Short answer

Micro deposits are one or two tiny ACH credits, each under $1, that a company sends to your bank account to check that the account is real and yours. You read the amounts on your statement and type them back in. They usually show up within 1 to 3 business days, often with a matching debit that takes the money back, and the entry often reads ACCTVERIFY.

On this page

At a glance

  • Amounteach credit is less than $1; any offsetting debit cannot be larger than the credits
  • Statement label“ACCTVERIFY” plus the company’s name
  • TimingPayPal sends them within 3 business days; Venmo says 1 to 3 business days
  • Wrong amountsPayPal disables the bank after 3 wrong tries
  • Faster optionPayPal and Venmo let you sign in to your bank instead and skip the wait

Sources: Nacha: Micro-Entries · PayPal: Confirm your bank account · Checked on October 22, 2026

What micro deposits are

When you link a bank account to an app or a new bank, the company needs proof that the account number works and that you can see the account. One way is to send a few cents and ask you what arrived. Nacha, the body that writes the rules for the ACH network, calls these payments Micro-Entries: ACH credits of less than $1, sometimes sent with debits that pull the same money back.

Nacha’s rules have set a standard for them since September 16, 2022:

  • the company entry description must read ACCTVERIFY;
  • the company name must be one you will recognize, close to the name you saw when you signed up;
  • if the company sends debits too, it must send them at the same time as the credits, and their total cannot be more than the credits;
  • the company should wait until you have confirmed the amounts before it sends other payments to the account.

Since March 17, 2023, companies that use Micro-Entries must also have fraud checks in place, according to Nacha. You still have to agree to the verification; a company cannot send Micro-Entries without your authorization.

Source: Nacha: Micro-Entries Phase 2 · Checked on October 22, 2026

How micro deposit verification works, step by step

  1. You add your bank account in the app with the routing and account numbers.
  2. The company sends the deposits. PayPal sends two deposits of $0.01 to $0.99 within 3 business days. Venmo sends two deposits and two withdrawals, each under $1, that offset each other.
  3. You find them in your bank’s app or statement, usually next to the company’s name and ACCTVERIFY. PayPal says you can also ask your bank for the amounts.
  4. You enter the amounts in the app. PayPal’s example: for deposits of $0.05 and $0.15, enter .05 and .15.
  5. The account is confirmed and you can use it for transfers.

Timeline

  1. Day 0you link the account and the company sends the entries.
  2. 1 to 3 business daysVenmo’s estimate for when they show in your account; PayPal says within 3 business days.
  3. After 3 business days with nothingVenmo says the account details you entered may be wrong.

Sources: PayPal: Confirm your bank account · Venmo: Verifying your bank account · Checked on October 22, 2026

ACH moves only on business days, so a link you start on a Friday evening may not show anything until the middle of the next week. The calendar is in how long does ach take.

If the micro deposits don’t show up

  • Look for one combined amount. PayPal says some banks combine the two deposits into one; if that happens, contact PayPal or link the bank instantly.
  • Check the account number. If nothing arrives after 3 business days, Venmo says the numbers you typed may be wrong.
  • Start again. Venmo suggests deleting the unconfirmed bank and adding it again, which sends new amounts; PayPal lets you ask it to resend them from your Wallet.
  • Keep money in the account. Venmo asks you to keep at least $2 in it, so its two withdrawals do not cause overdraft or other bank fees.
  • Use instant verification instead. PayPal and Venmo both let you sign in to your bank through the app to confirm the account right away.

If a transfer from a confirmed account is the one that is stuck, see ach transfer pending.

Warning

Type micro deposit amounts only into the app or website where you added the account, and do not share them with anyone who contacts you. A stranger who sends you “test” deposits and asks for the amounts, or asks you to send money back, may be trying to use your account.

PayPal disables a bank account after 3 wrong entries, so check the amounts carefully before you type them.

Source: PayPal: Why can’t I confirm my bank account? · Checked on October 22, 2026

Micro deposits and prenotes

A prenote is a different check. It is a $0 entry with its own transaction code that a company can send to make sure an account number works. You do not see an amount and you have nothing to type in. Micro deposits are real money, and you confirm them yourself.

Source: Nacha: Micro-Entries FAQ · Checked on October 22, 2026