{"article":{"id":38920947412503,"url":"https://plaid.zendesk.com/api/v2/help_center/en-us/articles/38920947412503.json","html_url":"https://support.plaid.com/hc/en-us/articles/38920947412503-How-to-resolve-disputes-for-Transfer-payments","author_id":1511728400882,"comments_disabled":false,"draft":false,"promoted":false,"position":0,"vote_sum":0,"vote_count":0,"section_id":32456223710615,"created_at":"2026-03-09T22:28:08Z","updated_at":"2026-06-03T17:55:33Z","name":"How to resolve disputes for Transfer payments","title":"How to resolve disputes for Transfer payments","source_locale":"en-us","locale":"en-us","outdated":false,"outdated_locales":[],"edited_at":"2026-06-03T17:55:33Z","user_segment_id":null,"permission_group_id":1121794,"content_tag_ids":[],"label_names":[],"body":"

Overview

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When an end customer disputes an ACH debit, their bank may return the transfer and pull funds back from your funding account. ACH disputes work differently from card chargebacks: once the consumer’s bank accepts the dispute and returns the funds, you generally can’t contest or reverse that decision through the network. ACH debit transactions can typically be disputed for up to 60 days after they appear on the consumer’s statement.

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When Plaid needs more information about a disputed transaction, you’ll see a Tasks header in your Transfer Dashboard asking you to provide Proof of Authorization (POA) for one or more transfers. This article explains what that means and what to do next.

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Step 1: Locate the dispute in the Transfer Dashboard

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  1. Sign in to the Plaid Dashboard and go to Transfer.
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  2. Look for a Tasks header indicating that Proof of Authorization is required for disputed transactions.
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  3. From the Tasks header, open the affected task to see:\n
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You can also search and click into the individual transfer from the Transfer activity table to see its full event history, status, and related refunds or sweeps.

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Step 2: Gather proof of authorization (POA)

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For ACH debits, Nacha requires that you collect and retain a record showing that the end customer authorized the payment. You must keep this record for at least two years and be able to provide it if a dispute occurs.

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Examples of acceptable POA include (non-exhaustive):

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If you use Plaid Transfer UI to collect authorizations, Plaid can collect and store POA on your behalf in alignment with Nacha guidance on ACH authorization requirements.

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Step 3: Submit POA back to Plaid

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  1. Return to the Tasks header in the Transfer Dashboard.
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  2. Open the relevant task and follow the on-screen instructions to:\n
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  3. If you don’t see an upload option in the dashboard, respond to the dispute notification channel specified by Plaid (for example, your existing Plaid support channel) and include:\n
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Plaid will review your submission in coordination with our bank partners and the ACH network rules.

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Step 4: Understand possible outcomes

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Because ACH is a bank-to-bank system, the consumer’s bank ultimately decides whether to return or keep the funds. Key points:

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In some cases, after you provide strong Proof of Authorization and context, the dispute may be resolved in your favor (for example, if the bank determines the payment was properly authorized). However, you should generally plan for ACH disputes as final returns from the network and handle any customer remediation (such as re-billing or account adjustments) directly with your end user.

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Step 5: Best practices to reduce future disputes

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To reduce the likelihood and impact of future disputes:

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When to contact Plaid Support

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Contact Plaid Support (or your Plaid account team) if:

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Include the transfer_id, any relevant return codes, and a short summary of what you’re seeing in the Transfer Dashboard so we can help you more quickly.

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