Where to find your routing number — on a check, in the app, and without either
The routing number is the left-hand group of nine digits at the bottom of a check. Here is how to read the MICR line, and four ways to find your number if you have never owned a checkbook.
The bottom of a US check carries three groups of digits printed in magnetic ink — the MICR line, readable by both machines and people. Reading it takes about five seconds once you know the order.
Reading the MICR line
- Left group — routing number. Always nine digits, always bracketed by a pair of identical symbols. This is what a direct-deposit form wants.
- Middle group — your account number. Length varies by bank, commonly 8 to 17 digits.
- Right group — the check number. It matches the number printed in the top-right corner of the check, which is the quickest way to confirm you have identified the groups correctly.
Some banks print the check number first and the account number last. If in doubt, find the group that matches the number in the top-right corner — whatever that is, it is the check number, and the nine-digit group is the routing number.
Four ways to find it without a check
- Your banking app. Open the account and look for "account details", "account info" or a "direct deposit" option. Nearly every US bank now shows the routing number here, and it is the number specific to your account rather than a general one.
- A pre-filled direct deposit form. Many banks generate a completed PDF inside online banking. This is the most reliable option because the bank fills it in.
- Your monthly statement. Often printed in the header or footer, though not universally.
- Phone the bank. Use the number on the back of your card, and expect to pass identity checks.
Two things that are not your routing number
A deposit slip. Some banks print an internal branch-processing number on deposit slips instead of the ACH routing number. It looks right and it is not, and a direct-deposit form will reject or misroute it. Use a check or the app.
Anything on your card. The 16-digit number on a debit or credit card is a card number issued by the card network. It has no relationship to a routing number, and no card carries one.
Common questions
Which number on my check is the routing number?
The leftmost group of nine digits along the bottom edge, printed in magnetic MICR ink and bracketed by two identical symbols. The middle group is your account number and the rightmost group is the check number.
I have never had a checkbook. How do I find it?
Open your bank app and look at account details — nearly every US bank now shows the routing number there. Failing that, a direct-deposit form generated inside online banking will carry it, or you can call the bank. A deposit slip is not reliable: many banks print a different internal number on those.
Is the routing number on my debit card?
No. Debit and credit cards carry a 16-digit card number that has nothing to do with routing numbers, and no card displays a routing or account number.
Why does my deposit slip show a different number?
Some banks print an internal branch-processing number on deposit slips rather than the ACH routing number. Use a check or the app instead; a deposit slip number will often be rejected by a direct-deposit form.
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General information, not financial advice. Payment network hours and bank cut-offs change — confirm current details with your own bank before relying on them for a time-critical transfer.