How to Cancel an Interac e-Transfer in Canada (2026)
You typed the wrong email, sent the wrong amount, or had second thoughts a second after tapping send. The good news: an Interac e-Transfer can usually be cancelled, but only while it is still pending and only if the recipient does not use Autodeposit. This guide walks through exactly how to cancel a transfer, what the time limits are, and what your options are when the money has already landed.
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The short answer
You can cancel an Interac e-Transfer if two things are true at the same time:
- The recipient has not yet deposited or accepted the transfer, so it still shows as pending, and
- The recipient does not have Autodeposit registered for the email or phone number you sent it to.
If both are true, you cancel it yourself in online banking or your bank's app in about a minute. If the money has already been deposited, no bank can force it back. At that point your only route is to contact the person and ask them to return it. Interac states plainly that once a deposit has been made, there is no way to reverse the transaction.
How to cancel a pending e-Transfer, step by step
The exact menu names differ slightly between banks, but the path is the same everywhere. Interac's own guidance is to log into your bank, open your transaction or payment history, and select the e-Transfer you want to cancel.
1
Log into your bank's mobile app or online banking.
2
Open your Interac e-Transfer history. Look for a heading like "Interac e-Transfer," "Send Money," "Payment History," or "Move Money," then find the History or Pending tab.
3
Select the specific transfer that is still marked as pending or awaiting deposit.
4
Choose Cancel Transfer or Cancel Payment and confirm.
5
The money is returned to the account you sent it from. Depending on your bank this is instant or can take a short time to appear.
Once cancelled, the recipient's old notification link stops working. If you were fixing a typo, simply create a new transfer to the correct contact.
Autodeposit transfers cannot be cancelled. If the person you paid has registered their email or phone for Autodeposit, the money is deposited automatically within seconds and never enters a pending state. National Bank confirms it is not possible to cancel an Interac e-Transfer once the recipient has Autodeposit enabled, because the funds are deposited automatically and can no longer be retrieved. Double check the recipient before you send.
How long you have before it is too late
A pending e-Transfer does not stay open forever. It is available for the recipient to accept for a set window, and after that it expires and the funds are handled by your bank. The exact window and any fees depend on your institution.
Using RBC as a documented example: you have 30 days to cancel a pending transfer before it expires, and after it expires you have 15 calendar days to reclaim the money back into your account. If you do not reclaim it within that window, RBC applies a $5 fee to deposit the money back for you. Other banks set their own timelines and fees, so check your provider's help centre for the exact numbers.
| Situation | Can you cancel? |
|---|
| Transfer still shows as pending, recipient has no Autodeposit | Yes, cancel it in your transfer history |
| Recipient has Autodeposit registered | No, funds deposit automatically and cannot be reversed |
| Recipient already accepted and deposited it | No, contact the recipient to ask for it back |
| Transfer expired and was not reclaimed | Your bank returns the money, a fee may apply |
Why is my e-Transfer stuck on pending?
A transfer sits in pending status until the recipient completes the deposit. Common reasons it stays there:
- The recipient has not opened the notification or has not answered the security question yet.
- The email address or phone number has a typo, so the notification never reached a real inbox.
- The recipient's bank is briefly delayed. Interac transfers are usually delivered within minutes, but occasional delays happen.
Pending is actually the good outcome if you made a mistake, because a pending transfer is one you can still cancel.
What to do if you sent it to the wrong person
Move quickly and check the status first.
- If it is still pending: cancel it from your transfer history, then resend to the correct contact.
- If it has been deposited: your bank cannot pull it back. Contact the recipient directly and ask them to send the money to you with a new e-Transfer.
- If you cannot reach the recipient or suspect fraud: report it to your financial institution right away. They cannot force a reversal of a completed deposit, but they can note the issue and advise you on next steps. If you believe a transfer left your account without your authorization, read our guide on unauthorized e-Transfers in Canada.
Prevention beats cancellation. Save your regular contacts inside your banking app and select them from the saved list instead of typing an address each time. For anyone new, send a small test amount first, confirm it arrives, then send the rest. Turning on Autodeposit for yourself also removes the phishing risk that comes with security question links.
Does cancelling an e-Transfer cost anything?
Cancelling a pending transfer is usually free, though Interac notes that some financial institutions may charge a cancellation fee, so it is worth checking your account's fee schedule. Separately, if a transfer expires and you do not reclaim it in time, some banks charge a small fee to redeposit the money, such as the $5 RBC fee noted above. A no-fee everyday account keeps these edge cases from costing you.
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Related guides
Sources and check dates
- Interac Corp, Support and FAQs on cancelling a transfer and irreversibility of completed deposits, interac.ca. Checked 2026-08-05.
- National Bank of Canada, Help Centre, "Can I cancel an Interac e-Transfer if the recipient has Autodeposit enabled?", nbc.ca. Checked 2026-08-05.
- RBC Royal Bank, "Cancel or Reclaim an Interac e-Transfer" tutorial, 30 day cancellation window, 15 day reclaim window, and $5 redeposit fee, rbcroyalbank.com. Checked 2026-08-05.
This article is general information for Canadian readers, not financial, legal, or tax advice. Interac e-Transfer rules, time windows, and fees are set by Interac and by each financial institution and can change. Always confirm the current details with your own bank or credit union before you act.