Paper/Physical Checks and E-Checks
Any physical check or e-check returned to The Florida State University may beassessed a service charge of $25.00, or 5% of the amount of the check, whichever is greater. Payment of the returned check and service charge must be made with cashier’s check, money order, or credit card online.
The Florida State University automatically submits all paper/physical checks twice for payment if the check was returned once for any reason. This is an automated process and the second submission cannot be stopped; however, there is no charge assessed by The Florida State University for this second submission. E-checks are only submitted once. Your bank may charge one or more fees for having a returned item on your account, and this is independent of any service fees assessed by The Florida State University.Checks may not be post-dated or held for any reason. Payments are deposited as quickly as possible upon receipt and will be assessed a service charge if returned unpaid.
Personal checks may not be used for repayment of a returned check item; only certified funds are accepted. After the returned item and service charge are paid in full, personal checks will not be accepted on the account for an additional 90 days. After the 90 day probation period ends, personal checks may be written again.
However, if a second check is returned to the University, the personal check hold will remain indefinitely. No personal checks will be accepted from anyone on the account for any University services.
Please note that if an e-check is returned for an input error, no service fee is assessed, and there is no stop on submitting personal checks. However, if a student continually submits e-checks that are returned for an input error, The Florida State University reserves the right to place the student on temporary or permanent check probation, as outlined above.
If the returned item is for tuition, the student may be assessed a $100 late payment fee if redemption is not made before the tuition payment deadline. In addition, the student’s course schedule may be canceled for non-payment in accordance with University's General Bulletin.
Notification of the returned item will be mailed to the student’s most current address. Under Florida Law, redemption of the returned item and any applicable service charge must be made with fifteen (15) days. Returned checks are submitted to the State Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution after collection efforts are exhausted.
Returned Payment Reasons
- Insufficient Funds:
- The available and/or cash reserve balance is not sufficient to cover the dollar value or the debit entry.
- Account Closed:
- A previously active account has been closed by action of the customer or the receiving depository financial institution (RDFI).
- No Account / Unable to Locate Account:
- The account number structure is valid and passes the check digit validation, but the account number does not correspond to the individual identified in the entry, or the account number designated is not an open account.
- Invalid Account Number:
- The account number structure is not valid, the entry may fail the check digit validation, or it may contain an incorrect number of digits.
- Routing Number / Check Digit Error:
- The routing number of the receiver's financial institution is incorrect.
- For checking accounts, you must use the routing number from an actual check and not a deposit slip from a checking account. Also, you cannot use credit card "convenience checks", equity line-of-credit checks or investment account checks through UM Pay, the University's online payment processing vendor.
- For savings accounts, contact your bank for the accurate routing and account number for ACH/EFT withdrawals.
- Payment Stopped or Stop Payment:
- The Receiver of a recurring debit transaction has the right to stop payment on any specific ACH debit. A stop payment order shall remain in effect until the earliest of the following occurs: a lapse of six months from the date of the stop payment order, payment of the debit entry has been stopped, or the Receiver withdraws the stop payment order.
- Non-Transaction Account:
- The ACH entry destined for a non-transaction account would include (1) an account against which transactions are prohibited or limited (e.g., Regulation D); or, (2) a pass-through where entry is for a credit union or thrift organization, and
- Regulation E descriptive requirements cannot be met.
- RDFI Not Qualified to Participate:
- Bank is not a member of the NACHA-National Automated Clearinghouse Association network.
