What is a bank routing number?
A routing number is a nine-digit code that identifies your bank inside the American payment system. Yours is the bottom-left number on a check and is listed in your banking app under account details.
Every American bank and credit union has at least one routing number, assigned by the ABA. It tells the network which institution holds the account, while the account number tells the bank which customer. Many banks use one routing number for ACH and direct deposit and a different one for wires, which is the single most common reason a transfer bounces back.
Step by step
1.Look at the bottom-left of a paper check
The first group of nine digits is the routing number. The next group is your account number, and the last is the check number.
2.Open your banking app instead if you have no checks
Nearly every app shows it under account details, direct deposit setup, or account and routing numbers.
3.Ask which routing number the task needs
Direct deposit and ACH often use one number, domestic wires another, and international wires may need a SWIFT code as well.
4.Double check online banks and merged banks
Online banks that partner with a chartered bank list the partner's routing number, and merged banks can keep several legacy numbers alive for years.
Quick facts
- Length
- Exactly 9 digits
- Also called
- ABA number, routing transit number, RTN
- Identifies
- The bank, not your individual account
- Safe to share?
- Yes, it is public information and printed on every check
- Common gotcha
- Separate numbers for ACH and for wires
Common questions
Is it safe to give out my routing number?
Yes. Routing numbers are public and published by the Federal Reserve. Risk comes from sharing your account number and personal details together with authorization, not from the routing number alone.
Why does my bank have two routing numbers?
Banks commonly use one routing number for ACH and direct deposit and another for wire transfers. Mergers can also leave several legacy numbers in service.
What happens if I use the wrong routing number?
The payment is usually rejected and returned in a few business days, though a valid number belonging to another bank can delay things much longer. Verify before a deadline-sensitive transfer.
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Last reviewed 2026-09-19.