Bank connection issues

Bank Connection Issues

If you're having trouble connecting or maintaining a bank account in Nova, you're not alone — most connection issues are temporary and easy to resolve.

Common Errors

ITEM_LOGIN_REQUIRED

This is the most common issue. It means your bank is asking you to re-authenticate.

• Go to Dashboard → click the affected account
• Click Reconnect or Fix Connection
• Log in to your bank through the Plaid secure window
• Complete any multi-factor authentication prompts

This typically happens when you change your bank password, your bank session expires, or your institution requires periodic re-verification.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Some banks require MFA every time a connection refreshes. If your bank sends a code via text or email during reconnection:

• Have your phone nearby when reconnecting
• Enter the code promptly — most expire within a few minutes
• If the code doesn't arrive, try again or check if your bank offers app-based authentication

Connection Timeouts

If the connection process hangs or times out:

• Try again during off-peak hours (banks can experience high traffic)
• Clear your browser cache and cookies
• Use a different browser to rule out extension conflicts

Unsupported Banks

Nova connects through Plaid, which supports 20,000+ financial institutions across the US and Canada. However, some smaller banks, credit unions, or international institutions may not be supported.

If your bank isn't available:

• Search for your bank by name and by its URL during the connection process
• Check if your bank has recently merged or changed names
• Let us know — we track requests and work with Plaid to add new institutions

Still Having Trouble?

If reconnecting doesn't resolve the issue, try removing the account and adding it fresh from Settings → Connected Accounts.

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Still need help? Reach out to our support team at /contact — include your bank name and the error you're seeing so we can investigate.