Where is the Routing Number on a Check

Where is the routing number on a check or where do I find the routing and account number on the check? In this article, you can learn where is the routing number on a check. Popular banking transaction such as online bill payments, check processing and other requires the use of a bank routing number. The routing number appears as a nine-digit number that identifies your bank in a financial transaction.

What is Routing Number

Routing numbers are identified by a nine-digit number that represents your bank or credit union in a financial transaction. Think of the routing number as a numerical address that enables easy transactions such as sending and receiving money from other financial institutions by your bank. It helps to identify the financial institution responsible for ensuring payments and also getting the payment forward to the right place.

According to history, routing numbers were introduced in 1910 by the American Bankers Association for processing checks. The routing numbers come in different names like ABA routing numbers or routing transit numbers. Nowadays, the number is required for a variety of banking transactions such as direct deposits, wire transfers, payments through phone, and payments using applications like Venmo, and more.

When you’ll need your routing number

For most financial transactions the routing number is needed to complete the transactions in the United States. Knowing what a routing number is and how to find it, help you to make a financial transaction such as the following:

• Set up direct deposit.
• Check processing
• Pay a bill online or by phone
• Make a wire transfer
• Send and receive wire transfers
• Automatic loan payments or recurring transfers
• Reordering checks
• Connecting a budgeting app to your bank account

In addition, you need a routing number when you want to file taxes to receive your tax refund or debt a tax payment, and many more.

Where is the Routing Number on a Check?

If you are wondering where is the routing number on my check, there are multiple ways where you can find the routing number on the check. You can find your routing number alongside your account number at the bottom left corner of your checks issued by your bank.

The routing number appears as the first nine digits located at the bottom left corner of your check. Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) is used to print the number. However, if you don’t have a check to find the routing number, you can also search in other places such as:

• Your bank statements
• Online banking
• Your monthly statement
• Through your bank’s phone customer service
• The American Bankers Association’s routing number lookup.

Keep in mind, it’s possible that the routing number to change. Therefore, it is important that you call your bank branch to confirm your routing number to avoid providing the wrong number while making a transaction online or anywhere that requires providing a routing number.

Bank of America Routing Numbers

Chase Routing Numbers

Wells Fargo Routing Numbers

FAQs

Routing number vs. account number: What’s the difference?

Keep in mind, there is a difference between the routing number and the account number. A routing number helps to identify a specific bank and an account number helps to identify a bank account.

How do I find my bank’s routing number?

You can find your routing number in the bottom left corner of a check before your account number.

How do I find my bank’s routing number without a check?

Other ways where you can find routing number without a check includes bank statement, bank website or mobile app, bank phone customer service, and monthly statement.