How to find your routing number

The American Bankers Association (ABA) developed the routing number system in 1910 to coordinate transfers between banks, and more than 100 years later, it’s still in use. Here are five places where you can find your routing number and ways to use it.

5 places to find your routing number

Depending on your bank, you may find your routing number in any one of the following places:

• • A personal check. Routing numbers commonly appear in the lower-left corner of your checks, right before your account number.

• Bank statement. Some banks include their routing number on the bank statements you receive in your mailbox or inbox each month.
• Online account. Most banks make it easy to locate your routing number in your online or mobile account settings.
• Bank website. Many banks publish their routing numbers on their websites, usually on a FAQ page or in their support sections.
• Contact your bank. If you can’t find your routing number in any of the above locations, you can call or email your bank as a last resort.

Routing number lookup

Here’s a list of routing numbers for some of the most popular banks in the US. Note that most regional and online-only banks have a single routing number, but many larger banks have multiple routing numbers that vary by state. In those cases, we’ve provided links to detailed lists of location-specific routing numbers.

Routing numbers for top eight banks

What is a routing number?

A routing number is a nine-digit number that identifies a particular financial institution. Checking, savings and money market accounts all have routing numbers.

But depending on the bank, the routing number may vary between location or transaction type. For instance, the routing number used for bill pay might differ from the one that appears on your checks. And with large banks, it’s common for routing numbers to vary depending on the location where you opened the account.

Although easily confused, routing numbers and account numbers are different. Routing numbers identify the institution, while account numbers identify individual bank accounts. Account numbers should be kept confidential, while routing numbers are often public knowledge.

How are routing numbers assigned?

The digits that appear in a bank’s routing number may seem random, but there’s actually some meaning behind how these numbers are assigned and formatted.

• The first two digits in a routing number identify which of the 12 Federal Reserve Districts the issuing bank is located in.
• The third and fourth digits identify which Federal Reserve bank or branch office in that district the issuing bank belongs to. Collectively, the first four digits of a routing number compose the bank’s Federal Reserve Routing Symbol.
• The fifth through the eighth digits identify the particular ABA institution number.
• The ninth and final digit is called the check digit, and it confirms the authenticity of a routing number.

How can I use my routing number?

Use your bank routing numbers for the following purposes.

• Bill payments. Paying bills directly from your bank account lets you avoid interest charges that are common with credit cards. But if your account doesn’t have enough money, you could get hit with an overdraft fee, which is typically $35 or more.
• Direct deposits. You’ll need a routing number and your account number to set your salary up as a direct deposit.
• Ordering checks. If you run out of paper checks and need to order more over the phone, you’ll almost always need your routing and account number.
• Phone payments. If you need to send funds over the phone, you’ll typically need to provide your routing and account numbers.
• Tax refunds and payments. If the government owes you a tax refund or a stimulus check, you can receive that payment as a direct deposit by providing the IRS with your routing and account numbers.

Can I use my routing number to wire money?

It depends on your bank. The routing number that appears on your checks or that you use for direct deposit or bill pay is known as an automated clearing house (ACH) routing number. Many banks use different routing numbers for wire transfers.

Before sending or receiving a wire transfer, it’s critical to check with your bank to make sure you’re using the right number. Otherwise, your wire transfer won’t go through.

Bottom line

Routing numbers play an essential role when moving money between banks. But unlike account numbers, routing numbers don’t need to be kept confidential. If you’d like to apply your knowledge on using routing numbers, learn how to transfer money to bank accounts.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I use the wrong routing number?

The transfer won’t go through if you use the wrong routing number when attempting to send or receive funds from one bank to another.

When might my routing number change?

Your routing number may change, though this might only happen if your bank merges with another bank or gets acquired by a larger financial institution. If this happens, your bank will likely let you know several weeks or months before the change.

Why is my routing number eight digits?

If your routing number has eight digits instead of nine, it’s likely because you’re looking at a deposit ticket rather than a check. Bank deposit tickets use internal routing numbers that are only eight digits instead of nine.

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