TUFFS - U.S. Bank Payment System

The U.S. Bank/California EFT web based system is an integrated Automated Clearing House (ACH) network that allows payers’ to submit their surcharges and user fee payments online to the CPUC after they have been reported in TUFFS.

The system is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Payments can be submitted at any time through this interface.

This system uses the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network to remit payments. The user creates an online payment for the CPUC by inserting details like:

1. Payment Type: This is the fee type, Surcharge and/or User Fee you want to pay.
2. Billing Period (MM/YY): The billing period of the fee the payment is for.
3. Fee Amount: The amount of payment you want to remit.
4. Bank debit date: This is the date the user's bank account will be debited.

The U.S. Bank/California EFT payment system offers many benefits:     

1. Ease of Use: California EFT offers 4 easy "step by step" instructions to make a payment.
   1. Select Payment Option
   2. Enter Payment Information
   3. Confirm Payment Information
   4. Receive Payment Acknowledgement
      
      
2. Fast: Payments can be scheduled in minutes.
      
3. Scheduling: Payments can be scheduled in advance for future dates. Depending on your agency, a payment can be scheduled up to 90 banking days from the current day. 
   
   
4. Secure: This system implements a high degree of security to protect your payments. All payments are sent to your financial institution through secured connections.    
   
   
5. History: CA EFT stores your payment history for a 3-year period. Users can log into their account and review all the payments made and their statuses using the "Payment Inquiry" feature.  
   
   
6. Paperless: This system eliminates the need for writing checks to make payments. Even your payment receipts are stored online. A customer can print them if required.

All telecommunications surcharges and user fees may be remitted using the system.

1. California's Public Purpose Program Surcharges
2. CPUC User Fee

This system is available to telecommunications corporations and VoIP providers who have registered with the CPUC.  Upon confirmation of their enrollment, users will obtain a login ID, generic 4-digit security code and will be required to register on the web application and create an 8-35 character password.

On the Sign In page, click the Register button for first time users. Enter in you CPUC login ID and generic security code an click continue. Complete the required fields and click the Submit button to activate your web account.  For returning users, enter in your CPUC login ID and password.

Payments can be scheduled for any banking day up to 45 days in advance, but they cannot be scheduled for weekends or any of the Federal Reserve holidays listed below:

1. New Year’s Day January 1*     
2. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Third Monday in January     
3. Presidents' Day Third Monday in February     
4. Memorial Day Last Monday in May         
5. Independence Day July 4*
6. Labor Day First Monday in September     
7. Columbus Day Second Monday in October     
8. Veteran's Day November 11*     
9. Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November     
10. Christmas Day December 25*

*If this day falls on a Sunday, the banks are closed the following Monday.

Payments can be submitted any time the system is available. If you are scheduling a payment for the next banking day, it must be completed before 3:00 pm Pacific Time.

In addition to your CPUC login ID, security code and password to access the system, you will need the following basic information:

1. Payment type     
2. Amount of the payment     
3. Billing period     
4. The debit date or the date you want the funds withdrawn from your account and deposited in the CPUC account.

1. Login
2. Select the desired Payment Type and billing period and enter the appropriate values in the displayed fields. Click "Continue". The Payment Verification screen will be displayed.
3. Review the payment information for accuracy. If it is correct, click "Submit Payment". If incorrect, click the "Edit Payment" button to make changes.
4. The Payment Confirmation screen will be displayed. Your Payment Confirmation Number will be listed. Print this page as a receipt for your payment. If you wish to make another payment, click the Make Another Payment button. Otherwise, you may select another function or log off the system.

1. Log in and click "Payment Inquiry" on the navigation menu.
2. If necessary, enter the search criteria of the payment you would like to view and click "Search".
3. When you find your payment, click the View/Cancel button on the payment line to display the payment details.

The search results may be sorted by clicking the column headers (ex: Payment Type, Debit Date, etc.) you wish to sort by.

1. Scheduled: The payment is scheduled for debit in the future, and may still be canceled.
2. Submitted: The payment is scheduled for debit on the next banking day. The payment may still be canceled if performed prior to 3:00 pm PT of the banking day before the debit date.
3. Canceled: The scheduled or submitted payment was canceled.
4. Paid: The payment was processed successfully.
5. Failed: The payment was processed on the ACH network but was denied.

1. When viewing the Payment Confirmation screen, click the "Print this Page" link. A printer-friendly version of the page will be displayed.
2. Select File/Print or click the printer icon in your web browser to print the page.

1. Log in and click "Payment Inquiry" on the navigation menu.
2. Enter the search criteria for the payment you would like to cancel and click "Search."
3. Click the View/Cancel button for payment you would like to cancel.
4. Click "Cancel Payment" on the View/Cancel Payment screen if you are certain you want to cancel the payment.
5. Click "Confirm" on the Confirm Payment Cancelation popup message to confirm the cancelation.
6. After the payment is canceled, the Payment Cancelled screen will be displayed with your cancelation reference number. You may print this page for your records.

No. Once a payment has been canceled, it cannot be altered again. The payment will need to be re-entered and a new reference number will be generated.

1. Select the Payment Inquiry option from the main navigation menu.
2. Enter the criteria of the payment you would like to retrieve and click Search.

Contact Customer Service at 1-800-554-7500 and follow the prompts to get to an operator, or contact your agency's EFT Helpline for assistance.

Forgotten passwords and security codes cannot be retrieved; however, new ones can be created. On the login page, click the appropriate link to your forgotten password/security code. Answer the security questions when prompted to replace your forgotten information.

Additional instructions on how to report and remit your surcharge and user fee payments are available in the TUFFS user guide and other instructional information on the CPUC’s Communications Division webpage under Surcharge and User Fees

You will need a computer with Internet access and one of the following browsers:

1. Chrome 44 or newer
2. Internet Explorer Version 9 or newer
3. Firefox 42 or newer
4. Safari 7 or newer

Our system does not store cookies on your computer. Users will have to put in their login credentials every time they log in to this system. Our system requires users to enter their CPUC login ID and password.

This system utilizes the most advanced security available to ensure the privacy of your payment information. All transactions are conducted over a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection secured with 256-bit encryption. SSL is a communications protocol for transmitting private information over the Internet.

1. All transmitted information is sent using an encrypted connection.
2. Your session will timeout after 20 minutes if left idle.
3. Your browser will not cache the information entered and it will not be stored locally on your computer.

The carriers’ banks should understand the need for debit filters. There is no requirement that the debit block on behalf of the carriers be removed. The only requirement would be to establish a debit filter. The debit filter allows debit transactions from only a specific sender to access their respective accounts. The filters are established by using the company ID from batch header information which U.S. Bank transmits within the ACH file to the clearing house. This information is received by the account holders’ bank and the company ID acknowledges this data as an acceptable debit.

U.S. Bank offers this service as follows:

Block and Filter Descriptions

Debit Block:

This is the simplest option. A debit block prevents all ACH debits received for the account from posting. Unauthorized debits are automatically returned to the originating (sending) company. Debit Blocks remain in effect until U.S. Bank receives written notification from the account holder to cancel or change the service.

Standing Order Authorization: (filter)

This option is designed for those clients who want to permit routine, recurring debit transactions to post to their Demand Deposit Account (DDA). The Standing Order filter can be established at the company level.

1.     Company Level: This option restricts the identification criteria of the transaction to the sending company’s identification and to a dollar amount limitation (max amount can be applied). Further identification criteria for the transaction are not required. All transactions from the sending company that pass the dollar amount limitation will be accepted.

Public Purpose Program Surcharges on Access Lines
Company Name (max 16 bytes) position 5‐20 on the ACH batch header record	Company ID (max 10 bytes) position 41‐50 on the ACH batch header record
Access Line Surcharge	3943031353

 

Public Purpose Program Surcharges
Company Name (max 16 bytes) position 5‐20 on the ACH batch header record	Company ID (max 10 bytes) position 41‐50 on the ACH batch header record
CPUC ULTS	7050001096
CPUC DDTP	7050001088
CPUC CHCF A	7020021904
CPUC CHCF B	7050001061
CPUC CTF	7020015831
CPUC CASF	7020001111

 

Prepaid Wireless Surcharges
Company Name (max 16 bytes) position 5‐20 on the ACH batch header record	Company ID (max 10 bytes) position 41‐50 on the ACH batch header record
CPUC CASF PREPAID	8020001111
CPUC CHCF A PREPAID	8020021904
CPUC CHCF B PREPAID	8050001061
CPUC CTF PREPAID	8020015831
CPUC DDTP PREPAID	8050001088
CPUC ULTS PREPAID	8050001096

 

CPUC User Fees
Company Name (max 16 bytes) position 5‐20 on the ACH batch header record	Company ID (max 10 bytes) position 41‐50 on the ACH batch header record
CPUC USER FEE	1943031353
CPUC PREPAID USER FEE	2943031353

Effective January 1, 2026, Payment options for report periods prior to April 2023 (May 2010 – March 2023) were disabled in the First Data Payment Portal.  You can submit a payment for report periods prior to April 2023 through the following options:

As of December 30, 2025, carriers can no longer make payments for report periods prior to April 2023 through the First Data Payment Portal. You can submit a payment for report periods prior to April 2023 through the following options:

1. Payments with check
   Instructions: Mail a cashier’s check, check, or money order payable to:
   California Public Utilities Commission, Fiscal Office
   505 Van Ness Ave, Room 3000
   San Francisco, CA, 94102
2. Payments with Wire Transfers
   Wire to: CPUC
   
   Bank Name: Bank of America
   ABA Routing: 026009593 (Wire Transfer)
   
   For credit to: California State Treasurer
   915 Capitol Mall
   Sacramento, CA 95814
   
   Account: 0148280005
   
   For further Credit to: CPUC
   [Insert Carrier Name and Utility ID]
   Surcharges and User Fees pre-Nomadic Registration
   
   Amount: [Insert Amount]
   
   Important Instructions: Please notify CPUC a day before you make the wire transfer. It is important to provide our State Treasurer’s office of the incoming remittance amount. Please e-mail us at cashiering@cpuc.ca.gov with a cc to Lalaine.Semana@cpuc.ca.gov and telcosurcharge@cpuc.ca.gov.

Yes. You can access payment history for report periods prior to April 2023 through the First Data Payment Portal.