Overview of Payment Methods
There are five payment methods used at UC Berkeley:
Payments are issued within payment terms as described on the Invoicing and Payment Terms page, unless negotiated otherwise by contract.
Accounts Payable will process your invoice within 10 business days of receipt in our office. However, in most cases, payment cannot be issued until the voucher is approved by the campus department that made the purchase. If the payment terms have expired and there appears to be a delay in payment, please contact the campus department directly.
Payment Plus
Our preferred method of payment is via US Bank’s Payment Plus. This electronic payment option allows for the secure delivery of payments and provides a key benefit that payment is issued within 2 business days of invoice approval regardless of supplier profile payment terms. Originally designed for suppliers who accept credit cards, this program is also an option for suppliers who are not set up as credit card merchants.
No additional fees are charged for participating in Payment Plus, other than those charged by your merchant processor. For more information on signing up for Payment Plus, please email creditcard@berkeley.edu.
Procurement Card
Most campus departments have access to a procurement credit card that can be used to purchase goods within certain dollar limits and expense types. Please refer to the following resources for more information:
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is a secure and convenient preferred payment method for suppliers with a bank account in the United States. With EFT, the payment is deposited into your bank account, usually within 2 business days after the payment is issued. The Domestic Supplier Information Update form includes EFT authorization. For each EFT payment issued, we will email an EFT remittance advice showing the payment details.
Wire Transfer
Payments to foreign suppliers may be made through wire transfer. Bank account information is submitted during the new supplier onboarding process or existing suppliers may provide or update wire instructions using the Foreign Supplier Information Update form. Please refer to the Updating Existing Suppliers page for more information.
Paper Check
Domestic suppliers will be required to provide a valid business reason for why they are unable to sign up for EFT or Payment Plus. For those suppliers, they will receive payment by paper check mailed via US Postal Service with payment terms as described on the Invoicing and Payment Terms page. Please allow up to 10 additional business days for mail delivery.