What Is a Routing Number? Definition and Where to Find Yours

This nine-digit number identifies your bank or credit union in a financial transaction.

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Your routing number is one of the long strings of numbers at the bottom of your check. You need it to get direct deposits, pay bills and move money between banks. But what exactly is a routing number, where else can you find it (other than the bottom of a check) and how else might you need it? Read on to find out.

What is a routing number?

Routing numbers are nine-digit codes that identify banks or credit unions in financial transactions. The codes were adopted by the American Bankers Association in 1910 to make transactions quicker and more efficient. (They’re also called ABA routing numbers.)

Some banks have one specific routing number for their business, while others — especially bigger banks — have several assigned to them. They reduce the chance of miscommunication in money transfer requests. So even if two banks have similar names, they’re distinct from one another because of their different routing numbers.

Read ahead to see lists of routing numbers at a few of the largest banks in the country as well as some online banks and credit unions. See the image below for an example of where to find the routing number on a check.

Understanding the parts of a check

1. Your personal information 2. Check number 3. Date the check was written 4. Recipient's name 5. Payment amount

6. Memo line 7. Name of the bank 8. Routing number 9. Account number 10. Your signature

Each bank has at least one routing number, although larger banks can have more. At a bank with multiple routing numbers, they can be different depending on the location where you opened your account and the type of transaction you’re making. If you opened an account in Texas, for example, your routing number to set up direct deposit can be different from your friend’s in California, and different from your mom’s when she’s accepting an incoming wire transfer — even if the three of you use the same bank.

When you’ll need your routing number

You’ll need your routing number in a variety of situations, including setting up direct deposit, automatic loan payments or recurring transfers like bill payments.

You’ll also need it when you file taxes if you want to receive your tax refund as a direct deposit, or to make a tax payment from your account using electronic withdrawal. If you plan on transferring money between banks via online transfer, you likely need it then, too.

You generally only need your routing number when funds are being directly transferred to or from your bank account — not for debit card or credit card purchases.

How to find your routing number

How to find your routing number on a check: You can find your routing number at the bottom left corner of your personal checks. It’s the first nine digits of the long line of numbers. That long string of numbers is called the magnetic ink character recognition line. It contains your routing number, account number and the check number, in that order. (See the check image above for an example.)

Other ways to find your routing number: If you don’t have a check handy, you can also find the routing number in a few other places:

  • Your bank statement.

  • Your bank’s website or mobile app (you may need to log in to your account first).

  • The American Bankers Association’s routing number lookup.

If you have any issues finding the number, you can always contact your bank’s customer service line.

» Paying by check for the first time? Learn how to write a check correctly

Bank of America routing numbers

Confirm that your state's routing number below is the same on your checks or in your logged-in online account.

Disclaimer: These are Bank of America routing numbers for checking accounts for electronic payments only. Some states or regions may have different routing numbers for checks and electronic payments. There are separate routing numbers for wire transfers as well.

State

Routing number

Alabama

051000017

Alaska

051000017

Arizona

122101706

Arkansas

082000073

California

121000358

Colorado

123103716

Connecticut

011900254

Delaware

031202084

Washington, D.C.

054001204

Florida

063100277

Georgia

061000052

Hawaii

051000017

Idaho

123103716

Illinois (South and Chicago Metro)

081904808

Illinois (North)

071000505

Indiana

071214579

Iowa

073000176

Kansas

101100045

Kentucky

064000020

Louisiana

051000017

Maine

011200365

Maryland

052001633

Massachusetts

011000138

Michigan

072000805

Minnesota

071214579

Mississippi

051000017

Missouri

081000032

Montana

051000017

Nebraska

123103716

Nevada

122400724

New Hampshire

011400495

New Jersey

021200339

New Mexico

107000327

New York

021000322

North Carolina

053000196

North Dakota

051000017

Ohio

071214579

Oklahoma

103000017

Oregon

323070380

Pennsylvania

031202084

Rhode Island

011500010

South Carolina

053904483

South Dakota

051000017

Tennessee

064000020

Texas

111000025

Utah

123103716

Vermont

051000017

Virginia

051000017

Washington

125000024

West Virginia

051000017

Wisconsin

051000017

Wyoming

051000017

Chase routing numbers

Chase routing numbers for personal accounts could not be obtained from Chase’s public-facing website. You can find your routing number by referencing your Chase bank account checks or by logging in to your account online.

Wells Fargo routing numbers

Confirm that your state's routing number below is the same on your checks or in your logged-in online account.

Disclaimer: The Wells Fargo routing numbers below are for checking accounts that aren't used for wire transfers. There are two for California, but the one listed below works across the state.

State

Routing number

Alabama

062000080

Alaska

125200057

Arizona

122105278

Arkansas

111900659

California

121042882

Colorado

102000076

Connecticut

021101108

Delaware

031100869

Washington, D.C.

054001220

Florida

063107513

Georgia

061000227

Hawaii

121042882

Idaho

124103799

Illinois

071101307

Indiana

074900275

Iowa

073000228

Kansas

101089292

Kentucky

121042882

Louisiana

121042882

Maine

121042882

Maryland

055003201

Massachusetts

121042882

Michigan

091101455

Minnesota

091000019

Mississippi

062203751

Missouri

113105449

Montana

092905278

Nebraska

104000058

Nevada

321270742

New Hampshire

121042882

New Jersey

021200025

New Mexico

107002192

New York

026012881

North Carolina

053000219

North Dakota

091300010

Ohio

041215537

Oklahoma

121042882

Oregon

123006800

Pennsylvania

031000503

Rhode Island

121042882

South Carolina

053207766

South Dakota

091400046

Tennessee

064003768

Texas

111900659

Texas (El Paso)

112000066

Utah

124002971

Vermont

121042882

Virginia

051400549

Washington

125008547

West Virginia

121042882

Wisconsin

075911988

Wyoming

102301092

Online bank and credit union routing numbers

Confirm that your routing number below is the same in your logged-in online account. Unless otherwise noted, these are the routing numbers for electronic payments and checks.

Financial institution

Routing number

Ally Bank

124003116

Alliant Credit Union

271081528

Charles Schwab Bank

121202211

Discover Bank

031100649

SoFi Bank

031101334

Synchrony Bank

021213591

Frequently asked questions

The difference between a routing number and an account number is that a routing number identifies a specific bank while an account number identifies a personal bank account. The routing number is the first nine-digit number in the bottom left corner of a check. It’s immediately followed by the account number.

The routing number is the first nine-digit number in the bottom left corner of a check.

You can find your bank’s routing number by contacting its customer service department. You can also find it on your bank statement and the bank’s website or mobile app.