Nacha has asked the industry to comment on a proposal that would fix what a “Banking Day” means in the ACH rules. The Request for Comment is dated September 21, 2026, and Nacha announced it on September 22. Comments are due October 23, 2026.
What changed
- Proposed Banking Day“a calendar day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal banking holiday in the United States”
- Business Daydefinition removed as redundant; references replaced by Banking Day
- Settlement Datewording changed to say settlement happens on Banking Days
- Banks open on weekendsthe proposal does not require any bank or credit union to be open on non-Banking Days, and would clarify what happens when one is closed on a Banking Day
- Proposed effective dateJune 18, 2027
- Statusproposal; comments due October 23, 2026
Source: Nacha Request for Comment, September 21, 2026 (PDF) · Checked on September 27, 2026
Why it matters
ACH deadlines are counted in banking days: when a payment settles, when the money must be available, how long a bank has to return it. Nacha says that no matter how early or late a bank is open, or whether it opens on weekends, the term is generally understood as Monday to Friday excluding federal holidays. The proposal would write that into the rules, so a Saturday opening at your branch would not make Saturday a Banking Day.
Nacha’s earlier Request for Information found that 92% of respondents think uniform ACH processing timeframes across all banks and credit unions are important.
Nothing changes for payments today. Current timing, including the 9:00 AM availability rule for next-day credits that started September 18, is covered in next-day ACH deposits must now be available by 9:00 AM.
What to do
- When you time a payment around a weekend or holiday, count Banking Days, not calendar days. See how long does ACH take.
- Anyone can read the proposal on Nacha’s RFC page; the deadline is October 23, 2026.
