ABA Routing Number Checker
Check whether a US routing number passes the ABA check digit test, see the working, and learn what the digits mean.
An ABA routing number has 9 digits, and its last digit is a check digit. The number is correctly formed when 3 × (digits 1, 4, 7) + 7 × (digits 2, 5, 8) + 1 × (digits 3, 6, 9) divides evenly by 10. This tool runs that test in your browser. A pass means the number is correctly formed. It does not mean a bank uses it, and it does not say whether the number is for ACH or for wires.
Check a routing number
The examples are worked examples, not a recommendation of any bank.
Go Deeper
What an ABA Routing Number Is
A routing number is a nine-digit number that identifies a US financial institution in payments such as direct deposit, ACH transfers, bill payments and wire transfers. It is printed along the bottom of a cheque. Every US bank account is held at an institution with at least one, and some institutions have several.
| Digits | What they are |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | The Federal Reserve routing symbol. The first two digits identify the Federal Reserve district. |
| 5 to 8 | The institution identifier, which distinguishes the institution from others in the same district. |
| 9 | The check digit. |
The Federal Reserve's Regulation CC describes the first four digits as the Federal Reserve routing symbol and says the first two digits identify the Federal Reserve district where the bank is located. Adding 2 to the first digit marks a thrift institution (Regulation CC, Appendix A).
What the First Two Digits Say
| District | Bank | Thrift | Electronic |
|---|---|---|---|
| First (Boston) | 01 | 21 | 61 |
| Second (New York) | 02 | 22 | 62 |
| Third (Philadelphia) | 03 | 23 | 63 |
| Fourth (Cleveland) | 04 | 24 | 64 |
| Fifth (Richmond) | 05 | 25 | 65 |
| Sixth (Atlanta) | 06 | 26 | 66 |
| Seventh (Chicago) | 07 | 27 | 67 |
| Eighth (St. Louis) | 08 | 28 | 68 |
| Ninth (Minneapolis) | 09 | 29 | 69 |
| Tenth (Kansas City) | 10 | 30 | 70 |
| Eleventh (Dallas) | 11 | 31 | 71 |
| Twelfth (San Francisco) | 12 | 32 | 72 |
Numbers beginning 01 to 12 belong to institutions in that district. Numbers beginning 21 to 32 are for thrift institutions, such as savings banks and credit unions, in the same district. Numbers beginning 61 to 72 are electronic-transaction identifiers, made by adding 60 to the district number. A number that starts with anything else, such as 00, is outside the ranges this tool explains. That is not proof it is wrong, so check it with the institution.
How the Check Digit Works
- Multiply digits 1, 4 and 7 by 3, digits 2, 5 and 8 by 7, and digits 3, 6 and 9 by 1.
- Add the nine results.
- If the total divides evenly by 10, the number passes.
Example: for 031001175, the total is 3 × (0 + 0 + 1) + 7 × (3 + 0 + 7) + 1 × (1 + 1 + 5) = 3 + 70 + 7 = 80. Eighty divides evenly by 10, so it passes. Open "Show the working" in a result to see this for your number.
What a Pass and a Fail Mean
- Pass: the number is correctly formed. It can still belong to no institution, or to a different one from the one you intend.
- Fail: most likely a mistyped, missing or swapped digit. Recheck against the source, such as a cheque or your bank's own page.
- Not a name check: the tool cannot tell you which bank a number belongs to.
Why This Tool Does Not Name the Bank
Matching a routing number to a bank needs a current directory. The Federal Reserve Banks publish one, the E-Payments Routing Directory, and its terms prohibit selling or otherwise using its information for commercial gain. Other lists go out of date, and a wrong routing number sends money to the wrong place, so this tool does not include one. Use the official lookups to identify an institution:
- Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory, which has separate searches for FedACH and Fedwire.
- American Bankers Association routing number information.
ACH, Wire and Cheque Routing Numbers
A bank can have more than one routing number, and the one for ACH payments can differ from the one for wire transfers. The Federal Reserve publishes routing information for FedACH and Fedwire separately for this reason. A routing number that passes the check can still be the wrong one for the kind of payment you are making, so use the routing number your bank gives you for that payment type.
Where to Find a Routing Number
- On a cheque: the nine-digit number on the bottom left, before the account number.
- In your banking app or online banking: in the account details.
- On your bank's own website or from the bank directly: especially for wire transfers, which often need a different number.
Outside the United States
ABA routing numbers are used for payments within the US. A payment from another country normally uses the receiving bank's SWIFT/BIC code and the account number, and for wires into a US bank the sender may also be asked for the wire routing number. Find a bank's BIC with our SWIFT code lookup. Nigerian accounts use a 10-digit NUBAN, not a routing number. You can check one with our NUBAN validator.
Canada's electronic routing numbers also have nine digits and start with 0, but they are built differently and have no check digit. Do not use one country's routing number for the other. See our Canadian transit number checker.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ABA routing number?
An ABA routing number is a nine-digit number that identifies a US financial institution in payments such as direct deposit, ACH transfers, bill payments and wire transfers. It is printed along the bottom of a cheque, before the account number.
How do I check an ABA routing number?
Enter the nine digits. The tool multiplies digits 1, 4 and 7 by 3, digits 2, 5 and 8 by 7, and digits 3, 6 and 9 by 1, and adds the results. If the total divides evenly by 10, the number passes the check digit test.
What do the nine digits mean?
The first four digits are the Federal Reserve routing symbol, and the first two identify the Federal Reserve district. Digits 5 to 8 identify the institution within that district, and digit 9 is the check digit.
Does a pass mean the routing number is real?
No. A pass means the number is correctly formed. Roughly 1 in 10 random nine-digit numbers passes by chance, and a passing number can belong to no institution or to a different one from the one you intend. Confirm the number with the account holder or your bank.
Why does this tool not show the bank name?
Matching a routing number to a bank needs a current directory. The Federal Reserve Banks publish one, and its terms prohibit selling or otherwise using its information for commercial gain. Other lists go out of date, and a wrong routing number sends money to the wrong place, so this tool does not include one. Use the Federal Reserve's E-Payments Routing Directory or the American Bankers Association's information to identify an institution.
Are ACH and wire routing numbers the same?
Not always. A bank can have different routing numbers for ACH payments and for wire transfers, and the Federal Reserve publishes routing information for FedACH and Fedwire separately. Use the routing number your bank gives you for the type of payment you are making.
Where do I find my routing number?
On the bottom left of a cheque, in your banking app or online banking account details, or on your bank's own website. For wire transfers, ask your bank, because the wire routing number can differ from the one printed on cheques.
What do routing numbers starting with 21 to 32 or 61 to 72 mean?
Numbers starting with 01 to 12 are for institutions in that Federal Reserve district. Adding 2 to the first digit, giving 21 to 32, marks a thrift institution such as a savings bank or credit union. Numbers starting with 61 to 72 are electronic-transaction identifiers, made by adding 60 to the district number.
Is a routing number the same as an account number?
No. The routing number identifies the institution, and the account number identifies your account at that institution. You need both for most US payments.
Can I use a routing number for an international transfer?
Not on its own. Payments from another country normally use the receiving bank's SWIFT/BIC code and the account number, and for wires into a US bank the sender may also be asked for the wire routing number. Ask the receiving bank for its incoming wire instructions.
Do I need a US routing number if I live in Nigeria?
Only if you have or are paying into a US bank account. Nigerian accounts use a 10-digit NUBAN rather than a routing number. If someone in the US wants to pay a Nigerian account, they will normally need the account number, the bank name and its SWIFT/BIC code.
Is a Canadian routing number the same as a US one?
No. Canada's electronic routing numbers also have nine digits and start with 0, but they are made of a 3-digit institution number and a 5-digit branch number and have no check digit. Do not use one country's routing number for the other.
Is my routing number stored or sent anywhere?
No. The check runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or saved by this page.
