Every major U.S. bank displays its routing number on its website, and several free public tools let you look up any bank’s routing number or identify a bank from a routing number you already have. The fastest option depends on whether you need your own bank’s number or want to verify someone else’s.
Your Own Bank’s Website
The simplest route is going straight to your bank. Virtually every bank and credit union in the country publishes its routing number on its website, usually on a help or FAQ page. Many also display it when you log into online banking and view your account details. If your bank has a mobile app, the routing number typically appears on the account information screen.
You can also find your routing number on a personal check. The nine-digit number printed at the bottom left of the check, before your account number, is your routing number. If you don’t have checks handy, calling your bank’s customer service line will get you the number in a few minutes.
One thing to keep in mind: large banks that operate across many states sometimes use different routing numbers depending on the state or region where you opened your account. If you search your bank’s website, make sure you select the correct state or location so you get the right one.
The Federal Reserve’s Routing Directory
The Federal Reserve operates a free online tool called the E-Payments Routing Directory. It lets you search for any bank’s routing number by name, state, city, or routing number itself. The directory covers both Fedwire participants (used for wire transfers) and FedACH participants (used for electronic transfers like direct deposits and bill payments). This is a government-maintained database, so the information is as authoritative as it gets.
The tool is available at frbservices.org. You can search in either direction: enter a bank name to find its routing number, or enter a routing number to identify which bank it belongs to. The directory is free to use for personal lookups, though the data cannot be resold or used for commercial purposes.
The ABA’s Official Lookup Tool
The American Bankers Association, the organization that originally created the routing number system, maintains its own online lookup. The ABA’s routing number page directs users to a search tool managed by LexisNexis Risk Solutions, which serves as the official registrar of ABA routing numbers. The database contains approximately 22,000 active nine-digit routing numbers and includes details about which clearing systems each number supports, such as ACH transfers and wire transfers.
You can access the lookup through aba.com. It’s useful when you need to verify that a routing number is valid and active, not just find one for a specific bank.
ACH, Wire, and Paper Check Numbers
When you look up a routing number, you may see different numbers listed for the same bank. That’s because banks can have separate routing numbers for different types of transactions. ABA routing numbers are used for paper checks. ACH routing numbers handle electronic transfers like direct deposit, online bill pay, and bank-to-bank transfers. Wire transfer routing numbers are used specifically for domestic wire transfers.
At some banks, the ACH and ABA routing numbers are identical. At others, they’re different. This matters because using the wrong type can delay or reject a transaction. When you set up a direct deposit or link a bank account to a payment app, you typically need the ACH routing number. When you send or receive a wire transfer, you need the wire routing number. If you’re unsure which one to use, check with your bank or ask the party requesting the number which type of transfer they’re initiating.
Identifying a Bank From a Routing Number
If someone gives you a routing number and you want to confirm which bank it belongs to, both the Federal Reserve directory and the ABA lookup tool work in reverse. Enter the nine-digit number, and the tool will return the bank’s name, location, and the types of transactions the number supports.
This is worth doing anytime you receive payment instructions from someone you don’t know well. Verifying that the routing number matches the bank they claim to use takes about 30 seconds and can help you spot errors or inconsistencies before you send money.
Reading the Number Itself
Routing numbers follow a consistent structure that tells you something even before you look it up. The first two digits indicate which Federal Reserve district the bank falls under, ranging from 01 through 12. The third digit identifies the specific Federal Reserve office. The fourth through eighth digits identify the individual bank. The ninth digit is a check digit used to validate the number mathematically. If a routing number doesn’t pass the check-digit formula, it’s not a real routing number, and any lookup tool will return no results.