3. Accessing Your Account

Your RBC Royal Bank Client Card (RBC Client Card) provides access to your accounts and payment needs through RBC Royal Bank branches and RBC Royal Bank ATMs and non-RBC ATMs (within and outside of Canada and the U.S.); to Telephone Banking, Online Banking (including Mobile Banking) services; at Point of Sale terminals – in person and online, within and outside of Canada and the U.S.

You may use your RBC Client Card:

• to help identify yourself when you are requesting a service from us or to authorize the transactions you do with us at our branches and/or through our Telephone, Online and Mobile Banking services;
• to make cash withdrawals, bill payments, deposits, a transfer of funds from one account to another at a banking machine (ATM);
• to pay for goods and services at a store or merchant that has Point of Sale (POS) or other designated debit card terminals that accept debit card payments.
  
  RBC Client Card Access Limits: If you agreed to a consumer credit bureau report when you opened your Account with us, we will obtain this report and use the information on it to establish your access limits for an RBC Client Card with us. RBC Client Card access limits and changes to them are based on the individual Account owner. For a joint Account, RBC Client Card limits and changes to them are determined for each co-owner alone, and do not require notice to or consent of other co-owners. Some features, benefits and access limits of your RBC Client Card may be established by the Account(s) you own.

With branches across Canada and one of the largest banking machine networks in the country, you will always have quick and convenient access to your accounts and our wide array of banking services.

Your RBC Client Card is accepted across Canada at ATMs displaying the Interac symbol and anywhere in the world at ATMs displaying the PLUS^‡ System symbol. A system access fee may be charged by others for the use of these networks. Depending on your Account, you may already have this service included and/or some of the fees refunded to your Account. Refer to your specific Account features and services for details.

• Interac access fee: $1.50 for Debit Transactions made at a non-RBC Royal Bank ATM displaying the Interac logo in Canada or the U.S. (plus applicable Debit Transaction fee).
• PLUS System access fee (in Canada and the U.S.): $3.00 for Debit Transactions made at a non-RBC Royal Bank ATM displaying the PLUS System logo in Canada and the U.S. including Alaska and Hawaii (plus applicable Debit Transaction fee).
• PLUS System access fee (outside of Canada and the U.S.): $5.00 for Debit Transactions made at a non-RBC Royal Bank ATM displaying the PLUS System logo outside Canada and the U.S. (plus applicable Debit Transaction fee).
  
  Some ATM operators apply a surcharge (also known as a “convenience fee”) for use of their ATMs. The convenience fee is not an RBC Royal Bank fee. It is added directly to the amount of your withdrawal. All clients who use these ATMs will be charged a convenience fee regardless of the type of Account you hold.

Each Debit Transaction from a Canadian dollar Account you make at a non-RBC Royal Bank ATM outside Canada displaying the PLUS System logo and any fees that may be imposed by any third party for using the ATM are converted to Canadian dollars no later than the date we post the transaction to your Account at our exchange rate that is 2.5% over a benchmark rate set by Visa International, a subsidiary of Visa Inc., and that Royal Bank of Canada pays on the date of conversion. Since exchange rates fluctuate, the rate applied will usually differ from a posted exchange rate at the time of your Debit Transaction.

You may use your RBC Client Card to make purchases, in person, at retailers in Canada that accept Interac Debit. Instead of paying with cash or a credit card, Interac Debit allows you to pay for your purchase with your RBC Client Card and the amount of the purchase is electronically debited, or withdrawn, from your Account.

Some merchants/operators may apply a surcharge (also known as a “convenience fee”) for use of the Point of Sale service. The convenience fee is not an RBC Royal Bank fee. It is added directly to the amount of your Point of Sale Debit Transaction. All clients who use this service will be charged the convenience fee regardless of the type of Account they hold.

Chip and PIN: Chip technology provides enhanced protection for you against counterfeiting and card fraud because the embedded microchip is encrypted and virtually impossible to replicate. While magnetic stripe technology is extremely secure, chip cards and chip card terminals work together to make a highly secure transaction system even more secure by electronically validating both the card and the cardholder.

Used in combination with a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for transaction authorization, your RBC chip Client Card will provide you with an even higher level of security and peace of mind. Using your RBC chip Client Card is similar to using a non-chip Client Card. At a store or Point of Sale terminal that is chip-enabled, instead of the merchant swiping your card, you will insert it into the terminal and leave it there for the duration of the transaction.

Interac Flash^‡:This is a contactless feature on both Interac Flash-enabled RBC Client Cards and any Mobile Interac Flash debit card within the RBC Wallet powered by RBC Secure Cloud™. Interac Flash allows you to make Point of Sale purchases/Debit Transactions from your Account quickly and securely at locations that have an Interac Flash-enabled reader at a Point of Sale terminal at merchants within Canada.

There are three merchant categories that will have separate Point of Sale limits attached to them. The merchant categories are gas, groceries and other. For information on your Interac Flash limits, you may contact us or refer to the information you received with your RBC Client Card.

For added security, after every $200 in contactless Point of Sale purchases and/or Debit Transactions you make with your RBC chip Client Card, you will be asked to swipe/insert your card and enter your PIN. This validates that you are the owner of the RBC chip Client Card, re-establishes your contactless Point of Sale limits and allows you to continue using the Interac Flash feature on your RBC chip Client Card.

Similarly, for mobile Interac Flash transactions, you will need to enter your passcode prior to completing your purchase if you have exceeded $200 in mobile debit transactions.

Please contact us to de-activate the Interac Flash feature on your RBC Client Card or your mobile device.

You can use your RBC Client Card to make debit purchases at retailers and businesses throughout the United States.

RBC’s cross border debit service is an easy and secure alternative to carrying large amounts of cash when you travel. All you need is your RBC Client Card and Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access your primary Canadian banking or savings Account and make purchases at over two million merchants in the U.S. that use the NYCE network. Look for the NYCE logo.

A cross border debit costs $1.00 per transaction plus applicable Debit Transaction Fee, but depending on your Account, you may already have this service. Refer to your specific Account’s features and services for details.

U.S. dollar purchases paid by a Debit Transaction from your Canadian dollar Account are converted to Canadian dollars at an exchange rate 2.5% over the Interbank Spot Rate (as defined by Acxsys Corporation) effective at the time of processing. Since exchange rates fluctuate, the rate applied will usually differ from a posted exchange rate at the time of your purchase.

Interac Online is a secure and easy-to-use online payment option that allows you to shop online and pay for purchases through Online Banking directly from your bank Account with RBC. There are no additional transaction fees that apply for using Interac Online other than those fees ordinarily applicable to your Account for Debit Transactions made from your Account. Please contact us for full details and information about Interac Online.

RBC Virtual Visa Debit is an optional feature that gives you another way to access funds from your Account when shopping online, by telephone or through mail order merchants/retailers around the world. It also allows you to set up pre-authorized payments on your Account. It is available to clients fourteen (14) years of age and older.

To use this service, we will send you a reference card with your “RBC Virtual Visa Debit Number,” a 16-digit Virtual Visa Debit number to be used alone or in combination with the expiry date and/or the CVV2 code, also indicated on the reference card. This gives you all the information required to make purchases at any U.S/international retailer that accepts Visa, and any Canadian retailer that accepts Visa Debit. The reference card cannot be used at ATMs, branches or any Point of Sale or other designated debit card terminals. It may not be used to identify you at our branches when you are requesting a service from us or to authorize the transactions you do with us at our branches.

RBC Virtual Visa Debit Transactions are processed by way of a two-step method known as authorization and settlement.

1. Authorization: The merchant performs an authorization on your Account at the time of the purchase and payment is immediately debited from that Account. The Account accessed will be your primary chequing Account that you access with your Client Card.
2. Settlement: Settlement follows, typically two to three days after authorization. It finalizes the amount paid to the merchant and reflects any credit or debit adjustments after the initial authorization. Adjustments may occur for various reasons, such as changes in the price of the goods ordered or fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

When you use Virtual Visa Debit for a transaction in a currency other than Canadian dollars, we will convert the transaction amount into Canadian dollars at an exchange rate that is 2.5% over a benchmark rate Royal Bank of Canada pays Visa International, a subsidiary of Visa Inc., on the date of the conversion. For most transactions, the authorization amount debited by the merchant at the time of the purchase will be adjusted to Account for variances in the exchange rate while the transaction is processed.

We do not charge network access fees for Debit Transactions made using your RBC Virtual Visa Debit Number. Other Account fees may apply. The network access provider, any merchant and any third party may charge fees for use of the Visa network. When you use your RBC Virtual Visa Debit Number, you agree to pay any applicable service fee for network use. Debit Transactions made using your RBC Virtual Visa Debit Number do not count against the monthly Debit Transaction limits applicable to your Account.

Easily access your accounts, updated information and management services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Take advantage of our helpful interactive voice prompts to pay bills, transfer funds and review account activity. Or for help at any time during the voice prompts, simply dial 0 to speak to an available Telephone Banking representative. Access to Telephone Banking is free with your account. Please contact us for more details or to enroll.

All you need is an internet connection to access a wide range of financial services and products from anywhere, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All activity conducted through Online Banking is safe and secure. Access to Online Banking is free with your account. Please contact us for more details or to enroll.

With the RBC Mobile app you can check your balances and account history, transfer funds between RBC accounts or to another RBC client, send money through Interac e-Transfer, pay bills, and much more. Available for Android and iOS.

Visit the app store to download the RBC Mobile app or text “RBC” to 722722 and we’ll send you the link.

RBC Wallet^™ is a mobile payment service for eligible mobile devices. Please contact us for more information.

This service enables you to send real-time payments in Canadian funds to other RBC Royal Bank customers. You can also receive payments from other RBC Royal Bank customers. There are no additional transaction fees that apply for using Third-Party Payments, other than those fees that are applicable to your Account.

Funds deposited by way of Third Party Payment into your Account are subject to return if there is a fraud claim against the funds or if we believe the payment was made as the result of any fraudulent, unlawful or improper activity. If we believe these funds should be returned for any reason whatsoever, we will debit the amount of the Third Party Payment from your Account even if the adjustment creates an Overdraft or results in your Account being overdrawn in excess of your Overdraft Limit. Please contact us for full details and information about Third Party Payments.

Interac e-Transfer lets you send money (Canadian dollars only) directly to people or small businesses that have a bank account at another Canadian financial institution. All you need is their email address or mobile phone number. Usually, a security question and answer (Q&A) that are only shared with the receiver are required when sending an Interac e-Transfer. There may be instances when the Q&A is not required. The money is transferred securely through Online Banking and the Interac network.

Note about the Q&A feature: Interac keeps on file only one question and answer per recipient. If you change the question or answer for a recipient and there are outstanding (not yet completed) Interac e-Transfers for that recipient, the new question and answer will override any previous questions and answers provided and apply to those outstanding Interac e-Transfers as well. The new question and answer will enable the recipient to accept all outstanding Interac e-Transfers from the sender that have not yet been cancelled. If there is an outstanding Interac e-Transfer you do not wish the recipient to receive, you must cancel it via Online or Mobile Banking before it is accepted.

Recipients are notified of transfers via email or text message and can deposit the money immediately through their online banking service with RBC or at another Canadian financial institution. If the recipient does not use online banking, the funds may be deposited into their account within three to five business days for an additional fee (fee charged by Acxsys Corporation).

RBC offers unlimited free Interac e-Transfers with most of our Personal Banking Accounts. If they’re not included with your Account, there is a fee of $1.00 (non-refundable) plus any applicable Debit Transaction Fee for sending an Interac e-Transfer. Refer to your specific Account’s features and services for details.

Receiving and depositing an Interac e-Transfer in Online Banking is free, subject to any potential data charges by your network provider.

Interac e-Transfer Reclaim Fee: A $5.00 fee is charged when the recipient of an Interac e-Transfer does not accept it before it expires and the sender fails to reclaim the funds within the Self-Cancellation Window timeframe. The Self-Cancellation Window is the period of 15 calendar days from the expiry date of an Interac e-Transfer during which the funds may be reclaimed via Online or Mobile Banking.

Expired e-Transfer Notification: Notifications for expired e-Transfers are sent to your Online Banking Message Centre with instructions to reclaim the funds. If you have provided RBC with your personal email address and have agreed to be notified, RBC will forward a copy of the Expired Notification to the email address you provided. Please ensure you review your Online Banking Message Centre periodically and that you reclaim the funds for the expired e-Transfer to avoid being charged the Reclaim Fee.

Funds deposited by way of Interac e-Transfer into your Account are subject to return if there is a fraud claim against the funds or if we believe the transfer was made as the result of any fraudulent, unlawful or improper activity. If we believe these funds should be returned for any reason whatsoever, we will debit the amount of the Interac e-Transfer from your Account even if the adjustment creates an Overdraft or results in your Account being overdrawn in excess of your Overdraft Limit.

Please contact us for full details and information about Interac e-Transfer.

RBC International Money Transfer allows you to send money abroad to almost any country in the world using RBC Online or Mobile Banking. This service is not available to recipients in Canada and in restricted countries. Eligible countries and available currencies are subject to change at our discretion and without notice. RBC International Money Transfer is available to most personal clients enrolled in Online or Mobile Banking. Refer to your specific Account for details.

The fee for sending an RBC International Money Transfer is $6 each for transactions of $1000 or less, or $10 each for transactions over $1000 each plus any applicable excess debit transaction fee for your Account. There may be additional service fees applied by any intermediary or receiving banks and some countries may convert the funds into local currency, and as a result conversion fees may apply. The daily maximum for sending an RBC International Money Transfer is $2,500 per day; however, you may be eligible to exceed this daily limit provided that you meet certain conditions.

Please contact us for full details and information about RBC International Money Transfer.