Most Canadians know that Interac e-Transfer is free and fast. Fewer know that the limits printed in their banking app are not set by Interac — they are set by the bank, and most banks will raise them if you ask.
The Interac network itself supports transfers up to $25,000 per transaction. The $3,000 default limit on most personal accounts is a bank policy decision, not a system ceiling. Understanding where the actual limits sit — and how to raise them — matters when you need to pay rent, send a deposit, or split a large expense.
Sending Limits by Bank (Personal Accounts, 2026)
| Bank | Per Transaction | Daily Limit | Weekly Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| TD Bank | $3,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| RBC | $3,500 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| BMO | $3,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| Scotiabank | $3,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| CIBC | $3,000 | $10,000 | $40,000/mo |
| National Bank | $3,000 | $10,000 | — |
| Tangerine | $3,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| Simplii Financial | $3,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| EQ Bank | $3,000 | $10,000 | $20,000/mo |
| Wealthsimple Cash | $5,000 | $10,000 | — |
Limits vary by account type and are subject to change. Verify current limits with your bank.
The per-transaction and daily limits are applied simultaneously — both must be respected. If you send a $3,000 transfer and then a second $3,000 transfer on the same day, most banks will block the second one because the per-transaction limit is fine but the daily total ($6,000) is within range. Check both limits before planning a multi-transfer strategy.
Receiving limits follow the Interac network maximum: $25,000 per transfer with Autodeposit enabled. Without Autodeposit, some banks apply lower receiving caps — another reason to have Autodeposit turned on.
Business Account Limits
Business chequing accounts at the major banks typically default to $10,000 per transaction and $25,000 per day — substantially higher than personal account defaults. Banks treat business clients differently because the higher transaction volumes are expected, and because business accounts undergo more thorough verification at opening.
For businesses that regularly move larger amounts — payroll, supplier payments, contractor invoices — the business account defaults may still be insufficient. Most banks will negotiate higher limits for established business clients. A conversation with your business banking advisor (or a call to the business banking line) is the starting point. Some banks also offer Interac e-Transfer for Business, which supports bulk payments to multiple recipients from a single send, integrated with accounting platforms.
Business e-Transfers are not universally free the way personal ones are. Fees vary by account plan — some business accounts include a set number of free e-Transfers per month, with charges for additional sends. Review your business account’s transaction allowance before relying on e-Transfer as a high-volume payment method.
How to Increase Your E-Transfer Limit
Banks will generally increase e-Transfer limits for customers in good standing. The approval is not guaranteed, but for most customers who have held the account for at least several months and have regular activity, a reasonable increase is routinely approved.
Through online banking or the app: TD, RBC, and some other banks allow you to request a limit increase directly in the Interac e-Transfer settings section of your online banking. Look for “Manage limits” or “Increase limits.” The change may take effect immediately or within one business day.
By phone: If your bank does not offer a self-serve limit increase, call the customer service number on the back of your debit card and ask for the e-Transfer team or general banking support. Have your account details ready for identity verification. Most representatives can process a limit increase in a single call.
Premium account upgrade: Many banks’ premium chequing tiers include higher e-Transfer defaults built in. If you regularly need to send above your current limit and are otherwise satisfied with your bank, an account upgrade may be the simplest solution — though factor in any monthly fee increase.
Account age and history: New accounts (under 90 days) are typically capped at lower limits regardless of what you request. This is a fraud prevention measure. Once your account has established history, limits become easier to raise.
Autodeposit: What It Does and Why You Should Enable It
Autodeposit is an Interac setting that registers your email address or phone number so that incoming e-Transfers deposit directly into your account without a security question. It is more secure than the security question model — there is no answer for a scammer to phish, guess, or intercept. The funds move directly without any intermediate step.
The practical benefits beyond security:
- Higher receiving limits at most banks (up to the $25,000 Interac maximum per transfer)
- No expiry risk — without Autodeposit, e-Transfers expire if the recipient does not deposit within 30 days; with Autodeposit, the funds arrive within minutes
- No security question to forget — if you change banks or email addresses, you update your Autodeposit registration once and all future transfers route correctly
Setting up Autodeposit takes about two minutes. Log into your banking app or online banking, go to Interac e-Transfer settings, find Autodeposit, register your email address, and verify through the confirmation email Interac sends. You can register multiple email addresses if you use different ones for different purposes.
One important caveat: once Autodeposit is registered to an email address, any e-Transfer sent to that address deposits automatically — including transfers sent to you by mistake. If someone sends a misdirected transfer to your Autodeposit email, they cannot cancel it. They would need to contact you to return the funds voluntarily. This is worth bearing in mind if you have an email address that others might plausibly confuse with someone else’s.
Alternatives When E-Transfer Limits Are Not Enough
When the amount you need to send exceeds your e-Transfer ceiling — or exceeds the $25,000 Interac maximum — you have three main options:
Wire transfer: A wire transfer has no practical maximum and processes through the bank’s own payment infrastructure. Domestic wires in Canada typically clear within hours and cost $15–$50 in fees. Wire transfers are essentially irrevocable once settled, so verify recipient details with extreme care before initiating. For the rare scenario of a domestic wire error, acting within minutes of sending gives the best chance of interception before settlement.
Bank draft: A bank draft (sometimes called a bank certified cheque) is a guaranteed-funds instrument. The bank deducts the amount from your account when it issues the draft and guarantees the funds to the payee. Bank drafts are the standard instrument for large purchases where the seller requires certainty — real estate deposits, vehicle purchases, large auction payments. Fees run $7–$15 at most major banks. The draft can be handed over in person or mailed.
Splitting across multiple days: If timing is flexible and you need to send slightly more than a single transfer allows, splitting across two or three days at the per-transaction limit is free. A $9,000 payment on three consecutive days works around a $3,000 per-transaction limit without fees. This only works if the recipient is willing to wait and you are not hitting a weekly limit.
| Method | Maximum | Fee | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| e-Transfer | $25,000 | Free | Instant–30 min |
| Domestic wire | No limit | $15–$50 | Same day–next day |
| Bank draft | No limit | $7–$15 | When deposited |
| Split e-Transfers | Per daily/weekly limit | Free | Each transfer instant |
Security: What to Watch For
e-Transfer fraud in Canada follows predictable patterns. The most common:
Fake e-Transfer notifications: A text or email claiming you received an e-Transfer links to a fake bank login page. With Autodeposit enabled, you never need to click a link to deposit — legitimate e-Transfers with Autodeposit arrive silently. Any message asking you to click a link and enter banking credentials to deposit an e-Transfer is a phishing attempt.
Overpayment scams: A buyer (on Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace) sends an e-Transfer for more than the sale price and asks you to refund the difference. The original transfer is fraudulent — it will be reversed — and the amount you send back is your own money. Never send a refund before fully confirming the original deposit has cleared and cannot be reversed.
Social engineering security questions: For transfers sent without Autodeposit, a scammer who intercepts the notification email and can guess or phish the security question answer can deposit the transfer. Use security answers that cannot be guessed from your social media or public profile — avoid using names, dates, or words visible on any public platform.
Troubleshooting Common E-Transfer Issues
Transfer stuck as “pending”: The recipient has not deposited it yet. Check whether they received the notification email (check spam folder) and whether the security question answer is correct. Transfers sent to an Autodeposit-registered address should deposit within minutes — if pending for more than an hour, contact your bank.
Transfer expired: e-Transfers without Autodeposit expire after 30 days. The funds return to the sender automatically. The sender must initiate a new transfer.
Wrong recipient received it: If the wrong person deposited the funds, contact your bank’s disputes team immediately. They can contact the receiving institution and request the funds be frozen and returned. Recovery is far more likely while the funds are still in the recipient’s account. See our guide on cancelling a bank transfer in Canada for the full recovery process.
Daily limit reached: Wait for the daily limit to reset (midnight Eastern Time) or use a wire transfer or bank draft for time-sensitive amounts.