Rules & documentation

By-laws, rules, standards and procedure documents are integral parts of the legal framework of the national payment systems that Payments Canada is legislated to establish and operate. They lay out the roles, responsibilities and obligations of our member financial institutions on the appropriate handling of payment items exchanged, cleared and settled via our payment systems. This includes requirements for participation in a payment system or scheme, procedures for the processing of payment items, and the requirements and timeframes for returning payment items, where eligible.

Payments Canada’s rules, standards and procedure documents are updated regularly and versions posted online are in force. You can contact Payments Canada for confirmation by e-mail at info@payments.ca.

Item Title Updated System
Association By-law No. 3
Payment Items & ACSS By-law
Retail batch payment system, System by-laws
Association By-law No. 6
Compliance
Retail batch payment system, High-value payment system - Lynx, System by-laws
Direct Clearer Procedures
ACSS Contingency Situation Manual Balancing & Settlement of Clearing
Retail batch payment system
Introduction
Introduction
Retail batch payment system
Policy Statement
Prohibition of Tele-Cheques in the Clearing and Settlement System
Retail batch payment system
Quick links - ACSS
Automated clearing settlement system rules, standards and by-laws
Retail batch payment system
Regional Clearing Association Procedures
Regional Clearing Association Procedures
Retail batch payment system
Rule A1
General Rules Pertaining to Items Acceptable for Clearing
Retail batch payment system
Rule A3
Endorsement and Identification of Paper Items
Retail batch payment system
Rule A4
Returned and Redirected Items
Retail batch payment system
Rule A5
Credits to Accounts of Deceased Customers
Retail batch payment system
Rule A6
Items in Dispute
Retail batch payment system