Things to Consider Before Transferring
A successful ACATS transfer depends on your account information matching exactly between IBKR and your other broker, along with a few other key criteria. Reviewing the items below before you submit your request can help avoid delays or rejections.
| Requirement | What to Know |
| Account Type | Your account type must match both brokers' account structure exactly (Individual, Joint, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, etc.). |
| Account Title | The account name must match both brokers' records. If your name differs slightly (e.g., a middle name, nickname, or maiden name), we recommend to contact the delivering broker to adjust the records or prevent them to reject the transfer. For more information, click What is "One-and-the-Same" for an ACATS transfer? |
| Tax Identification Number (TIN) | Your Tax Identification Number (TIN) on file must match between IBKR and your other broker. • W-9 holders: Your TIN must match your broker's records exactly. • W-8BEN holders (non-US taxpayers): IBKR submits an industry-standard placeholder TIN. No action needed, unless you have former US SSN on file. For more information, click Tax Identification Number Requirements for ACATS Transfers |
| Account Number Format | Some brokers have specific account number format requirements. We recommend reviewing your account statement or confirming the correct account number format with your broker before initiating a transfer. Please Note: Your statement may not reflect the exact account number required for transfer. * Some brokers custody accounts on behalf of multiple financial institutions and may require additional characters to identify your specific account, or, conversely, may require certain characters to be removed. Check with your broker to see if any modification is needed. For more details, see ACATS Transfer: Account Number Format Requirements. |
| Participant Number | Some institutions operate multiple entities with similar names but different Participant Numbers. Confirm you have selected the one specific to your account. For more details, see ACATS Transfer: Account Number Format Requirements. |
| Transfer Lock | Some financial institutions offer a "transfer lock" feature that protects against unauthorized transfers out of your account. If this feature is enabled on your account at the other financial institution when you submit your request, the inbound transfer may be rejected. |
ACATS Eligibility & Restrictions
Not all accounts and assets are eligible for transfer via ACATS, and some are subject to specific conditions.
- Account type:Some account types (e.g., IRAs, 401(k)s) or institutions (banks, mutual fund companies, credit unions, insurance companies) do not support ACATS and require a different transfer method.
- Employee stock plans: Eligibility may depend on your country of legal residency. Confirmation should be obtained from your broker, as other transfer methods may apply.
- Asset restrictions:
- Options are not transferred during expiration week. Long and Short (Short Against the Box) of the same position will be netted upon receipt.
- Margin loans can only transfer, if the account remains margin-compliant post transfer.
- Ineligible assets (crypto, futures, fractional shares, and securities not supported at IBKR) will not transfer.
- We only accept blocks of Micro-cap stocks from eligible clients. Micro-cap stocks may be temporarily restricted from being sold during due diligence review. You will remain free to transfer out of IBKR to another broker during review. For more information on this, click here.
- Unsettled assets: Unsettled trades in your account may delay or block positions available to transfer.
- Other account holds: Occasionally, a transfer may be rejected due to other restrictions placed on the account by your broker. These are not always visible in advance. If this applies, it will typically be identified as the rejection reason.
Additional Information