Instant bank account verification lets eligible Patriot customers verify a business bank account by securely connecting to their bank through Plaid. Patriot uses this verified bank account for payroll-related transactions, including direct deposit and payroll tax payments when applicable.
Use instant bank account verification if you are:
A Full Service Payroll customer whose payroll taxes are paid by Patriot
A customer who uses direct deposit
Patriot must verify that your business bank account is valid, belongs to you, and can be debited by Patriot Software through the Automated Clearing House, (also called ACH). The Automated Clearing House (ACH) is a secure, electronic network used by U.S. financial institutions to transfer money between bank accounts.
How Patriot verifies your bank account
Patriot uses Plaid Inc., a third-party financial service, to help verify bank account ownership and account status.
When you start instant verification, Plaid prompts you to connect to your bank. Depending on your bank, you may sign in through your bank’s secure login page or through Plaid’s connection flow. Your bank may also ask you to complete an additional security step, such as entering a code sent by text, phone, or email.
Patriot does not receive your bank login credentials. Plaid’s credential handling can vary depending on how your financial institution connects with Plaid. For details about how Plaid handles credentials and account connections, see Plaid’s consumer help content.
Before you start instant bank verification
Before verifying your bank account, make sure you have:
Access to your Patriot Software account
Your online banking username and password
Access to any device or email account your bank uses for multi-factor authentication
Permission to use the business bank account for payroll-related ACH debits
If your bank account has a debit block, contact your bank and ask them to allow Patriot’s ACH IDs before Patriot debits your account.
How to instantly verify your bank account in Patriot
Go to Settings > Account Settings > Payment Settings > Bank Account Info.
If you have not added a bank account before, click Add+.
If you already have a bank account on file, click Edit.
Click Start Instant Account Verification.
Select your bank from the list. You can also search for your bank by name.
Enter the same login information you use for your online banking account.
Complete any additional verification steps required by your bank.
Depending on your bank, you may need to enter a verification code sent by text, phone, or email.
Select the bank account you want Patriot to use for payroll tax payments, direct deposit, or other payroll-related ACH debits.
If your bank account has a debit block, whitelist Patriot’s ACH IDs with your bank.
What to do if instant verification does not work
Most banks can be verified instantly, but instant verification may not work in every situation.
You may need to manually verify your bank account if:
You cannot find your bank in the list
Your bank login does not work
Your bank does not support instant verification
The verification flow cannot confirm your account
You prefer not to connect your bank account through Plaid
If instant verification does not work, enter your bank account information in Patriot and follow the manual verification steps. See How to Verify a Business Bank Account Manually for instructions.
If instant verification does not work, follow Patriot’s manual bank account verification process.