Interac e-Transfer in Canada: how it works, fees, limits and scams
Quick summary
An Interac e-Transfer sends money from your bank account to someone else's using their email or mobile number. Sending is free or about $1 at the banks we read, and getting one is free. Limits differ by bank, from $3,000 a day to $10,000 a day in the examples below. Once the other person deposits the money, you cannot take it back. Before you send to someone new, read how to spot the scams.
Checked November 10, 2026. Main source: RBC Royal Bank: About Interac e-Transfer (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026). See all 12 sources.
Key facts
- Cost to send
- $0 for RBC chequing (up to 999 a month, then $1 each). $0 to $1 at Manulife Bank, depending on the account
- Source: RBC and Manulife Bank pages
- Cost to receive
- $0 at the banks we read
- Source: Manulife Bank and Desjardins pages
- Sending limits (examples)
- $3,000 a day at Tangerine and Manulife Bank, $4,000 at National Bank, $5,000 at Desjardins, $10,000 a day at RBC (verified clients, mobile app)
- Source: Each bank's page, listed below
- Time to claim
- 30 days, then the transfer is sent back
- Source: RBC and Desjardins pages
- Can you reverse it?
- No, not after the other person deposits it
- Source: Interac
How an e-Transfer works, step by step
Sender: open your online banking or app, choose to send money, and enter the person's name and their email or mobile number. Add the amount and pick the account it comes from. If they have not turned on Autodeposit, you also set a security question that only they can answer.
Receiver: you get an email or text with a link. It takes you to a secure page at your own bank. You answer the security question and choose the account to deposit into. Interac says funds never travel by email or text. The message is only a notice and a link.
If you have Autodeposit, the money goes straight into your account and no question is asked. The sender gets a confirmation.
Sources: RBC Royal Bank: About Interac e-Transfer (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026); Desjardins: Interac e-Transfer (last modified November 2, 2026, read November 10, 2026); Interac: e-Transfer product page (last modified May 30, 2025, read November 10, 2026).
What Autodeposit is, and why it is safer
Autodeposit lets you register an email or mobile number with a deposit account. Anyone who sends to that address pays into your account, with no password to guess. Desjardins says you can turn it off at any time. TD and Interac both point to it as a way to stop thieves from catching a transfer in the middle.
A catch for senders: Desjardins says you cannot cancel an Autodeposit transfer once it is sent. Check the email address or number and the amount first. Interac also says Autodeposit deposits can take longer because of routine fraud checks.
Sources: Desjardins: Interac e-Transfer (last modified November 2, 2026, read November 10, 2026); TD: e-Transfer fraud (updated June 8, 2026, read November 10, 2026); Interac: e-Transfer product page (last modified May 30, 2025, read November 10, 2026).
What it costs: fees at the places we read
Fees depend on your bank and your account. These are examples from each page, not a ranking.
| Place | Sending | Receiving | Cancelling or unclaimed |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC | No fee for personal chequing, up to 999 transfers a month, then $1.00 each. RBC's other page lists $1 for personal savings accounts | No fee | Cancel with no fee within 15 days. A $5.00 reclaim fee if an unclaimed transfer is not cancelled in that window |
| Desjardins | Free with a transaction plan, otherwise the posted fee | Free | Free before 11:59 PM Eastern on the day sent, then $3.50 |
| Manulife Bank | $0 to $1 depending on the account | Free | Page does not say |
Sources: RBC Royal Bank: Send and receive money with Interac e-Transfer (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026); RBC Royal Bank: About Interac e-Transfer (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026); Desjardins: Interac e-Transfer (last modified November 2, 2026, read November 10, 2026); Manulife Bank: Interac e-Transfer fees and limits (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026). Tangerine's page lists no fees. Other banks and credit unions set their own fees. Check yours.
How much you can send
Limits differ a lot, so look up your own. Interac's own page, last modified May 30, 2025, says a consumer limit is typically $2,000 to $3,000 and is set by each bank. Several banks now list more, as the table shows. Tangerine's page says its limits are set by Interac and the bank cannot change them. National Bank's page says its send limit cannot be changed, and its main text and its search summary disagree on whether $4,000 is per day or per 25 hours, so we use the longer main text.
| Place | Sending limit | Receiving limit |
|---|---|---|
| Tangerine | $3,000 a day. $10,000 a week | $10,000 a day. $70,000 a week. $300,000 a month |
| Manulife Bank | $3,000 per transfer and in 24 hours. $10,000 in 7 days. $20,000 in 30 days | $25,000 per transfer |
| National Bank | $4,000 per 25 hours. $14,000 per 7 days | Page does not say |
| Desjardins | $5,000 per transfer, per 24 hours. Limits cannot be raised | $25,000 per incoming transfer |
| RBC | Up to $10,000 a day for verified clients in the RBC Mobile app. The page says this cannot be raised or lowered | Page does not say |
Sources: Interac: e-Transfer product page (last modified May 30, 2025, read November 10, 2026); Tangerine: What's the Interac e-Transfer limit? (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026); Manulife Bank: Interac e-Transfer fees and limits (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026); National Bank: What is the maximum amount I can send per transfer? (no date shown, 2026 copyright, last confirmed November 10, 2026); Desjardins: Interac e-Transfer (last modified November 2, 2026, read November 10, 2026); RBC Royal Bank: Send and receive money with Interac e-Transfer (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026). The undated bank pages are last confirmed November 10, 2026. Limits change, so look in your own app.
How long it takes, and what if nobody claims it
Interac says the receiver can usually see the money within minutes, or seconds, after accepting. Steinbach Credit Union, in Manitoba, says most transfers go out in near real time, typically less than 30 minutes. This depends on the banks involved.
A transfer that is not accepted runs out after 30 days, per RBC and Desjardins. Desjardins says a declined transfer, or one that could not be deposited, goes back to your account and costs nothing. At RBC, a transfer that ran out and was not cancelled by the sender can be returned for a $5.00 fee.
Sources: Interac: e-Transfer product page (last modified May 30, 2025, read November 10, 2026); Steinbach Credit Union: How long will it take for the money to be received (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026); RBC Royal Bank: About Interac e-Transfer (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026); Desjardins: Interac e-Transfer (last modified November 2, 2026, read November 10, 2026).
Request Money: read the message first
Some banks let you receive a request for money. Desjardins says that accepting a request takes the money out of your account right away and cannot be cancelled. It also says scammers may send a request to pull money out of your account when you thought you were getting a deposit. Read the wording on every Interac message, and check whether you are the one paying.
Source: Desjardins: Interac e-Transfer (last modified November 2, 2026, read November 10, 2026).
Scams that use e-Transfer
A sent e-Transfer cannot be reversed once the other person deposits it, says Interac. That is why scammers like it. Send money only to people you know, the same way you would hand over cash.
- A fake notice. A New Brunswick regulator listed these red flags: an attachment, a mention of the Canada Revenue Agency (it does not use e-Transfers to pay or collect, per that alert), talk of money held in escrow, a greeting like "Dear Customer", or a payment you were not expecting.
- A guessed password. TD says a thief can catch a transfer and guess the answer. Use a hard question, never put the answer in the message, and use Autodeposit if you can.
- A "bank investigator" call. The caller says your account is hacked and asks you to help with an investigation, or to send money back. TD says to hang up and call the number on the back of your card. Scammers can fake caller ID. The bank says it will never ask for a security code sent to your phone unless you started the contact.
- A request to share a reference number. Interac says never share your e-Transfer reference number.
- Forward a suspicious email or text to phishing@interac.ca, per the New Brunswick alert, and report fraud to your bank and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Sources: Interac: tips to avoid e-Transfer fraud (no date shown, last confirmed November 10, 2026); Financial and Consumer Services Commission of New Brunswick: Fraud alert, fake Interac e-Transfer notifications (posted August 21, 2017, read November 10, 2026); TD: e-Transfer fraud (updated June 8, 2026, read November 10, 2026); TD Stories: How to protect yourself from the bank investigator scam (July 7, 2025, read November 10, 2026).
A 30 second check before you send
- Do I know this person, and did I start this?
- Is the email or number right? Read it twice.
- Is the question hard to guess? Is the answer kept out of the message?
- Is anyone rushing me, or asking me to keep it secret? That is a stop sign.
- Does the amount fit my limit and my plan? Some plans count e-Transfers as transactions.
Check what you learned
2 quick questions. Nothing is saved or sent.
1. Can you reverse an Interac e-Transfer after the other person deposits it?
2. What happens if nobody claims a transfer in 30 days?
Questions people ask
Is Interac e-Transfer free?
Receiving is free at the banks we read. Sending is free for RBC chequing up to 999 a month, then $1 each, and $0 to $1 at Manulife Bank depending on the account. Desjardins says free with a transaction plan, and otherwise the posted fee. Check your own plan.
How much can I send by e-Transfer?
Each bank sets its own. Examples we read: Tangerine $3,000 a day, National Bank $4,000 per 25 hours, Desjardins $5,000 per 24 hours and RBC up to $10,000 a day for verified clients in the mobile app. Interac's own page, from May 2025, says typically $2,000 to $3,000. Look in your own app for your number.
How long does an e-Transfer take?
Interac says the receiver can usually see the money within minutes after accepting. Steinbach Credit Union says typically under 30 minutes. Autodeposit can take longer because of fraud checks.
What is Autodeposit?
A setting that sends money straight into your account with no security question. Desjardins says you can turn it off any time. A sender cannot cancel an Autodeposit transfer after it is sent.
Can I cancel an e-Transfer?
You can cancel one that has not been claimed. RBC says that is free. Desjardins says it is free before 11:59 PM Eastern on the day you sent it, then $3.50. You cannot cancel after the receiver deposits it, or after an Autodeposit.
What if the other person never accepts it?
It runs out after 30 days at RBC and Desjardins. Desjardins returns it to you at no cost. RBC returns it for a $5.00 fee if you did not cancel it.
Can an e-Transfer be reversed if I was scammed?
Interac says no, not once it is deposited. Call your bank at once anyway, and report it to police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Does the CRA send refunds by e-Transfer?
A New Brunswick regulator's alert says the CRA does not use e-Transfers to send or collect payments. Our direct deposit guide shows how the CRA does pay.