Routing number
A nine-digit code (also called an ABA routing number or RTN) that identifies a specific U.S. bank or credit union in the nation's payment systems. It tells ACH transfers, wires, and check clearing which institution holds the account. On a check it is the first group of digits in the MICR line; a single bank can have more than one routing number depending on the state or the type of transfer.
Related forms
Related guides
What is a voided check?
A voided check is a check with the word VOID written across the front so it can never be filled in or cashed. It still shows your bank's routing number and your account number, which lets an employer or biller set up direct deposit or automatic payments without you authorizing any money to move.
How to safely share your bank details to get paid
To get paid, you only need to share your routing number and account number — that is enough to receive a deposit, and those numbers cannot pull money out by themselves. Share them through a secure payer portal, not plain email or social media, and never hand over your online-banking login, PIN, or card details.
How to set up direct deposit at a new job
To set up direct deposit at a new job, give payroll a signed direct deposit authorization form with your bank's routing number, account number, and account type, usually backed by a voided check or bank letter. Your first paycheck may still be paper while payroll verifies the account; after that, deposits land automatically each payday.
Who to notify when you change bank accounts
When you change bank accounts, notify everyone who deposits to or debits the old one: your employer, every autopay biller, and government payers like the IRS and Social Security. Update each before you close the old account, and keep it open through one full billing cycle as a safety net.