ePAY Frequently Asked Questions

Illinois government entities that want to enroll in ePAY should complete the online ePAY form to request more information and begin the onboarding process.

ePAY leverages its statewide transaction volume to offer pricing and settlement options that may help participating agencies lower payment processing costs. Agencies may choose to absorb processing fees or pass them along where permitted.

Agencies may choose to pass processing fees to the payer or absorb them. Additional pricing options may be available based on equipment needs and settlement choices, including funding to The Illinois Funds. For more details, visit the ePAY participant pricing page.

ePAY does not charge a fee for direct integration through its payment processor. However, third-party software vendors may charge their own development or integration fees. For current partnership information, visit the ePAY Integrations page.

After the ePAY Agreement and the Global Payments Merchant Application and Agreement are electronically signed in the ePAY Portal, enrollment generally takes about six weeks before a new participant can begin processing transactions.

• This timeframe includes participant testing and training.
• It does not include custom integration development that may be required.
• If the participant chooses to fund through Illinois National Bank, allow an additional 3 to 5 business days.

The ePAY Portal is the online enrollment and support system for participants. Agencies use it to sign agreements during onboarding and, after setup, to submit support tickets, request changes, and manage service-related issues.

The ePAY Dashboard is a permission-based online portal that gives approved users access to the Global Payments system. Participants can run reports, process payments, voids, or credits, and search for receipts.

The ePAY Dashboard is also the online interface where end users can make one-time payments. End users may also create an account to view payment history and save preferred payment methods.

Call ePAY at 855-226-7337 or submit a support ticket through the ePAY Portal.

Call ePAY at 855-226-7337 or submit a support ticket through the ePAY Portal.

StatusCast is the main communication platform ePAY uses to share updates with participants. You can access the StatusCast platform online.

If you are an administrator for your organization, you can call ePAY at 855-226-7337 or submit a support ticket through the ePAY Portal to request access. Messages are sent based on the user roles your organization assigns.

StatusCast may send updates about system maintenance, product enhancements, industry news, outages, and funding delays. Messages are sent according to the user roles your organization assigns.

Each participating government entity has its own dedicated database on the processing platform. Personally identifiable information provided during the payment process is encrypted both at rest and in transit.

Customers who create an account can tokenize their payment information, allowing future payments without re-entering card or bank details.

PCI stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI DSS. It is a set of security requirements designed to protect cardholder data and support secure payment processing for all entities involved in handling payment card transactions.

Yes. If your organization accepts credit or debit card payments for goods or services, PCI requirements apply, even if you never physically handle a payment card.

To begin the PCI compliance process, the Primary Contact on file for your entity should use the SecureTrust registration email. After registering and signing in to SecureTrust PCI Manager, you will complete the self-assessment questionnaire that matches your payment setup and then complete the Attestation of Compliance.

If you did not receive the registration email, call ePAY at 855-226-7337 to request a resend.

Once enrolled in ePAY, the Primary Contact on file should receive an email from SecureTrust with registration instructions. To help avoid delays, add SecureTrust to your safe sender list and check your spam or junk folder if you do not see the email.

If you have already registered, you can sign in through the SecureTrust PCI Manager login page.

Your primary service provider is Global Payments: Payment Solutions and Software, which processes card payments for ePAY. This provider is PCI compliant. You can verify a provider’s status in the Visa Service Provider Registry.

You may also need to list other vendors involved in your payment setup if they affect payment security, such as website, firewall, network, cashiering, kiosk, or ecommerce providers.

DBA stands for “Doing Business As.” For most government entities, this is the name used for business purposes, such as a municipality, district, or agency name. The DBA is typically the legal name shown on the W-9. To view the DBA on file with ePAY, sign in to the ePAY Portal. If you need access, call ePAY at 855-226-7337.

Generally, no. Payment card data from ePAY transactions is processed by Global Payments. However, internal systems or third-party vendors connected to your payment process may affect this answer, so you should review your specific environment with those providers.

Depending on your acceptance channels, for example internet, IVR, or POS, and your implementation, you may need quarterly external network scans. SecureTrust may provide scan support based on your merchant setup. If you have questions, contact SecureTrust at 800-363-1621 or info@securetrust.com.

No. The basic cost of completing the PCI compliance questionnaire is covered under the ePAY contract with SecureTrust.

Yes. If your agency needs services beyond the basic questionnaire, such as security scans, penetration testing, or onsite assessments, you may be responsible for those costs. Those services may be available at discounted rates through the ePAY partnership with SecureTrust.

Contact SecureTrust at 800-363-1621 or support@securetrust.com for help with PCI compliance and SAQs.

When calling, be prepared to provide your Merchant ID Number. If you do not have it available, press # or explain that you need help locating your account. If requested, note that your account may be listed under the State of Illinois sponsor account.

As an ePAY participant, you can choose to deposit funds into The Illinois Funds, the Illinois State Treasurer’s AAA-m-rated local government investment pool, which may also reduce payment processing fees. Learn more on The Illinois Funds page.

Processing cut-off times

• Credit cards: midnight CST
• e-checks: midnight CST

Funding timing

• Credit card transactions processed on Monday generally settle on Tuesday and appear in your account on Wednesday.
• ACH transactions processed on Monday generally settle on Tuesday and appear in your account on Wednesday.

If you choose to fund an Illinois Funds account during enrollment, Illinois National Bank, the Treasurer’s settlement bank, will automatically transfer funds above your target balance to your Illinois Funds account each day at 8:30 a.m.

ePAY participants may earn greater returns on balances while maintaining access to funds through The Illinois Funds, a local government investment pool. Visit the Illinois Funds website for account information and related details.

Yes. During enrollment, your agency may choose to have funds settled to a bank account of its choice instead of The Illinois Funds through ePAY’s settlement bank.

Yes, but only to a limited extent. ePAY staff cannot directly access information about your outside settlement bank account. The account holder must provide the necessary details to help with troubleshooting. Once that information is provided, ePAY staff may be able to assist with reconciliation and funding issues.

Yes. If your agency passes the service fee to the cardholder, an additional 5 basis points will apply. If your agency absorbs processing fees, the cost is $15 per month for each outside settlement account.

Illinois National Bank
c/o Financial Confirmation Request
322 E. Capitol Ave.
Springfield, IL 62701

You can view your ePAY settlement account activity through the INB online banking platform, including transaction history, fund transfers, and monthly bank statements.

The INB target balance is the amount your agency chooses to keep in its ePAY settlement account, ranging from $1,000 to $250,000. The minimum balance helps cover possible chargebacks or payment reversals. There is no fee if your balance falls below your selected target amount.

Account maintenance options 1 and 2 include one online banking user. Additional users cost $5 per month each. Only authorized signers may grant access to individual users. To enroll, visit the INB online banking platform and select “Sign Up.” Refer to the INB enrollment guide for instructions.

Yes. If you are the authorized signer on the account, call ePAY at 855-226-7337 or submit a support ticket through the ePAY Portal.

Target balances are met through ePAY processing and build over time from $0 on day one. There is no penalty for a $0 balance while the account is building toward the selected target amount.

Funds may be deposited or withdrawn by the ePAY processor or U.S. Bank Fund Services. ePAY settlement accounts at INB are dedicated to ePAY and are not general-purpose transaction accounts.

• No check writing, ACH origination, or wire origination is available.
• Non-ePAY ACH debit activity should be directed to a local banking account of your choosing.
• Debits from third-party integrators may be allowed if they are linked to an ePAY payment service. The fee for this option is $10 per account per month. Email INBtreasuryservices@illinoisnationalbank.com for the required form.

Yes. Agencies may consolidate multiple ePAY services into a single settlement account at INB and a single Illinois Funds investment account. To make this change, your agency must submit a change-of-information application.

INB automatically transfers funds above your target balance to your Illinois Funds account each day at 8:30 a.m. There is no additional fee for this automatic transfer.

Your agency may also move funds manually by initiating an ACH or wire transfer through U.S. Bank Fund Services to the ePAY account at INB. Wire transfers must be at least $100. Incoming wires are subject to an $8 fee, and credits posted to the ePAY account are subject to a $0.10 per-transaction fee.

No. INB cannot link one ePAY account to multiple Illinois Funds investment accounts. If needed, your agency may consolidate multiple ePAY accounts into a single Illinois Funds investment account and close any unnecessary investment accounts.

No. INB’s online banking platform provides view-only access to account activity and does not allow users to initiate transactions.

Authorized ePAY users can export data from the INB online banking platform as CSV files or in formats compatible with QuickBooks and Quicken.

INB charges a monthly maintenance fee for each ePAY settlement account. For a printable version, view the INB bank fees PDF.

• Option 1: $10 per month with direct debit
• Option 2: $12 per month with invoicing

Participants also receive a $10 monthly statement credit from Global Payments to help offset these fees. Monthly maintenance and per-credit-item fees are charged on the ninth business day of the month for the previous month’s activity.

• $0.10 per deposit item
• $30 per non-sufficient funds item
• $2 per ACH return
• $8 per incoming wire transfer
• One free online banking user, plus $5 per month for each additional user
• INB also applies an earnings credit rate of 0.17%

If your agency absorbs processing fees for its ePAY services, the settlement account is debited during the first week of the month for the previous month’s payment processing. You should factor that debit into your selected target balance.

Yes. INB charges the monthly maintenance fee for all ePAY settlement accounts, including inactive accounts.

Chargebacks or payment reversals may cause your ePAY settlement account to become overdrawn, resulting in a $30 NSF fee. To reduce this risk, you may transfer funds from your Illinois Funds investment account into your ePAY settlement account through the U.S. Bank Fund Services portal, provided the INB account is already on file.

There is no transfer fee for that transaction, but INB charges $0.10 for each credit posted to the settlement account.

No. Funding into your ePAY account is handled through batch processing, so transactions may be grouped together by the processor. Depending on how your services are set up, you may receive one or multiple deposits into your ePAY account.