POST

Create an external payment

ENDPOINT/v1/external-payments

Creates a transaction of type EXTERNAL_PAYMENT. The response is the Transaction; its id is the transaction_id used on every transaction endpoint. Records an off-platform wire, ACH, check, or transfer on a financial account. Omit progress_to to leave the object PENDING, then settle, release, or cancel. Send Idempotency-Key so retries return the original record instead of creating twice.

Authentication & Headers

Header	Type	Requirement	Description
Authorization	string	REQUIRED	API key passed as an HTTP Bearer token: `Bearer rk_live_...`
X-Program-ID	UUID	PROGRAM-SCOPED	Program boundary UUID that scopes the issuing card, wallet, or transfer.
Content-Type	string	REQUIRED	Must be `application/json`.
Idempotency-Key	string	OPTIONAL	Unique UUID to prevent duplicate execution of financial creations or mutations.

Request Body Schema

application/json

financial_account_idstringuuid

REQUIRED

Financial account to record this movement against.

amountobject

REQUIRED

Size of the off-platform movement. `amount` is a positive integer of minor units; `250000` with `USD` is $2,500.00.

Properties of amount

amountanyrequired

currencystringrequired

ISO 4217 alphabetic currency code.

directionstring

REQUIRED

Sign of `amount` relative to `financial_account_id`. `DEBIT` decreases available on that financial account. `CREDIT` increases it. `amount` is always non-negative; this field carries the sign.

Enum values:CREDITDEBIT

categorystring

REQUIRED

Off-platform rail this record represents. `EXTERNAL_WIRE` is a wire originated outside Rook. `EXTERNAL_ACH` is an ACH originated outside Rook. `EXTERNAL_CHECK` is a check. `EXTERNAL_TRANSFER` is any other off-platform movement.

Enum values:EXTERNAL_WIREEXTERNAL_ACHEXTERNAL_CHECKEXTERNAL_TRANSFER

effective_datestringdate

REQUIRED

Business date the movement takes effect (`YYYY-MM-DD`).

progress_tostring

optional

Optional create-time shortcut. `SETTLED` posts immediately. `RELEASED` records and immediately drops the hold. Omit to leave the object `PENDING` and call settle, release, or cancel later.

Enum values:SETTLEDRELEASED

memostring

optional

Descriptor shown on activity. Omit to leave null.

Response Codes & Schemas

201The external payment was created.

application/json

{
  "id": "2c7b9e14-5a80-4d36-b1f8-9e3c6a0d5281",
  "object": "transaction",
  "type": "EXTERNAL_PAYMENT",
  "status": "PENDING",
  "transfer_ids": [],
  "amount": {
    "amount": 250000,
    "currency": "USD"
  },
  "wallet_id": "4d8f2a10-6c3e-4b91-9e5a-2f7c8d1e0b44",
  "financial_account_id": "9b3e1c70-4d2a-4f86-8c1b-5e7a2d9f0c14",
  "direction": "CREDIT",
  "category": "EXTERNAL_WIRE",
  "memo": "Inbound wire from correspondent",
  "events": [
    {
      "id": "6d9f1a47-8e24-4b57-c0d3-7a5e2f6b9408",
      "type": "CREATED",
      "amount": {
        "amount": 250000,
        "currency": "USD"
      },
      "result": "APPROVED",
      "financial_account_id": "9b3e1c70-4d2a-4f86-8c1b-5e7a2d9f0c14",
      "created_at": "2026-08-26T09:00:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "created_at": "2026-08-26T09:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-08-26T09:00:00Z",
  "effective_date": "2026-08-26"
}

400Bad Request: malformed JSON, failed schema validation, or conflicting parameters.

application/json

{
  "error": {
    "type": "invalid_request_error",
    "code": "invalid_request",
    "message": "invalid order by: foo. Valid options are: [created_at updated_at]",
    "param": "order_by",
    "request_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "doc_url": "https://docs.rookpayments.com/errors/invalid_request"
  }
}

401Unauthorized: missing, malformed, or unknown API key.

application/json

{
  "error": {
    "type": "authentication_error",
    "code": "authentication_error",
    "message": "A valid API key is required.",
    "param": null,
    "request_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "doc_url": "https://docs.rookpayments.com/errors/authentication_error"
  }
}

403Forbidden: the API key is denied by RBAC, or it cannot access this program. A resource that exists on another program or organization returns `404 not_found`, not `403`.

application/json

{
  "error": {
    "type": "permission_error",
    "code": "permission_denied",
    "message": "The API key cannot access this program.",
    "param": "X-Program-ID",
    "request_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "doc_url": "https://docs.rookpayments.com/errors/permission_denied"
  }
}

404Not Found: unknown id, or the resource is not visible to this API key.

application/json

{
  "error": {
    "type": "not_found_error",
    "code": "not_found",
    "message": "No card found for the given id.",
    "param": "card_id",
    "request_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "doc_url": "https://docs.rookpayments.com/errors/not_found"
  }
}

409Conflict: incompatible state, or Idempotency-Key reused with a different body.

application/json

{
  "error": {
    "type": "conflict_error",
    "code": "conflict",
    "message": "The card cannot be reissued from its current state.",
    "param": null,
    "request_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "doc_url": "https://docs.rookpayments.com/errors/conflict"
  }
}

422Unprocessable Entity: the document is valid JSON but violates a business rule.

application/json

{
  "error": {
    "type": "invalid_request_error",
    "code": "insufficient_funds",
    "message": "The source financial account does not have enough available balance.",
    "param": "amount",
    "request_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "doc_url": "https://docs.rookpayments.com/errors/insufficient_funds"
  }
}

429Too Many Requests: the API key exceeded its rate limit.

application/json

{
  "error": {
    "type": "rate_limit_error",
    "code": "rate_limited",
    "message": "Rate limit exceeded. Retry after the number of seconds in Retry-After.",
    "param": null,
    "request_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "doc_url": "https://docs.rookpayments.com/errors/rate_limited"
  }
}

500Internal Server Error: unexpected failure. Retry with the same Idempotency-Key.

application/json

{
  "error": {
    "type": "api_error",
    "code": "internal_error",
    "message": "An unexpected error occurred. Retry with the same Idempotency-Key.",
    "param": null,
    "request_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "doc_url": "https://docs.rookpayments.com/errors/internal_error"
  }
}