Zelle® FAQs

Q: How do I know money was sent to me?

If you’re enrolled with Zelle: In addition to receiving an email or text from Bank of America alerting you that you’ve received money, you can view incoming and outgoing Zelle payments in your Zelle Activity. If you're not enrolled with Zelle: You’ll receive an email or text from Zelle with instructions on how to enroll to receive your money. See how to enroll with Zelle for individuals See how to enroll with Zelle for eligible businesses

Q: How quickly does the money get sent with Zelle?

If your recipient is enrolled with Zelle, money is typically available within minutes. If your recipient isn’t enrolled, they will need to enroll to receive their money. Once enrolled, the money moves to the recipient’s account and is typically available within minutes. Note that once you initiate your payment, money will be deducted from your available balance and placed on hold until the recipient enrolls. If your recipient does not enroll within 14 days of when the money is sent, the money is released back to your account, and the transaction is cancelled.

Question 1

What is Zelle?

Accepted Answer

Zelle is a fast, safe and easy way to send and receive money with friends, family or others in minutes,1 between domestic bank accounts at U.S. financial institutions. Using just their U.S. mobile number or email address you can send money directly to their bank account right from yours with no fees using the Bank of America Mobile Banking app or Online Banking.

Learn more about Zelle for individuals

Learn more about Zelle for eligible businesses

Question 2

How much does it cost to use Zelle?

Accepted Answer

There’s no fee to send or receive money with Zelle using our Mobile Banking app or Online Banking.

Question 3

Does Bank of America or Zelle offer a protection program?

Accepted Answer

Neither Bank of America nor Zelle offers a protection program for any authorized payments using Zelle.

Please remember: While Zelle is a great way to send money to family, friends and people that you know and trust (such as your personal trainer, roommate, babysitter or a neighbor), we recommend you do not use Zelle for potentially high-risk transactions (for example, if you don’t know the person) or aren’t absolutely certain you’ll get what you paid for (for example, items bought from an online bidding or sales site).

Question 4

How do I receive money with Zelle?

Accepted Answer

To receive money with Zelle, you’ll need to enroll your U.S. mobile number or email address (the sender needs to use the specific email address or U.S. mobile number that you enrolled). Please note that only U.S. mobile numbers are eligible. Voice over IP (VOIP), landlines and Google voice numbers are not eligible for Zelle enrollment.

Not a Bank of America customer? You can still receive money using Zelle. Visit the Zelle enrollment page and follow the instructions.

Question 5

How do I know money was sent to me?

Accepted Answer

If you’re enrolled with Zelle: In addition to receiving an email or text from Bank of America alerting you that you’ve received money, you can view incoming and outgoing Zelle payments in your Zelle Activity.

If you're not enrolled with Zelle: You’ll receive an email or text from Zelle with instructions on how to enroll to receive your money.

See how to enroll with Zelle for individuals

See how to enroll with Zelle for eligible businesses

Question 6

I never received my authorization code when I enrolled my U.S. mobile number or email address. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

If you were expecting to receive an authorization code via email, make sure you entered your email address correctly, check your spam folder and make sure you’re not blocking emails from onlinebanking@ealerts.bankofamerica.com.

If you were expecting to receive an authorization code via text and didn’t, make sure you: used a U.S. mobile number, you entered it correctly, and check with your mobile carrier that the short code 739-81 is enabled. Voice over IP (VOIP), landlines and Google voice numbers are not eligible for Zelle enrollment.

Please note that we will never call you to provide you with (or ask you for) an authorization code by phone. If you received a phone call telling you you’ve received a code, it is very likely a scammer trying to obtain access to your account. Learn more about account security

Question 7

How do I send money with Zelle?

Accepted Answer

To send money with Zelle, log in to the Mobile Banking app or Online Banking and select Transfer | Zelle® in the navigation menu. If you know that your recipient is enrolled with Zelle, you should ask if they want you to send money to their U.S. mobile number or email address. Once you send money, both you and your recipient will be notified. Send money now

Question 8

How do I add a new recipient so I can send them money (or so they can send me money)?

Accepted Answer

Once you send or request money to or from someone new, they’ll be added to your recipient list so you can easily send/receive in the future using our Mobile Banking app or Online Banking.

To add a new trusted recipient using the mobile app: Navigate to Manage Recipients and select ADD FROM CONTACTS or enter the recipient’s email address or U.S. mobile phone number in the search bar (once you do, you’ll automatically be taken to the next step).

To add a new trusted recipient using Online Banking: Log in to Online Banking and select Send Money to Someone from the Transfer | Zelle® menu. Choose Using their U.S. mobile number or email address then select Add email or mobile recipient next to the To field.

Question 9

Are there limits on how much money I can send?

Accepted Answer

For your security, we restrict the number of transactions and the dollar amount you can send to recipients in any 24-hour, 7-day and 30-day period. View Zelle transaction limits

Question 10

How quickly does the money get sent with Zelle?

Accepted Answer

If your recipient is enrolled with Zelle^®, money is typically available within minutes. However, there are circumstances when the payment may take longer. For example, if your recipient isn’t enrolled, they will need to enroll to receive their money. Once they enroll, money is typically available in their account in minutes. Note that once you initiate your payment, money will be deducted from your available balance and placed on hold until the recipient enrolls. If your recipient does not enroll within 14 days of when the money is sent, the money is released back to your account, and the transaction is cancelled.

See the Why is my outgoing Zelle^® payment pending? question for more information.

Question 11

How do I view my Zelle activity?

Accepted Answer

You can see incoming and outgoing Zelle payments (both pending and completed) on the Zelle Activity page. You can also ask Erica® on our Mobile Banking app to view your Zelle activity.

Question 12

Why is there a hold on my Zelle transaction?

Accepted Answer

When sending money to a recipient not yet enrolled with Zelle, Bank of America will deduct the funds from your available balance and place a hold on that amount until the recipient enrolls with Zelle and is able to receive your payment. Your recipient has 14 days to enroll with Zelle before the payment is canceled, the hold is removed and the funds are released back into your account.

Question 13

Can I cancel a Zelle payment once it’s been sent?

Accepted Answer

You can only cancel pending payments to recipients not yet enrolled with Zelle. You can see incoming and outgoing Zelle payments (both pending and completed) on the Zelle Activity page.

Question 14

What do I do if my recipient didn’t receive the funds I sent with Zelle?

Accepted Answer

First, check the status of your payment. You can see incoming and outgoing Zelle payments (both pending and completed) on the Zelle Activity page. You can also ask Erica® on our Mobile Banking app to view your Zelle activity.

If the payment status is Pending, make sure the recipient enrolls with Zelle using the email address or U.S. mobile number to which you sent money. Once they enroll, money moves directly to their account.

If the payment status is Paid, verify that the U.S. mobile number or email address you used to send money to your recipient matches the U.S. mobile number or email address associated with your recipient’s Zelle enrollment.

Note: In some cases, payments may also be delayed for your protection -- for example if Zelle or Bank of America suspect that fraudulent activity is taking place. If you still have questions, please contact us.

Question 15

What happens if the contact information I enter for my recipient is wrong?

Accepted Answer

If you send money to a U.S. mobile number or email address that differs from the contact information of your intended recipient, check the Pending section of your Zelle activity. If the status of your payment is Pending, you can cancel it. If the payment is displayed in History, please contact us.

Question 16

Can I use Zelle at Bank of America if I already use Zelle at another bank?

Accepted Answer

If your U.S. mobile number or email address is associated with another bank and you want money sent to your Bank of America account instead, you can change it in our Mobile Banking app (please note that this functionality is not available in Online Banking). In order to do this, simply follow the Receive money instructions.

If you want to continue receiving money at your other bank, you can use a different U.S. mobile number or email address to enroll with Zelle with Bank of America.

Question 17

Is there a difference between Zelle in Mobile Banking and Online Banking?

Accepted Answer

Yes. While you can enroll, send and view your Zelle activity in both Online Banking and our Mobile Banking app, the app allows you to access more advanced features like request money and splitting from multiple recipients at once.

Question 18

Can I use Zelle with my eligible small busines account?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can send, request or receive payments between eligible domestic bank accounts at U.S. financial institutions that offer Zelle. To get started, log in to Online Banking or our Mobile Banking app and select Begin Setup. Enter your email address or U.S. mobile phone number, receive and enter a one-time verification code, accept the terms and conditions and you're ready to start sending and receiving with Zelle for your small business.

Question 19

I already use Zelle through my personal bank account. How do I enroll to use Zelle with my small business bank account?

Accepted Answer

To get started, log in to Online Banking or the Mobile Banking app. To enroll a small business bank account with Zelle, you must use a different U.S. mobile number or email address than the one you used to enroll your personal bank account with Zelle.

Question 20

Can I use the same U.S. mobile number or email address for both my personal and small business account?

Accepted Answer

No, the same U.S. mobile number or email address cannot be used for multiple accounts. Payments sent to one number or one email address can only go to one bank account. Use a different U.S. mobile number or email address to enroll a different account.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Get the Mobile Banking app

Get it on the App Store

Or we can text a download link directly to your phone

Get it on the App Store

Or we can send you a link by email

Get it on Google Play

Or we can text a download link directly to your phone

Our mobile app isn't available for all devices

Get the mobile banking app

We've sent you a download link

We couldn't send the link

Frequently Asked Questions