Bank Account Transfer Authorization

A bank account transfer authorization is the written permission an account holder gives a business to collect payments from their bank account. It is used for subscriptions, membership fees, rent, instalments, utilities and any bill that repeats. The authorization says who may collect, from which account, how much and how often, from when until when, and how the account holder can stop it. A clear one protects both sides: the business can show that the customer agreed, and the customer can see exactly what they agreed to.

This form works for one collection or for a recurring series. For a fixed amount it states the amount. For an amount that varies it states the highest amount per collection, an optional highest total per month and how many days' notice the collector gives before each collection. The account holder's bank details are typed for each document and are never saved to a profile.

Collection schemes have rules of their own and often forms of their own. SEPA direct debit in the euro area, ACH in the US, Direct Debit in the UK, automatic transfer (CMS) in Korea and the Japanese account transfer each have requirements that the banks set. The form says to use the bank's own mandate form where one is required, and records the agreement between the account holder and the collector. Pick a country to get its bank fields: routing number and account type in the US, sort code in the UK, date of birth or business number plus a consent for personal data in Korea, branch, account type and kana name in Japan, and IBAN, mandate reference and creditor ID in Germany.

• You collect a monthly or yearly fee from customers or members and want their agreement in writing.
• You will collect once, for example a deposit, from a customer's account.
• You rent out property or equipment and collect the rent by bank collection.
• A customer asks what exactly they are agreeing to before they give you account details.
• You are an account holder allowing a business to collect from your account and want the terms written down.

1. Your business details come from your saved company information. Add the customer reference and what the payments are for.
2. Enter the account holder and, for this document only, the bank and the account number or IBAN.
3. Choose one collection or a recurring series. For a recurring one, choose a fixed amount or a varying one with a highest amount, then the day of the month, the first date and, if there is one, the end date.
4. Read the paragraphs that follow. They change with your choices, including the notice period for varying amounts.
5. The account holder signs and dates it. Give them a copy and keep the original with your records. Use the bank's own mandate form as well where the scheme requires it.

• Collecting before the date, or more than the amount or limit stated. That breaks the agreement and the trust.
• Writing account details in an insecure place, such as an email thread. Hand over a paper copy or use a secure channel.
• Asking for more personal data than the scheme needs, such as full ID numbers.
• Not saying how to cancel and whom to tell. A clear way out makes people more willing to agree.
• Assuming this sheet replaces the bank's or the scheme's own mandate where that is required.

1. Fill in
2. Check the preview
3. Save as PDF, Word or Excel

Pick the country you need. Each version uses the wording and layout commonly found there; a version marked “check with local advice” should be read by someone who knows the local rules before it is used.

• International (XX): Written in English, Korean, Japanese, German
• United States (US): Written in English – check with local advice
• United Kingdom (GB): Written in English – check with local advice
• Korea (KR): Written in Korean, English – check with local advice
• Japan (JP): Written in Japanese, English – check with local advice
• Germany (DE): Written in German, English – check with local advice