FAQs for Business
Interac e-Transfer for Business
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Help, I’m having trouble with a current transaction.
Please contact your business bank or credit union for any troubleshooting support.
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Can I use Interac e-Transfer for my business?
Yes, you can use Interac e-Transfer for your business invoicing and payment needs if you bank with a participating bank or credit union. You need a Canadian online bank account and an email address or mobile phone number.
If you are sending funds via Interac e-Transfer, your recipient will also need an email address or Canadian mobile phone number to receive the funds.
Please visit our Interac e-Transfer for Business page for more information.
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What types of business would use Interac e-Transfer?
Businesses of any size can use Interac e-Transfer to simplify and accelerate payments, from independent consultants, to small businesses to enterprise-level organizations.
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When would I use Interac e-Transfer?
Payments
You can use Interac e-Transfer to pay employees, consultants and suppliers, and other business expenses, as long as the recipient has a Canadian bank account and email address or mobile phone number.Invoicing
The Interac e-Transfer Request Money feature is an easy way to invoice clients and customers. Request Money also facilitates easy-to-access records for accounting purposes. For more information, please visit our Request Money section.* Interac Tip: Make sure you check the option to send yourself a copy of the email or text notification for your invoice records.
Autodeposit
For added security and convenience, you can turn on Interac e-Transfer Autodeposit feature, found in the Interac e-Transfer section of your online banking page. Visit our Autodeposit section to learn how-to register. -
How much does it cost to send money via Interac e-Transfer?
Fees are set by individual banks and credit unions, please contact your business bank for pricing information.
Request Money
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What is Interac e-Transfer Request Money
Request Money is an easy-to-use Interac e-Transfer feature that allows you to send a notification to someone that you are asking for payment. It’s a convenient way to bill clients and customers and helps ensure payment is sent to the right source, minimizing the chance that your payment is lost or delayed in the mail, or sent to the wrong account.
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I’m invoicing a client via Interac e-Transfer and want to add the invoice number, HST number and business address. Where do I add this information?
You can add the invoice number into the message area when sending the Interac e-Transfer Request Money notification to help it function as an invoice. Please note that message characters are limited.
Autodeposit
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How do I set up Interac e-Transfer Autodeposit?
You will need to register. Visit our Interac e-Transfer page for more information on how to set up Autodeposit .
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I’d like to understand more about the security around this. Where can I find that information?
Visit our Interac e-Transfer for Business security page or speak with your business bank. You can find a list of banks or credit unions offering Autodeposit on our Interac e-Transfer page.
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I don’t want to use Interac e-Transfer Autodeposit anymore. How do I turn it off?
The process is simple. Please visit our Interac e-Transfer page for details on how to turn Autodeposit off.
Bulk Disbursements
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What is Interac e-Transfer for Business: Bulk Disbursements?
Bulk disbursements allow you to make multiple payments at once via Interac e-Transfer. It’s can help streamline your payroll and supplier payment system. Please visit our Interac e-Transfer for Business page for more information on how it works.
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How are Bulk Disbursements priced?
Fees are set by your bank or credit union, please contact your business bank for pricing information. You can also find a list of banks or credit unions offering Bulk Disbursements on our Interac e-Transfer page.
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Which file formats are accepted?
Please contact your bank or credit unions offering Bulk Disbursements for a detailed account of the format and methods allowed for submission.
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How long does it take to process the payment file?
The time will vary by bank or credit union; Interac starts processing the payments as soon as we receive them from the financial institution.
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I have more questions, where can I find information?
Please contact your business bank or credit union. You can also find a list of participating banks and credit unions on our Interac e-Transfer page.
Interac Debit
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Help, I’m having trouble with my terminal.
For any troubleshooting support, please contact your Interac Debit Acquirer.
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What is an “Acquirer”?
An Acquirer is a service provider that offers Interac Debit terminals and service to businesses. Please visit our Interac Debit for Business page for a list of participating Acquirers.
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I’m opening a small personal business. Is Interac Debit just for bigger businesses or does it make sense for me to use it to accept payments too?
Interac Debit is a payment type that is suitable for all businesses in Canada, no matter the size.
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How do I get an Interac Debit terminal?
You get an Interac Debit point-of-sale terminal through an Acquirer. Acquirers manage all services around Interac Debit. You can find a list of participating Acquirers on our Interac Debit for Business page.
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What fees are associated with Interac Debit?
The fees are set by your chosen Acquirer, which includes the fees for Interac services. For more information please visit our Understanding Fees page. To contact an Acquirer for more fee information, you can find a list of participating Acquirers on our Interac Debit for Business page.
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I’m planning to open a new business. How long does it typically take to set up the contract and install the Interac Debit terminal?
Set-up time and process can vary by individual Acquirer. Please visit our Interac Debit for Business page for a list of participating Acquirers.
Interac Debit Contactless Payments
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Help, I’m having trouble with my terminal.
For any troubleshooting support, please contact your contactless payment acquirer.
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How do Interac Debit contactless payments work?
Please visit our contactless payments for Business page for information around the benefits, how it works and a list of Acquirers to answer more questions.
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I already have Interac Debit. Do I need a new terminal if I want to start offering contactless payments?
This depends on the type of terminal you currently have. The majority of terminals in market offer contactless payment capability. Please contact your Acquirer to inquire as to whether your terminal is ready to offer contactless payment.
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Are the fees for contactless the same as for Chip and PIN payments?
The fees are set by your chosen Acquirer, which includes the fees for Interac services. For more information please visit our Understanding Fees page. To contact an Acquirer for more fee information, you can find a list of participating Acquirers on our Interac Debit for Business page.
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What is the payment limit for Interac Debit contactless payments?
Transaction limits are set at up to $250 per transaction. There is also added protection of a cumulative contactless limit set by individual banks or credit unions. A cumulative limit is the maximum contactless spend limit that can be done by an individual Interac debit card before the user is promoted to reset the limit with a Chip and PIN transaction. This confirms that you are the authorized cardholder.
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What are my obligations in regards to Interac Debit contactless payments when it comes to fraud?
Please see our Contactless Payments for Business security page for information around security and protections such as the Interac Zero Liability Policy.
Interac for mobile payments
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What is Interac Debit for mobile payments?
Interac Debit for mobile is a point-of-sale payment solution that works with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. For more information around how it works and to find a list of participating Acquirers, please visit our Interac Debit on Mobile for Business page.
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I already offer Interac Debit payment for my customers. How do I start offering Interac Debit for mobile?
If you already offer Interac Debit contactless payments to your customer, no further set up that is required. Contact your Acquirer for more information. You can also find a list of participating Acquirers on our Interac Debit on Mobile for Business page.
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Help, I’m having trouble with my terminal.
For troubleshooting support, please contact your Interac Debit Acquirer.
Interac Debit for Online Payments
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Help, I’m having trouble with Interac Debit for Online Payments.
For any troubleshooting support, please contact your Interac Debit for Online Payments financial institution.
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What is Interac Debit for Online Payments and how does it work?
Interac Debit for online payments is a secure payment system for Canadian e-Commerce. When a customer goes to checkout, a new browser window will open directing the customer to their online banking account. So you as the merchant never handle any confidential information.
Please visit our Interac Debit for online payments page for more information on how it works.
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What if a customer doesn’t use online banking?
Customers must be registered for online banking to use Interac Debit for online payments.
If a customer tries to check out with Interac Debit for online payments, but isn’t enrolled in online banking, the customer’s bank or credit union may provide an option to register right away.
The customer will also be provided with a link back to your website, so in the event he/she decides not to register for online banking, you can allow checkout via another payment method.
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Why does the customer have to leave my website? What if they don’t come back?
One of the main benefits of Interac Debit for online payments is the separation of shopping and payment. The customer is taken to his or her online banking website to pay. This means the customer does not have to enter confidential account information on your website. Studies show customers have concerns over sharing financial or account details with online merchants.
Once an online payment is made via Interac Debit, the browser will automatically redirect to your website. If the customer is unable to or decides not to authorize the payment through online banking, he/she is still brought back to your website, allowing you to continue checkout through a different payment method.
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How do I handle refunds?
Some Acquirers and payment service providers support Interac Debit for online payments refunds. This allows you to credit the refund back into the bank account the customer used for the purchase.
The refund policy is at your discretion. You always have the option to provide refunds through other mechanisms (e.g. providing a store credit or sending a cheque).
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What is a chargeback and does Interac issue them?
In the credit card world, an authorized transaction can be reversed. For example, if a fraudulent transaction has been charged to a customer’s account and the customer disputes the transaction. To avoid chargebacks, merchants often perform checks before accepting a transaction and refuse to accept it, if it appears suspicious. However, the transaction may actually be legitimate. This practice has the negative effect of preventing a valid customer from completing a purchase.
Interac does not use or require chargebacks. The customer’s bank or credit union authorizes and guarantees each payment.
Interac Debit ABM Withdrawals
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What are ABM withdrawals?
ABM withdrawals are a convenient way to withdraw cash from your account at any Automated Banking Machine (ABM) displaying the Interac logo, anywhere in Canada.
Interac has made accessing your account for cash withdrawals convenient with more than 70,0000 ABMs available across Canada, many of which are available 24 hours a day.
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How can it help my business?
Housing an ABM can increase foot traffic to your location, increasing awareness of your business and goods or services.
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How much can I charge for each ABM transaction?
An Acquirer can help you with that information. Please visit our ABM Withdrawals page to find a list of all participating Acquirers.
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What if someone used a stolen debit card to withdraw cash using my ABM?
The customer bank issuing the Interac debit card will handle any instances of fraud. However, you should always ensure you follow any security recommendations and measures your Acquirer provides on installation.
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I have questions around fees and installation. Where can I find more information?
For all questions and details related to ABM Withdrawals, please speak with an Acquirer. You can find a list of all participating Acquirers on our ABM Withdrawals page.
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Help, I’m having trouble with my ABM.
For any troubleshooting support, please contact your ABM Acquirer.