A Corporate Creditor Identification Number (CCIN) is a non-transferable identification number assigned by the CPA to businesses, governments, and other billers to facilitate the routing of consumers’ bill payments to these organizations through their financial institutions (FIs). A CCIN, which appears at the bottom of bills and invoices, allows corporate creditors to be uniquely identified for the purpose of electronic bill payment processing.

CCIN application forms, which must be submitted to a CPA member, are available on this web site or upon request from an FI. In applying for a CCIN, an organization will sign a corporate agreement with its FI and with the FI’s clearing agent if that FI is not a Direct Clearer for ACSS. The use of a CCIN to process bill payments and all other services pertaining to the CCIN agreements will be in accordance with the CPA’s Rule H6. Billers may obtain more than one CCIN provided that each is used for a distinct category of bills.

In addition to assigning CCINs, the CPA also maintains the CCIN database, a collection of all CCINs used by CPA members. Data is revised weekly to reflect CCIN additions, modifications and discontinuations submitted by direct clearers. This database is essential in increasing accuracy and efficiency in routing bill payments to their destinations. In 2000-01, it facilitated the efficient flow of more than 135 million payments through the clearing system.