Types of PADs and features

There are 4 types of pre-authorized debits (PAD). There are 3 for issuing companies and 1 for financial institutions.

Type of PAD Features
Personal PAD
  • The payor is a consumer.
  • Used to pay for goods and services.
  • Examples: mortgage payments, insurance premiums, utility bills, membership fees, loans, credit card billings, charitable donations, investment contributions to companies that are not members of Payments Canada.

Recourse rights and claims

Payors have 90 calendar days to make a claim with their financial institution if they assert that there is no Payor's PAD Agreement, if it was revoked, if the PAD does not comply with the Agreement or if the payor did not receive it or if they did not receive advanced notices pursuant to the Agreement.
Business PAD
  • The payor is a company.
  • Used to pay for goods or services related to a business or commercial activity.
  • Examples: payments between businesses and their suppliers, franchisees and franchisors, or dealers and manufacturers.
  • Should be identified by transaction codes 701 to 749, as set out in the User Guide and Payments Canada's Standard 005 (PDF, 149 KB).

Recourse rights and claims

Payors (businesses) have 90 calendar days to make a claim with their financial institution if they assert that there is no Payor's PAD Agreement, and 10 business days for other eligible reasons.
Cash Management PAD
  • The user is a business or closely related businesses.
  • Used to move money between accounts held at different financial institutions.
  • Should be identified by transaction code 420, as set out in the User Guide and Payments Canada's Standard 005 (PDF, 149 KB).

Special agreement

  • You can use the standard User Agreement and carry out Business PADs with the Payor's PAD Agreement between the various entities.
    or
  • You can use the specific Agreement for Cash Management PADs, which requires each entity's signature, but no Payor's PAD Agreement.

An AccèsD Affaires advisor can help you with this choice.
Funds Transfer PAD
  • Only a financial institution can issue this type of PAD.
  • Used to transfer funds between accounts in the name of the same person held at different Payments Canada member institutions.

Fixed or variable amount

The Payor's PAD Agreement must set out whether the PADs are for a fixed or variable amount, or both, and any conditions that may apply to the amount.

The company must provide a written notice of the amount to be debited and the date of such debiting at least 10 calendar days before the due date of the first PAD. Where the Payor's PAD Agreement provides for variable amount PADs, said notice is required prior to each PAD. The payor may specify the waiver of notification in the Payor's PAD Agreement or in a separate document. The model Payor's PAD Agreement proposed by Desjardins contains a specific statement to that effect.

Timing

The Payor's PAD Agreement must set out the timing for the pre-authorized payments which may occur at set intervals or may be sporadic.

Pre-authorized debits recurring at set intervals

Occurring at specified, set or predictable periods or times or upon the occurrence of such criteria or events as set out in a Payor's PAD Agreement.

Rule H1 now includes an expanded definition of set interval under which the period between PADs may vary as long as the circumstances that trigger a PAD are clearly defined in the Payor's PAD Agreement.

Example: Payors may agree to a PAD each time their service fees, e.g., for their cell phone, reach a certain amount. If they agree, the payors must understand that they will not receive pre-notification, unless provided by the service provider.

Sporadic pre-authorized debits

Occurring occasionally, irregularly, intermittently, infrequently and not at set intervals.