Zelle® Frequently Asked Questions

Zelle^® is a person-to-person mobile and Online Banking payment platform that allows you to send money to family and friends whom you trust using their email address or U.S. mobile phone number.

Top Questions

Zelle^® is a fast, easy way to send and receive money from friends, family, whom you trust¹, typically within minutes², using their email address or U.S. mobile phone number.

It is not safe to use Zelle^® in online marketplaces like Facebook, Craigslist, or OfferUp, or anywhere people are buying and selling merchandise online. This is because you could lose your money if you're dealing with an imposter or scammer.

Imposters and scammers often request payment through Zelle^®. Money is sent directly from your BECU account to another person's bank account typically within minutes², so Zelle^® should only be used to send money to friends and family whom you trust. Neither BECU nor Zelle^® offer a protection program for any authorized payments made with Zelle^®. For example, if you don't receive the item you paid for or the item is not as described or as you expected, your money will not be returned to you and we will not refund your payment.

You must have a bank account in the U.S., as well as a valid email address or U.S. mobile phone number to use Zelle^®.

To enroll in Zelle^®, follow these steps:

Log into Online Banking or the BECU mobile app and select Payments.
Select Send Money.
Follow the Get Started steps to enroll.

BECU does not charge a fee to send or receive money via Zelle^®, however you may incur charges using Zelle^® if:

You send a transaction for which you have insufficient funds to cover the transaction. Non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees may apply.
You stop a payment in process. You'll be charged a $25 Stop Payment fee. Note: You may cancel a scheduled transaction at any time before it processes with no fee.
Your mobile carrier fees may apply.

If you are already enrolled in Zelle^®, there is nothing more you need to do. The money will automatically move directly into the account you designated when you enrolled.

If you have not enrolled in Zelle^® and received a payment notification from someone via Zelle^®, follow these steps if you would like to receive the payment:

Click on the link provided in the payment notification.
Select BECU.
Follow the instructions.

Yes, in order to receive the money the recipient will need to be enrolled in Zelle^®. If you send money to someone using their account number⁴, they are not required to enroll with Zelle^® as these transactions follow a different process.

If your recipient is not yet enrolled with Zelle^®, they will receive a notification prompting them to enroll. After enrollment, the money will move directly into their account, typically within minutes.

General Information About Zelle^®

Where do I find the Terms and Conditions for Zelle^®?

See General Terms for BECU Funds Transfer Service (.pdf).

Back to General Information About Zelle^®

Who can I send money to?

Zelle^® is a great way to send money to friends and family whom you trust.

It is important to remember that the money is sent directly from your BECU account to another person's bank account typically within minutes², so Zelle^® shouldn't be used to send money to people you do not know or trust.

Back to General Information About Zelle^®

How do I get started?

It's easy. Zelle^® is already available within the BECU mobile banking app and Online Banking. Just check the app or sign in online and follow a few simple steps to enroll with Zelle^® today. We recommend you enroll before someone sends you money — this will help you get your first payment faster.

Follow the steps below to enroll in Zelle^® from the BECU mobile app:

Tap the mobile banking app to open it on your mobile device home page.
When the login screen opens, enter your username and password and tap Log In.
Tap Payments and select Send money with Zelle^®. The Welcome screen will open.
On the Welcome to Zelle^® screen, click Get Started.
Read the Terms and Conditions. To accept the Terms and Conditions, click Accept and Continue.
You will be presented an option to either (1) select an email or mobile number from a list, and click Continue or (2) enroll a specific email or mobile number.
If you select to enroll a mobile number, read the Notice Regarding Receiving Text Messages, and click Continue.
Enter the verification code sent to you and select Verify.
On the Choose Primary Account page, select the account you would like to use as Primary, and click Continue.
Enrollment is complete. From the Congratulations screen you can Send Money, View Activity or Add another email or mobile number.

Follow the steps below to enroll in Zelle^® from Online Banking:

Log in to Online Banking.
Click Payments on the Welcome screen.
Click Send Money. You can also click Go under Send Money with Zelle^®.
On the Welcome to Zelle^® screen, click Get Started.
Read the Terms and Conditions. To accept the Terms and Conditions, click Accept and Continue.
You'll be presented an option to either (1) select an email or mobile number from a list (and click Continue) or (2) enroll a specific email or mobile number.
If you select to enroll a mobile number, read the Notice Regarding Receiving Text Messages. Click Continue.
Enter the verification code sent to you and press Verify.
On the Choose Primary Account page, click the account you would like to use as Primary and click Continue.
Enrollment is complete! From the Congratulations screen you can Send Money, View Activity or Add another email or mobile number.

How does Zelle^® work?

When you enroll through BECU Online Banking or the BECU mobile app, we establish a connection between your email address or U.S. mobile phone number and your preferred checking or savings account.

Your name, financial institution name and email address or U.S. mobile phone number you enrolled are shared with Zelle^® (no sensitive account details are shared — those stay with BECU). When someone sends money to your enrolled email address or U.S mobile number, Zelle^® looks up the email address or U.S. mobile phone number in its "directory" and notifies BECU of the incoming payment. BECU then directs the payment into your account.

Where do I find the Terms and Conditions for Zelle^®?

See General Terms for BECU Funds Transfer Service (.pdf).

Sending and Receiving Money

How do I send money to someone?

Log in to BECU Online Banking or the mobile app and tap Payments.
The first time you use Zelle^®:

View and accept terms and conditions.
Accept text messages.
Select the account you want to use for Zelle^® transactions.
Enter or review your email address or U.S. mobile phone number.

Select Send Money.
Add a contact or select the email or mobile phone number of an existing contact. When adding a contact, enter the name and email or U.S. mobile phone number of the friend or family member you want to send money to. This information will be saved as a contact.
Enter the amount you'd like to send. You have the option to include a note.
Review and tap Send. If your recipient is already enrolled, they'll receive notification of your payment and the money will be available in their account, typically within minutes². If your recipient is not already enrolled with Zelle^®, they'll get an email or text instructing them to enroll so they can receive the payment.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

When does the money come out of my account?

When you send a payment today, your account is debited immediately. If you schedule a transaction to go standard delivery, those payments are debited on the day they are scheduled to process. It's important to make sure that you will have money available to cover the scheduled transaction and that you have sufficient available funds in the account at least one full day before the transfer is scheduled. It's also important that you keep a record of how much money you spend so you know how much money you have available in your account.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

When will the payment I sent arrive?

Money sent with Zelle^® is typically available to an enrolled person within minutes². Ask your friends and family whom you trust to enroll with Zelle^® before you send them money. This will help them get your payment faster.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

How does the receiving person get their money?

If you send money to someone who is not enrolled with Zelle^®, they will receive a notification prompting them to enroll. After enrollment, the money will move directly into your recipient's account, typically within minutes². Once their first payment completes, your recipient will be able to receive future payments faster, typically within minutes².

If your payment is still pending, we recommend confirming that the person you sent money to has enrolled with Zelle^®, and that you entered the correct email address or U.S. mobile phone number. If you're waiting to receive money, you should check to see if you've received a payment notification via email or text message. If you haven't received a payment notification, we recommend following up with the sender to confirm they entered the correct email address or phone number.

Still having trouble? Please call BECU technical support at 800-233-2328, or send us a secure message in Online Banking or the mobile app.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

Can I cancel a payment?

If the person you sent money to has already enrolled with Zelle^®, the money is sent directly to their bank account and cannot be canceled. This is why it's important to only send money to friends and family whom you trust, and always ensure you've used the correct email address or U.S. mobile number when sending money. If you sent money to the wrong person, we recommend you contact the recipient and request the money be returned. You can only cancel a payment that has been scheduled but not yet processed. To determine if you can cancel a payment, go to your Activity page and look for a "cancel" button.

You can also stop a payment if the payment has been sent but the person you sent money hasn't yet enrolled with Zelle^®. Transactions sent using standard speeds may be stopped if the funds haven't yet been received by the recipient. If you see a red "Stop Payment" button for the payment you want to stop, select Stop Payment. If you stop a payment in process, you'll be charged a $25 Stop Payment fee.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

How do I edit a scheduled or recurring transaction?

You can edit or cancel payments scheduled for a future date. You can not edit or cancel a payment that is in progress. When you set up a recurring transaction, it's important to remember that funds are taken out of your account on the day of the transaction, but not transferred to your recipient until the following day.

Tip: Set up scheduled or recurring transactions for one day before you want the funds to arrive. Your account will be debited on the day of the transaction and the recipient will receive the next day.

Follow the steps below to edit a scheduled or recurring transaction:

Tap the mobile banking app to open it on your mobile device home page.
When the login screen opens, enter your username and password and tap Log In.
Tap Payments and a menu opens. From that menu, tap Zelle^® Activity.
The top of the Activity screen shows any tasks you need to complete, followed by a list of your Pending and Past transactions. In the Pending section, tap the payment you want to edit.
On the Payment Details screen, tap Edit Payment.
To change the account the payment will be withdrawn from, tap the existing account and select another account.
When the account and the amount are both correct, tap Done.
Tap Save.
The updated payment details will display on the Activity screen.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

How much money can I send?

Unless we tell you otherwise in a separate disclosure, depending on the available funds in your account, the limits are as follows:

The minimum amount BECU allows you to send with Zelle^® is $5.
The maximum amount we allow you to send with Zelle^® per day is $2,000.
The maximum amount we allow you to send with Zelle^® in a 30-day period is $7,500.

Transactions sent using standard speeds may take more than one day for the money to reach your recipient. Your daily limit will apply to the actual day the money clears the recipient's bank. If the recipient hasn't enrolled in Zelle^® yet, the limit will be applied to the day the recipient receives the money.

Check the General Terms for BECU Funds Transfer Service (PDF) for additional information on transaction limits.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

How much can I send?

You can send up to $2,000 in a single day, or up to $7,500 monthly. To request an exception to these limits, contact us at 800-233-2328 or send a secure message through Online Banking or the mobile app. There is no limit to how much you can receive through Zelle^®.

How will the person I send money to be notified?

The recipient will be notified via email or text message.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

Can I send money to myself at a different financial institution?

Yes, you can send money to yourself at almost any bank in the U.S. where you have a bank account using your email address or U.S. mobile number. Note that a U.S. mobile phone number or email address can only be enrolled and active with one financial institution at a time.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

Can I use Zelle^® internationally?

No. In order to send, receive or request funds, the sender's and recipient's accounts must be based in the U.S.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

Should I use Zelle^® to pay someone I don't know?

No. If you do not know the person, or if you are paying for items that are sold on an online bidding or sales site, you should not use Zelle^® to make a payment. These transactions are high-risk (just like sending cash to a person you don't know is high-risk). Zelle^® should only be used to send money to friends and family whom you trust.

Neither BECU nor Zelle^® offer a protection program for any authorized payments made with Zelle^® — for example, if you do not receive the item you paid for or the item is not as described or as you expected, your money will be gone, it will not be returned to you and you will not receive a refund.

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

How do I receive money?

If you've already enrolled with Zelle^®, no further action is needed. The money will move directly into the account you selected when you enrolled in Zelle^®, typically within minutes².

Back to Sending and Receiving Money

Troubleshooting

I sent money to the wrong person. How do I get it back?

If you sent money to the wrong person, we recommend you contact the recipient and request the money to be returned.

Back to Troubleshooting

How do I verify my mobile phone number or email address to complete my enrollment in Zelle^®?

For security, when you enroll with Zelle^® you are required to verify the email address or U.S. mobile phone number you want to use Zelle^®.

Follow the steps below to verify your email address or mobile phone number in Online Banking and the BECU mobile app.

Online Banking:

Verify your email: On the Activity screen, click Verify under Pending Activity. Zelle^® will send you a one-time code to enter on the website.
Verify your mobile phone number: On the Activity screen, select how you'd like to receive your verification code. Click Text Me to receive a code via text messaging, or click Call Me to receive a code via a phone call. We'll send you a one-time code to enter on the website.

BECU Mobile App:

Verify your email: On the Activity screen, click Verify under Pending Activity. Zelle^® will send you a one-time code to enter in the mobile app.
Verify your mobile phone number: On the Activity screen, select how you'd like to receive your verification code. Click Text Me to receive a code via text messaging, or click Call Me to receive a code via a phone call. We'll send you a one-time code to enter in the mobile app.

Back to Troubleshooting

What should I do if I received a notice that my scheduled payment failed due to non-sufficient funds?

If your scheduled payment failed due to non-sufficient funds (not enough funds in your account), you'll need to contact BECU at 800-233-2328 to reactivate your profile. Once reactivated, you'll need to resubmit your transaction.

Back to Troubleshooting

There's an old email or phone number in my Zelle^® profile. Should I verify it?

No. If you verify an invalid email address or phone number (including land lines), you won't receive your verification code and your account could be suspended. (If this happens, please call BECU at 800-233-2328.) You will need to update your email address or mobile phone number in Online Banking Settings before completing enrollment with Zelle^®. You can delete the invalid email address or phone number.

Back to Troubleshooting

How do I stop receiving text messages from Zelle^®?

When you enroll with Zelle^®, you agree to allow text messages to be sent to you about Zelle^® transactions. You can opt out and stop receiving text messages and still continue to use Zelle^®. Using your mobile phone text messaging app, send a text to 767666 with the word STOP as the message.

Back to Troubleshooting

If I enroll with Zelle^® in Online Banking, will I automatically be enrolled in the mobile app?

Yes, but you may be asked to accept the terms and conditions again in the mobile app.

Back to Troubleshooting

I already enrolled with Zelle^® with another bank. How do I transfer my email or U.S. mobile phone number to BECU?

You can transfer your email address or U.S. mobile phone number in Zelle^®. During enrollment, you will see a prompt notifying you that the email address or mobile phone number is already enrolled at another institution. You will be asked to confirm that you want to complete the transfer and then to verify your email address or U.S. mobile phone number.

Back to Troubleshooting

How do I update my email or mobile phone number in Zelle^®?

You can select your default email or phone number in Zelle^®. If your email or mobile phone number changes, you'll need to update in Online Banking Settings.

Back to Troubleshooting

How do I update a contact's information?

You can update a contact's information in Online Banking, but not while a payment to that contact is pending or in process.

Follow the steps below to update a contact's information:

Log in to Online Banking.
On the Welcome banner, click Payments.
Click Send Money. You can also click Go under Send Money with Zelle^®.
Click Settings.
Scroll down to the Contacts section.
Click the name of the contact you want to edit. The contact details will display.
To edit one of the name fields, click Edit. Enter the changes and click Save.
To add a second email address, click Email. Enter the email address and click Save.
To change an existing email address, first click Delete, and then click Email. Enter the email address and click Save.
To add a second phone number, click Mobile. Enter the number and click Save.
To change an existing phone number, first click Delete, and then click Mobile. Enter the mobile phone number and click Save.
To add an account number⁴ for a contact, click Account. Enter the account and routing numbers and click Save.
To change the account number⁴ for a contact, first click Delete, and then click Add Account. Enter the account and routing numbers and click Save.

Back to Troubleshooting

I got an email from Zelle^® saying money was sent to me. How do I actually receive the money?

If you're already enrolled in Zelle^® the money will automatically transfer into your account. If you're not yet enrolled, you'll need to enroll with Zelle^® before you can receive your money. Please see "How do I get started?" above under "General Information About Zelle^®" for detailed steps to enroll.

Back to Troubleshooting

I followed all the steps to send money but it still didn't work. What now?

If your payment fails, please call BECU at 800-233-2328, or send us a secure message in Online Banking or the mobile app.

Back to Troubleshooting

U.S. checking or savings account required to use Zelle^®. Transactions between enrolled consumers typically occur in minutes and generally do not incur transaction fees.

Zelle® Frequently Asked Questions

Top Questions

General Information about Zelle®

Sending and Receiving Money

Troubleshooting

General Information About Zelle®

Sending and Receiving Money

Troubleshooting

General Information about Zelle^®

General Information About Zelle^®