What happens if I miss the cutoff time?

The transfer typically still processes, but it’s queued to begin on the next business day rather than the same day, which can shift the recipient’s expected arrival date by a day or more depending on the corridor. Checking the estimated arrival date shown before confirming gives a clearer sense of what to expect.

Does the cutoff time affect how much a transfer costs?

Not directly. Cutoff times affect timing, not total cost, though choosing a faster delivery option to make up for missing a cutoff time may come with a different cost than a standard delivery speed. If a recipient absolutely needs funds by a specific date and a cutoff has already passed, paying for a faster delivery option is sometimes the only way to close that gap, which is worth knowing before assuming the standard speed will still work. Comparing the total cost and timing together before sending gives the full picture.

Are cutoff times the same for every country I send money to?

No, cutoff times can vary by destination country, delivery method, and how the transfer is funded. Checking the specific cutoff time for a given corridor before sending, rather than assuming it matches a previous transfer to a different country, helps in planning accurately.

Can a cutoff time change for the same corridor over time?

Yes. A cutoff time reflects the operational schedule between banking systems, and that schedule can shift, particularly around holidays specific to either the sending or receiving country, even ones that don’t apply on the sender’s side. Checking the cutoff time for each individual transfer, rather than relying on memory from a previous one, is worth doing especially around holiday periods.

Back to Glossary

What is a cutoff time for money transfers? Why it matters

Key takeaways
- A cutoff time is the deadline by which a transfer generally needs to be submitted to begin processing the same business day.
- Submitting after the cutoff time typically pushes processing to the next business day.
- Cutoff times can vary by destination country, delivery method, and payment method.
- Weekends and bank holidays affect cutoff times too, since processing generally only happens on business days.
- Checking the cutoff time before you send matters most when your recipient needs the money by a specific date.

A cutoff time is the deadline by which a transfer generally needs to be submitted to begin processing on the same business day. Here’s why it matters when you’re sending money internationally.

What is a cutoff time?

A cutoff time is the specific time of day by which a transfer generally needs to be submitted in order to begin processing that same business day. Transfers submitted after the cutoff time are typically queued for processing on the next business day instead, which can add a day or more to when a recipient actually receives the money.

Why cutoff times matter for your transfer

Most people don’t think about cutoff times until they miss one. A few things worth understanding:

Cutoff times vary. The specific deadline can differ depending on the destination country, the delivery method chosen, and how the transfer is funded.
Weekends and holidays extend the wait. If a cutoff time falls on a Friday evening, the next processing window may not open until Monday.
The cutoff time isn’t the same as the delivery time. Making the cutoff means a transfer starts processing that day, not that it necessarily arrives that day.

Cutoff times and international money transfers

If money is being sent to the Philippines to cover a specific need, such as a school fee or a remittance⁠(opens in new window) tied to a deadline like a tuition payment abroad⁠(opens in new window), missing a cutoff time can mean the difference between the money arriving on time and arriving a full business day late. Corridors like this one, where the receiving bank’s own processing adds extra time on top of the sender’s cutoff window, make cutoff time awareness even more important than in a corridor where the typical delivery method settles closer to real time, such as some mobile wallet deliveries.

Because transfer time⁠(opens in new window) already varies by corridor and delivery method, checking the specific cutoff time and estimated arrival shown before confirming a transfer gives a much more reliable picture than assuming a fixed number of days across every destination. A cutoff time that works fine for a routine, non-urgent transfer can matter a great deal more when a specific date, like a tuition due date or a bill deadline, is riding on it.

Federal rules from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau⁠(opens in new window) require remittance providers, industry-wide, to disclose the date money is expected to be available before a covered international transfer is completed, which is one of the clearest ways to confirm whether a specific cutoff has been made.

Why cutoff times exist in the first place

A cutoff time exists because moving money between financial institutions, especially across borders, relies on batch processing time⁠(opens in new window) windows within the broader banking system, not a continuous, always-on pipeline. Banks and clearing systems process transactions in scheduled cycles throughout the business day, and a transfer submitted after the final cycle for that day simply has to wait until the next business day’s first processing window opens. This is a structural feature of how the banking system operates generally, not something a specific transfer provider imposes arbitrarily, which is why cutoff times exist across the industry rather than being unique to any one company.

How time zones complicate cutoff times for international transfers

Because a cutoff time is generally set according to the sending institution’s local business hours, and a recipient’s country may be in a completely different time zone, it’s easy to misjudge how much time is actually available before a specific day’s cutoff, especially late in the evening when it might still be well within business hours somewhere else, or vice versa. Someone sending from the U.S. in the late afternoon, for example, might assume there’s plenty of time left in the day, without realizing the cutoff for a specific corridor was actually set for an earlier hour to align with when the receiving country’s banking day begins. Checking the specific cutoff time displayed for a transfer, in local time rather than estimating based on a general sense of “business hours,” avoids the common mistake of submitting a transfer just minutes after the actual deadline for same-day processing.

Common questions about cutoff times

What happens if I miss the cutoff time?

The transfer typically still processes, but it’s queued to begin on the next business day rather than the same day, which can shift the recipient’s expected arrival date by a day or more depending on the corridor. Checking the estimated arrival date shown before confirming gives a clearer sense of what to expect.
Does the cutoff time affect how much a transfer costs?

Not directly. Cutoff times affect timing, not total cost⁠(opens in new window), though choosing a faster delivery option to make up for missing a cutoff time may come with a different cost than a standard delivery speed. If a recipient absolutely needs funds by a specific date and a cutoff has already passed, paying for a faster delivery option is sometimes the only way to close that gap, which is worth knowing before assuming the standard speed will still work. Comparing the total cost and timing together before sending gives the full picture.
Are cutoff times the same for every country I send money to?

No, cutoff times can vary by destination country, delivery method, and how the transfer is funded. Checking the specific cutoff time for a given corridor before sending, rather than assuming it matches a previous transfer to a different country, helps in planning accurately.
Can a cutoff time change for the same corridor over time?

Yes. A cutoff time reflects the operational schedule between banking systems, and that schedule can shift, particularly around holidays specific to either the sending or receiving country, even ones that don’t apply on the sender’s side. Checking the cutoff time for each individual transfer, rather than relying on memory from a previous one, is worth doing especially around holiday periods.

In Summary

A cutoff time is a small detail that can meaningfully affect when money actually arrives, especially when a recipient is counting on it for a specific deadline. Checking the cutoff time and estimated delivery date before confirming a transfer, rather than after, helps in planning around it with confidence. Send money with Remitly to see the cutoff time and estimated arrival before you send.

Transfer speed is an estimate depending on payment and delivery method, transaction review, and system availability.

This publication is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to cover all aspects of the topics discussed herein. This publication is not a substitute for seeking advice from an applicable specialist or professional. The content in this publication does not constitute legal, tax, or other professional advice from Remitly or any of its affiliates and should not be relied upon as such. While we strive to keep our posts up to date and accurate, we cannot represent, warrant, or otherwise guarantee that the content is accurate, complete, or up to date.