Routing number lookup & validator

A routing number (also called an ABA routing number, routing transit number or RTN) is a nine-digit code that identifies a financial institution in US payment systems. With your account number, it routes money via ACH (direct deposit, bill pay), Fedwire (wire transfers) and paper checks.

The number was created by the American Bankers Association in 1910 and is administered today through an accredited registrar; the operational list is the Federal Reserve's E-Payments Routing Directory.

This is the detail most lookups miss: a bank often uses different routing numbers for ACH and for domestic wires, and large banks assign them by the state where you opened the account. Always confirm the right one for your transfer type — an ACH number may be rejected for a wire and vice-versa. For incoming international wires you'll use the bank's SWIFT/BIC code instead.

• Check — the first 9 digits along the bottom-left (MICR line).
• Bank statement or online banking — under account/ACH details.
• Banking app — account info screen (often labelled ACH routing number).

A routing number is 9 digits. The first two encode the Federal Reserve district (valid ranges 00–12, 21–32, 61–72, 80). It carries a checksum using weights 3-7-1: (3·(d1+d4+d7) + 7·(d2+d5+d8) + (d3+d6+d9)) mod 10 = 0. Our validator runs this check so you can spot a mistyped number instantly.

Yes. A routing number is public — it's printed on every check — and is safe to give out to receive a direct deposit or payment. The routing number plus account number lets someone send you money or set up an authorized ACH debit; never share your online-banking login, full card number with CVV, or one-time passcodes.