank account you own or want to pay. Unlike a wire transfer, which moves money the same day but charges a fee, ACH is slower but free — and Fidelity does not limit how many you can send.
To send an ACH payment from Fidelity, you log into your account online or through the mobile app, go to the transfer section, choose ACH as your method, enter the receiving bank's routing number and account number, and confirm the amount. The money leaves your Fidelity account within one business day and arrives at the other bank in one to three more days. You can schedule ACH payments in advance or send them when ready.
Key Takeaways
- ACH transfers from Fidelity are free and take one to three business days, making them useful for regular bill payments or moving money between your own accounts.
- You need the receiving bank's nine-digit routing number and the account number to set up an ACH transfer.
- Fidelity processes ACH requests within one business day, and the receiving bank completes the deposit in one to three more days.
- You can send ACH payments to any U.S. bank account, including accounts at other brokerages, and you can schedule them for a future date.
How to set up an ACH transfer in Fidelity online
Log into your Fidelity account at fidelity.com and click Accounts & Trade at the top. Select the brokerage account you want to transfer from. On the left side menu, click Transfers, then Transfer Funds.
Choose ACH Bank Transfer from the list of transfer methods. If this is your first transfer to that bank, Fidelity will ask you to add the receiving bank. Enter the bank's name, the nine-digit routing number, and your account number at that bank. Fidelity will verify the account by depositing two small amounts (usually under $1 each) into it within one to two business days — you will need to confirm those amounts in your Fidelity account to complete verification.
Once the receiving account is verified, enter the amount you want to transfer and choose whether to send it now or on a specific date. Review the details and click Submit. Fidelity will send the money to your bank's ACH processing system within one business day. The receiving bank will post it within one to three more days.
How to set up an ACH transfer in the Fidelity mobile app
Open the Fidelity app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Tap Accounts and select the brokerage account you want to transfer from. Tap Transfer Funds.
Select ACH Bank Transfer. If you have not used this receiving bank before, tap Add Bank Account and enter the bank name, routing number, and account number. Fidelity will send two verification deposits to that account. Once you confirm those amounts in the app (usually within one to two business days), the account is ready to use.
Enter the transfer amount, choose the date (today or a future date), and tap Confirm. The app will show you a summary. Tap Submit to send the request. You will receive a confirmation number and an email receipt.
Finding your receiving bank's routing number
The routing number is a nine-digit code that identifies the bank or credit union where you want the money to go. You can find it in several places: on the bottom left of your checks, on your bank's website (usually under "routing number" or "bank information"), or by calling your bank's customer service line.
If you are transferring to a credit union, the routing number is sometimes called an ABA number. Make sure you have the correct routing number for the specific branch or location where your account is held — some large banks have different routing numbers for different regions. If you enter the wrong routing number, the money may go to the wrong account or be rejected.
How long ACH transfers take and when they post
Fidelity processes your ACH request within one business day of submission. That means if you submit on a Monday, Fidelity sends it to the ACH network by end of day Tuesday. The receiving bank then processes it within one to three business days after that. In practice, most ACH transfers arrive within two to three business days total from the time you submit them.
Weekends and bank holidays do not count as business days. If you submit an ACH transfer on Friday evening, Fidelity will not process it until Monday, and your receiving bank may not post it until Wednesday or Thursday. If you schedule a transfer for a weekend or holiday, Fidelity will automatically move it to the next business day.
Limits on ACH transfers from Fidelity
Fidelity does not set a per-transfer limit or a monthly limit on ACH payments. However, your brokerage account must have enough cash available to cover the transfer. If you are transferring from a margin account, you cannot transfer more than your available cash balance — you cannot borrow on margin to fund an ACH transfer.
Some receiving banks may have their own limits on how much they will accept in a single ACH deposit. If your transfer is rejected for this reason, Fidelity will notify you, and you can split it into multiple smaller transfers or contact your receiving bank to raise their limit.
Canceling or changing an ACH transfer
If you submitted an ACH transfer and want to cancel it, you can do so only if Fidelity has not yet sent it to the ACH network — usually within a few hours of submission. Log into your account, go to Transfers, find the pending transfer, and click Cancel. If the transfer has already been sent to the network (usually by the next business day), you cannot cancel it through Fidelity.
If a transfer has already left Fidelity but has not yet arrived at your receiving bank, contact your receiving bank's customer service to ask if they can intercept it. Once the money arrives at the receiving bank, you would need to request a return transfer from that bank, which they may or may not honor depending on their policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send an ACH transfer to someone else's bank account?
Yes, but Fidelity requires you to verify the account first by confirming two small test deposits. This is a security measure to prevent sending money to the wrong account. Once verified, you can send ACH transfers to that account anytime.
What is the difference between ACH and a wire transfer from Fidelity?
ACH transfers are free and take one to three business days. Wire transfers cost a fee (typically $15 to $25) but arrive the same business day. Use ACH for routine transfers that are not time-sensitive, and wire transfers when you need the money to arrive quickly.
Do I need to have a Fidelity checking account to send an ACH transfer?
No. You can send an ACH transfer from any Fidelity brokerage account to any U.S. bank account, whether or not you have a Fidelity checking account. The receiving bank does not have to be Fidelity.
What happens if I enter the wrong account number?
If the account number does not match the routing number you provided, the receiving bank will reject the transfer and it will bounce back to Fidelity within one to three business days. Fidelity will then return the money to your brokerage account. If the account number matches a different account at that bank, the money may be deposited there by mistake — contact that bank when ready to request a return.
Can I schedule an ACH transfer for a specific date in the future?
Yes. When you set up the transfer, you can choose a future date instead of sending it when ready. Fidelity will process it on that date (or the next business day if that date falls on a weekend or holiday). Scheduled transfers appear in your transfer history and can be canceled up until Fidelity processes them.