Processing times for making payments

Note: From 27 May 2023, all electronic payments will be processed 7 days a week between all participating New Zealand banks, including public holidays. Find out more

The time it takes to process a payment will vary between the types of payments. This includes whether it’s going to a BNZ account or accounts at other banks, the length of time it takes to process the payment, and whether it has been changed.

Different types of payments

Payments to other BNZ customers

Automatic, one-off, direct credit, and bill payments you make to people or companies with BNZ accounts, which are scheduled for today, will be processed immediately provided you have sufficient funds. 

Payments to customers at other banks 

When you make a one-off payment, automatic payment, direct credit, or bill payment to a customer of another bank between 9am-11:55pm, we’ll take the money from your account as soon as you make the payment. Then we’ll send the payment to the other bank, normally within an hour.

The time your payment is received will depend on when the other bank processes that payment.

If you make a payment after 11:55pm, the money will be taken from your account as soon as you’ve made it. We’ll then send the payment to the other bank shortly after 9am the next day.

Direct debits and automatic payments 

Direct debits will be taken from your account throughout the day, starting from 9am. Automatic payments are made at 5:30am on the due date. If we can’t process the payment due to insufficient funds in your ‘From’ account, we will change the payment’s status to ‘retrying’, and attempt to make it later.

Note: We no longer accept cheques.  More about changes to cheques

International payments in Internet Banking and the BNZ app

International payments can be made on business days in Internet Banking and the BNZ app (7am-11pm). Payments made outside of these hours via secure mail will be processed within two business days with an exchange rate at the time of processing. 

Bill payments made using a credit card

Bill payments made using a credit card before 6pm will be processed the next business day. Any payments made after 8pm will be processed two business days later.

Credit card payments are processed overnight and will be displayed on the transaction history screen the next business day after the transaction is processed. The cut-off time for payments to credit cards is 6pm on business days. If your payment is made before the cut-off time, it will be processed that night. Otherwise, it’ll be processed from 6pm the following business day.

Cut-off times for processing payments 

Payments you make after the times shown below will be processed the next business day.

*International payment cut-off times will depend on the currency and payment type. See foreign currencies and cut-off times