Nacha: It’s Time to Fulfill a New Rules Requirement
October 5, 2026 / Source: Nacha
Thanksgiving isn’t too far off (it seems like it was just July 4) and before you know it 2027 will be here. When New Year’s Day arrives, it brings with it a new Nacha Rules requirement. But it’s one that should be easy to fulfill. In fact, you can do it right now, well before everyone disappears for the holidays.
All financial institutions will have to enter contacts for International ACH Entries—better known as IAT—in the ACH Contact Registry. As with other contacts, you’ll need to include at least one primary and one secondary contact, complete with name, title, phone number and email. Or, you can enter a department contact, which also has to have a phone number and email.
It’s already a Nacha Rules requirement to enter contacts for ACH operations and fraud/risk management, and just as with those, the phones and emails for IAT contacts need to be monitored during business hours.
Don’t send IATs at your bank or credit union? That’s fine, but under the Nacha Rules you’re still obligated to accept them when they come in. Which means you have to designate contacts who are familiar with IATs and can field questions that might come up from other financial institutions, and then enter those folks or their department as contacts in the Registry.
While you’re in the ACH Contact Registry, why not take a moment to check on the other contacts your financial institution has listed? Maybe someone left or got promoted. Remember, it’s a Rules requirement to keep contacts current and make any changes within 45 days.
IAT currently exists as one of the optional contact categories in the Registry, and if your FI already filled in contacts, you’re well ahead of the game. When Jan. 1, 2027, arrives, the optional IAT contacts will automatically move to a mandatory category. Even if you already have IAT contacts in the directory, you still might want to check to ensure the information there is up to date.
Visit the IAT Rule for the ACH Contact Registry page on Nacha’s website.