---
title: "Create ACH Transfer"
method: POST
path: "/accounts/{account_id}/ach"
tags: ["Transfers"]
---

# Create ACH Transfer

`POST /accounts/{account_id}/ach`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://api.meow.com/v1`
- URL: `https://api.meow.com/v1/accounts/{account_id}/ach`
- Auth: API key in header `x-api-key`
- TypeScript: <https://skmtc.dev/meow/apis/meow-api/docs/accounts/:account_id/ach/post.ts> (a function with typed inputs; its response is checked against the schema)

Creates a new ACH transfer to an external counterparty.

## Path parameters

- `account_id` string, required: The ID of the account.

## Headers

- `Idempotency-Key` string, nullable: A unique key you generate (1-50 printable ASCII characters, no spaces) so retrying this request never creates a duplicate. Reusing a key is rejected.
- `x-entity-id` string, uuid

## Request body

- CreateAchTransferRequest
  - `amount` union, required: Amount to send, in USD.
    - number
    - string
  - `counterparty_id` string, uuid, required: Contact to pay. Use list_contacts to find one.
  - `description` string, nullable: Text shown on the recipient's bank statement.
  - `internal_note` string, nullable: Private note, visible only inside Meow.
  - `email` string, email, nullable: Address to notify when the transfer is sent.
  - `metadata` object, nullable: Your own key/value data to attach to this object. Meow stores it unchanged and returns it on every read of the object and on every webhook event about it, so you can match it back to your own records. Up to 20 pairs; keys up to 40 characters, values up to 200, and 5 KB serialized as JSON in total — note that a non-ASCII character counts as 6 bytes and an emoji as 12. Values must be strings. Meow never interprets it — do not put anything here that needs to stay private.
  - `idempotency_key` string, nullable: Deprecated: send the key in the `Idempotency-Key` header instead. When both are sent they must match.

## Response `200`

Successful Response

- CreateAchTransferResponse
  - `id` string, nullable: Identifier of the ACH transfer at the bank. `null` until the transfer leaves the queue, so it is always absent while `status` is `processing` or `pending_approval`, or while the transfer is under review. Use `approval_id` as the stable handle instead.
  - `status` 'pending' | 'pending_approval' | 'canceled' | 'processing' | 'error' | 'sent' | 'returned' | 'void', required
  - `amount` string, required: Amount sent, in USD. Echoes the request.
  - `description` string, nullable, required: Text shown on the recipient's bank statement. Echoes the request.
  - `counterparty_id` string, uuid, required: Contact that was paid. Echoes the request.
  - `created_time` integer, required: When the transfer was created, as a Unix timestamp in seconds.
  - `transfer_type` 'book' | 'usdc' | 'usdt' | 'pyusd' | 'cash' | 'usdg' | 'path_usd' | 'ach' | 'wire' | 'international', required: The rail a transfer moves on, as the customer API reports it.
  - `approval_id` string, uuid, required: Handle for this transfer, returned whether or not an approval policy gated it. Pass it to `GET /approvals/{approval_id}` to follow the transfer to completion.
  - `message` string, nullable: Human-readable next step. Set when `status` is `pending_approval` or the transfer is under review; otherwise `null`.
  - `metadata` object, nullable: The metadata attached when this object was created, unchanged. `null` when none was attached. Rarely, a `.created` webhook can be published before the create request finishes committing, and that one event reports `null`; every later event and every read of the object carries the metadata.

## Other responses

- `400`: The request could not be processed.
- `401`: Authentication failed.
- `403`: The API key is not authorized for this operation, or the user of a global API key is an admin or controller without approved KYC. The KYC case returns the message `KYC is required for controllers and admins.` until that user completes KYC in the Meow dashboard.
- `429`: Too many requests.

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/meow/apis/meow-api.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/meow/apis/meow-api/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/meow/apis/meow-api/revisions/ea2d7e25b63b?raw)