BACS Error 1905: Submission Structure
A 1905 response means the bank found an error in the structure of your submission — the file was received, but no valid payment instructions could be read from it. That is a file-structure rejection, so the file itself is the first thing to check: record width, line endings, the UTL1 trailer label, and whether the trailer’s total value and record count still reconcile with the payment records. Repair the file below, then resubmit the corrected copy.
Payment file
Drop a .txt or .bacs file in the box below, or paste its contents. The file is checked as soon as it arrives: if it cannot be read as a BACS payment file you are told why and charged nothing. The corrected file — the fix itself — is what you pay for.
Drag and drop your file here
Your file
No file yet. Drop or paste one and it is checked straight away — a file we cannot read as a BACS file is refused here, free of charge.
Frequently asked questions
- What does BACS error 1905 mean?
- It reports an error in the structure of the submission: the file reached the bank, but no valid payment instructions could be read from it. The cause sits in how the file is built rather than in the individual payments.
- Does repairing the file clear a 1905?
- Where the rejection comes from a structural defect — a record that is not 114 characters, the wrong line endings, a mislabelled trailer, or totals that do not reconcile — repairing those defects gives the bank a file it can read. The payments themselves are left exactly as they were.
- How do I check the structure before resubmitting?
- Correct the file, then compare the record count and total value in its UTL1 trailer against your own payroll or billing figures. If they agree, and every record is 114 characters, the structure is sound.
- Is my file stored when I check it?
- Not stored, no. A file you check on the homepage is held in memory only while the payment is made, and is deleted as soon as your corrected copy has been downloaded.