What's the longest a bank transfer can take?

Asked by: Mr. Jordon Grady IV  |  Last update: December 21, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (46 votes)

If transfers occur between accounts at the same financial institution, they can take less than 24 hours. Wire transfers via a non-bank money transfer service may happen within minutes. If you're sending money to another country, however, it may take as many as five days for the recipient to receive their funds.

What is the maximum time a bank transfer can take?

As a result, most bank transfers are instantaneous, although in some cases, payment can take up to two hours. It's important to remember that while Faster Payments aims to provide you with these types of bank transfer times, there's no guarantee that your payment will be cleared on the same day.

Can a bank transfer take 2 weeks?

The time it takes for a bank-to-bank transfer can vary depending on the financial institution and the type of transfer being made. It might take up to 1-2 business days for the bank to process the transfer.

How long can banks take to transfer money?

Bank to bank transfer times can vary across financial institutions depending on the type of transfer you make. If you're making a traditional inter-bank transfer it will take 1-3 business days. If you use NPP Faster Payments or a PayID it can be near real-time.

Why is a bank transfer taking so long?

Why is my bank transfer taking so long? Delays in bank transfers can be caused by factors such as the amount being transferred, bank security checks, or the bank's operational hours when transferring money internationally or during weekends and public holidays.

Why Do Bank Transfers Take So Long?

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Why do me bank transfers take so long?

Remember that transfers between banks using BSB and account details can take up to 3 business days depending on when the transfer is made. It can take a little longer when transfers are made late in the day, on weekends and public holidays. You can change your daily transfer limit, up to a maximum of $20,000.

How long can a bank hold a wire transfer?

Most banks will advise 24 to 72 hours before funds land and are available. This means that if you send funds 9am EST on Monday to Germany, those funds may not be available until 9am EST Wednesday (local time). Some countries may take longer to process wire transfers than others.

How to speed up a bank transfer?

One of the fastest ways to transfer money between bank accounts is with an ACH debit, provided both accounts are linked. To link accounts and set up a transfer, you'll need to know basic details including your routing number and account number.

What happens if money is transferred but not received?

If the bank initiated the transfer, notify the bank immediately so that it can investigate your claim. If you first contact the bank by phone, it is a good practice to follow up in writing. If you wired the funds through a third party (e.g., Western Union), contact that party to find out what their procedures are.

What time do bank transfers go through?

Where you're sending or receiving funds. Domestic wire transfer: Due to EFAA regulations, most bank-to-bank wire transfers between accounts in the US are completed within 24 hours. Some banks make wired funds available to recipients immediately, especially on transfers between accounts at the same institution.

Why is my transferred money not showing up in my account?

The receiving bank is still processing the money

But some banks are slower than others — they might take up to 1 working day for them to release the money. So your money's safely on its way, but the recipient bank is still processing it. Your recipient can ask their bank to speed this up.

How long does an ACH transfer take?

ACH debits, such as bill pay or withdrawals, generally take 1-3 days to process, while ACH credits, such as direct deposits or vendor payments, generally take just one day to process. Same-day ACH, which typically requires an additional fee, processes the same business day.

What if my wire transfer hasn't arrived?

Contact your bank: If the details are correct and your wire transfer is lost, reach out to your bank. They can check the status of your transfer and give you more information. Ask for a SWIFT trace (for international transfers): This process tracks your money's path through the international banking system.

How do I know if a bank transfer has gone through?

If the payment or transfer you have made left your account immediately you will see the transaction in your list of most recent transactions. If you have scheduled a payment or transfer for a date in the future you will be able to check online that it has been created successfully.

What happens if you transfer more than $10,000?

Federal law requires a person to report cash transactions of more than $10,000 by filing Form 8300, Report of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a Trade or Business.

What is the maximum amount for bank transfer?

Maximum NEFT fund transfer limit

For individual account holders, the limit often extends to ₹10 lakh per transaction. However, there is technically no upper limit imposed by the NEFT system itself. Banks may set their own caps, especially for higher-value transfers, as part of their internal security protocols.

Why haven't I received my bank transfer?

Bank transfers typically arrive in seconds, but they can take up to one working day if the sending bank need to run extra checks. If a payment is taking longer, check that the sender entered the correct account number and sort code. If they were entered incorrectly, the sender can ask their bank to recover the payment.

Can I track a wire transfer online?

Utilise online banking: If you have online banking access, log in to your account and navigate to the section for wire transfers. Check for any tracking features or options available. Some banks provide real-time tracking updates for international wire transfers.

Why does a bank transfer take so long?

The amount of time it takes to transfer funds may depend on the customer's risk profile — being a new customer or transferring a large amount of money could contribute to delays, explained Mary Wisniewski, a Bankrate.com analyst.

How long does a bank transfer take to clear?

The money leaves your account immediately. It's usually available within 2 hours. For some banks, it can take up to close of business the next working day.

Can a bank expedite a transfer?

If you need the funds to arrive in the recipient's bank account as soon as possible, you may be able to expedite the process. Some banks offer this service if the recipient account is within the same financial institution, and the sender has previously sent a transfer.

How long does it take for an electronic funds transfer to go through?

How long it takes for an EFT payment to clear heavily depends on what type of transaction is being performed. Debit card and ATM transactions often clear instantly. ACH transactions typically clear the next day. International transactions might take longer — often two business days.

How long can a bank transfer be on hold?

According to the hold policy at EQ Bank, we generally place a hold on funds deposited by cheque or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for five business days, beginning after the date of deposit—meaning those funds actually become available by the sixth business day, when you include the date of deposit.

How long can a bank legally hold your money?

The Federal Reserve says that a "reasonable" extended hold generally means one additional business day (total of two business days) for a bank's own checks and five additional business days (total of seven) for most other checks.

Why do banks hold money transfers?

Well, it's about protecting you and the bank from potential risks, says Caeri, especially with check fraud on the rise. “If we can verify funds are available for a check, we can release it right away. However, most banks will no longer verify checks for other banks.