Unblocking paykeys
How to unblock paykeys after an R29 return.
When a business customer's bank blocks an ACH debit, you'll receive an R29 return and the paykey is automatically blocked. This protects your Nacha compliance thresholds.
Most R29 returns happen because the customer's bank has ACH Positive Pay enabled—a fraud prevention service that requires businesses to pre-approve vendors by Company ID. When Straddle isn't on their approved list, the bank automatically returns the transaction, even if the customer legitimately authorized it.
Unblocking an R29
First R29: self-service unblock
You can unblock a paykey once directly from your dashboard without providing proof. We know most R29s are automated Positive Pay blocks, not fraud.
Before retrying, make sure your customer adds Straddle's Company ID to their Positive Pay list—otherwise it will just get blocked again.
- Customer adds Straddle's Company ID — They log into their bank portal or call their bank to whitelist Straddle. Find your Company ID in your dashboard under Settings → Account.
- Unblock the paykey — Go to the blocked paykey in your dashboard and click Unblock.
- Retry the payment — Once unblocked, reschedule or retry the charge.
If the same paykey gets blocked again, you'll need to provide proof that the customer added Straddle's Company ID (screenshot, email, or bank confirmation) before we can unblock it. Contact help@straddle.io.
Ask B2B customers upfront if they use ACH Positive Pay. If yes, have them add Straddle's Company ID before you process the first payment.
Other Return Codes
These returns also block paykeys but always require proof to unblock. Contact help@straddle.io with documentation.
Customer placed a stop payment. Provide confirmation they've removed it.
Account is frozen or on hold. Provide a bank letter confirming it's active.