> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.staging01.melio.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Delivery ETA

> Estimate when a prospective payment would be delivered, per delivery option.

The delivery ETA tool estimates when a payment between two of an entity's accounts would be delivered, **without creating a payment**. Use it to show a business expected delivery dates before they choose a delivery preference.

The response has one estimate per delivery option valid for the receiving account's rail, for example `standard-ach`, `same-day-ach`, and `rtp` for ACH.

```text theme={null}
POST /tools/delivery-eta
```

**Authentication:** API key (`Authorization: Bearer <api-key>`). **Required header:** `Melio-Entity-Id` - the entity that owns the accounts, either an entity id (`ent_<uuid>`) or `me` for the partner's sole entity.

<Note>
  `amount` is in **minor units** (cents). Dates are `YYYY-MM-DD`; see [Timestamps](/docs/timestamps).
</Note>

## Request

| Field                  | Type            | Required | Description                                                                                  |
| ---------------------- | --------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `originatingAccountId` | string          | Yes      | Internal originating account id (`acct_<id>`), the debit account.                            |
| `receivingAccountId`   | string          | Yes      | External receiving account id (`acct_<id>`), the credit account.                             |
| `amount`               | integer         | Yes      | The prospective payment amount, in minor units (cents).                                      |
| `deductionDate`        | string (`date`) | No       | The debit/schedule date the estimate is based on. Defaults to the current date when omitted. |
| `currency`             | string          | No       | Defaults to `USD`.                                                                           |

### Example request

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.example.com/v2/tools/delivery-eta \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <api-key>" \
  -H "Melio-Entity-Id: me" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "originatingAccountId": "acct_3f2504e0-4f89-41d3-9a0c-0305e82c3301",
    "receivingAccountId": "acct_9b1deb4d-3b7d-4bad-9bdd-2b0d7b3dcb6d",
    "amount": 125000,
    "deductionDate": "2026-07-10"
  }'
```

## Response

The request is echoed back (including the `deductionDate` the estimates are based on), alongside an `estimates` array with one entry per delivery preference valid for the receiving rail.

```json theme={null}
{
  "originatingAccountId": "acct_3f2504e0-4f89-41d3-9a0c-0305e82c3301",
  "receivingAccountId": "acct_9b1deb4d-3b7d-4bad-9bdd-2b0d7b3dcb6d",
  "amount": 125000,
  "currency": "USD",
  "deductionDate": "2026-07-10",
  "estimates": [
    { "deliveryPreference": "standard-ach", "deliveryDate": "2026-07-14" },
    { "deliveryPreference": "same-day-ach", "deliveryDate": "2026-07-10" },
    { "deliveryPreference": "rtp", "deliveryDate": "2026-07-10" }
  ]
}
```

| Field                            | Description                                                                                                              |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `deductionDate`                  | The debit/schedule date the estimates were based on.                                                                     |
| `estimates[].deliveryPreference` | A delivery preference valid for the receiving rail.                                                                      |
| `estimates[].deliveryDate`       | The estimated delivery date (`YYYY-MM-DD`). Absent when the estimation engine cannot produce a date for that preference. |

The array is **empty** when the receiving rail has no valid delivery preferences.

<Note>
  `deliveryDate` is an estimate based on the `deductionDate`, not a guarantee. Estimates shift with cutoff times, weekends, and bank holidays, so pass the actual date you intend to debit as `deductionDate` for the most accurate result.
</Note>

## Errors

| Status | When                                         |
| ------ | -------------------------------------------- |
| `400`  | Validation error or an invalid account type. |
| `404`  | The entity or an account was not found.      |

See [Errors](/docs/errors) for the response shape.

## Related tools

* [Eligibility](/docs/eligibility) - which fast delivery options a payment qualifies for.
* [Fee Calculator](/docs/fee-calculator) - the cost of each delivery preference.