Setting up direct deposit, paying a bill by ACH, or filling out almost any "link my bank account" form comes down to two numbers: your bank's routing number and your account number. They are not secret codes — your bank publishes them and they are printed on every check — but knowing exactly where to look, and which routing number to use, saves you from the single most common mistake: sending the right request to the wrong account.
This guide shows every reliable place to find both numbers — on a check, in online and mobile banking, and on a statement — explains the difference between the ABA/ACH routing number and a wire-transfer routing number, and shows how to confirm you have the right one before you hand it over. If you want to know what a voided check is or which document to send a payer, see what a voided check is and voided check vs. deposit slip vs. bank letter; this page is about locating the numbers themselves.
Where are the routing and account numbers on a check?
The bottom edge of a check is the most reliable place to read both numbers, because they are printed in a standardized, machine-readable strip called the MICR line (magnetic ink character recognition). The American Bankers Association describes the order plainly: the routing number is the left-most number, followed by your account number, and then the check number.
- Routing number — the first group, on the bottom-left, always nine digits. It identifies your bank or credit union.
- Account number — the middle group, identifying your specific account. Its length varies by bank.
- Check number — the last group, which matches the number in the top-right corner of the check.
Because the MICR line is printed in a special magnetic font, the digits look slightly blocky and evenly spaced. One caution: do not read your routing number off a deposit slip from the back of your checkbook. A deposit slip can print an internal deposit-only routing number that is not valid for electronic transfers, which is exactly why payroll and benefit systems ask for a check rather than a slip. If you have no checkbook at all, the online-banking methods below give you the same numbers.
How do you find them in online or mobile banking?
If you bank online and rarely touch paper checks, your bank's app or website is the fastest place to find both numbers — and increasingly the canonical one. The exact path varies by bank, but the pattern is consistent: open the account, then look for an account-details or routing/account-number view.
- In the mobile app: sign in, select the account, open the account details (often a "Manage" or "…" menu) and look for "Account & routing number."
- On the website: sign in, choose the account from your dashboard, and open account details or account information.
- Some banks show a "Set up direct deposit" feature that displays the numbers or generates a pre-filled direct deposit form for you.
- Many banks let you reveal the full account number with an extra tap for security; the routing number is usually shown openly.
Other dependable sources include a paper or PDF bank statement, which lists the account number (sometimes partially masked) and often the routing number, and your bank's customer-service line or a branch, which can confirm both. You can also look up a routing number with our free tool — enter a nine-digit number to see which bank it belongs to, or search by bank name to find the routing number for major US banks and credit unions. That gives the institution's routing number, not your personal account number, so you still need the account number from one of the sources above.
ABA routing number vs. wire routing number: which do you use?
A routing number (also called an ABA routing number or routing transit number) is a nine-digit code that identifies your financial institution. The wrinkle is that many banks have more than one: a routing number for ACH transfers and checks, and a different one for domestic wire transfers, because wires travel over a separate network with a different settlement process. Using the wrong one can delay or misroute a transfer.
| ACH / ABA routing number | Wire routing number | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Direct deposit, ACH payments, the number printed on your checks | Domestic wire transfers |
| Network | The ACH network (batched electronic transfers) | Wire networks (real-time, individually settled) |
| Where it appears | On the MICR line of your checks; in online banking | Provided by the bank for wires; often not on your check |
| Same at every bank? | Not necessarily — some banks use one number for both, some don't | May differ from the ACH number; confirm with your bank |
The practical rule: for direct deposit and most everyday transfers, use the ACH routing number — the one printed on your checks and shown in online banking. Only use a wire routing number when you are specifically sending or receiving a wire transfer. When in doubt, ask your bank which number to use for the transfer you are making; the difference matters because direct deposit runs over the ACH network, not the wire network.
How do you verify you have the right numbers?
Before you hand the numbers to an employer, benefits agency, or biller, take thirty seconds to confirm them — a wrong digit is the leading cause of a misrouted or rejected deposit. Cross-check the routing and account numbers against two independent sources, such as a check and your bank's app, and make sure the routing number is the ACH one for the transfer you are doing.
If you need to give a payer the numbers in a document they trust rather than just typing them in, a voided check is the format most payroll and billing systems were built around — it shows your name plus the routing and account numbers in the standard MICR layout. No checkbook? You can create a voided check online from your real numbers, or send a bank verification letter. For which document a specific recipient wants, see the voided check vs. deposit slip vs. bank letter comparison.
- Confirm the routing number is nine digits and matches your bank.
- Cross-check both numbers against two sources (e.g. a check and your banking app).
- Use the ACH routing number for direct deposit; the wire routing number only for wires.
- Don't read your routing number off a deposit slip — it can be an internal, non-routable number.
The bottom line
Your routing number is the left-most nine-digit group on the bottom of a check, followed by your account number; you can also find both in your bank's app or website (under account details) and on a statement. Use the ACH routing number for direct deposit and everyday transfers, and a wire routing number only for wires — many banks have both. Cross-check the numbers against two sources before you share them, and if a payer wants a document, a voided check or bank letter carries the numbers in the format they expect.