Canadian Transit Number Checker
Check a transit number and institution number, convert them to the cheque or electronic routing number format, and find an institution number by name.
A Canadian routing number has a 5-digit transit (branch) number and a 3-digit institution number. On a cheque it is written transit-institution (12345-003). For electronic payments it is written with a leading zero, then the institution number, then the transit number (000312345). There is no check digit, so a format check cannot prove that a branch or account exists.
Check numbers
Digits only. You can also paste a full routing number into the first box: 8 digits (transit then institution, with or without a dash) or 9 digits starting with 0. The tool splits it for you.
The example uses the Royal Bank of Canada's institution number with a made-up transit number, not a real branch.
Find an institution
Go Deeper
What the Numbers Are
Canadian banks identify an account with three numbers: the transit number, the institution number and the account number.
- Transit number: five digits that identify one branch. Payments Canada calls it the branch number, and each institution designates its own.
- Institution number: three digits that identify the bank, credit union or other institution. Payments Canada allocates them under its Rule D4.
- Account number: the customer's number at that branch. Its length varies by institution.
Cheque Format and Electronic Format
The same branch is written two ways:
| Format | Layout | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cheque (MICR) | Transit, dash, institution: 8 digits | 12345-003 |
| Electronic (EFT) | 0, institution, transit: 9 digits | 000312345 |
Payments Canada's Rule F8 defines the electronic form, which it calls a Direct Payment Routing Number: a nine digit number with a leading zero, made of the institution number and a five digit branch number, used to route electronic payments to a branch. The same rule says a routing number of this kind must not be encoded on cheques (Payments Canada Rule F8). Most forms ask for the transit number and institution number in separate boxes, and you can enter them that way here.
No Check Digit
US routing numbers have a check digit, so a typo usually fails a calculation. Canadian routing numbers do not, and the rules that define them do not describe one. A format check can tell you that a number has the right length and layout, but it cannot tell you that the branch exists, that the transit number belongs to the institution you entered, or that the account is real. That is why this tool does not label a number "valid" as if it were verified.
How to Find Your Numbers
- A void cheque shows the transit number, institution number and account number along the bottom.
- Your banking app or online banking usually shows them in the account details, sometimes under "direct deposit" or "void cheque".
- Your bank can give you a direct deposit form or a letter that lists them.
Each branch has its own transit number, so use the one for the branch where your account is held. To look a branch up, use Payments Canada's free financial institution branch directory, which publishes branch lists for banks, credit unions and trust companies. This tool does not include branch data.
Institution Numbers
The 133 institution numbers in this tool come from Payments Canada's directory of members and its Rule D4 list, as of 18 September 2026. In that directory, numbers from 001 to 010 belong to the largest banks, the 200s and 300s mostly to smaller and foreign banks, the 500s and 600s to trust and loan companies and some banks, the 700s to payment service providers and securities dealers, and the 800s mostly to credit unions and their centrals. Treat this pattern as a guide, and use the lookup for the actual institution.
Numbers that changed hands
Payments Canada now lists 016, HSBC Bank Canada's former number, under Royal Bank of Canada, following the amalgamation that took effect on 29 March 2024. It lists 030, Canadian Western Bank's former number, under National Bank of Canada. If your account was at either institution, ask your current bank which numbers to use.
Many credit unions and caisses populaires appear under a central such as Desjardins or Central 1 and may not have their own entry. If your institution number is not found, ask the credit union for the numbers to use.
Domestic and International Payments
Transit and institution numbers are used for payments within Canada, such as direct deposit and pre-authorised debits. A payment from another country normally goes through SWIFT, so the sender needs your bank's SWIFT/BIC code and your account number, and some banks also ask for the transit and institution numbers. Ask the receiving bank for its incoming wire instructions, and find a bank's BIC with our SWIFT code lookup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Canadian transit number?
A transit number is the five-digit number that identifies a specific bank branch in Canada. Payments Canada calls it the branch number, and each institution designates its own. You need it together with the institution number and your account number for domestic payments such as direct deposit.
What is an institution number?
An institution number is a three-digit number that identifies a bank, credit union or other financial institution in Canada. Payments Canada allocates them under its Rule D4. For example, 003 is the Royal Bank of Canada and 004 is the Toronto-Dominion Bank.
What does a Canadian routing number look like?
On a cheque it is written transit-institution, such as 12345-003, which is 8 digits. For electronic payments it is nine digits with a leading zero, then the institution number, then the transit number, such as 000312345. Payments Canada's Rule F8 defines the electronic form.
Which format should I use for direct deposit?
Most direct deposit forms ask for the transit number and institution number in separate boxes, so enter them separately. If a form asks for a single routing number, check whether it wants the 8-digit cheque form or the 9-digit electronic form, and ask the organisation if the form does not say.
Is there a check digit in a Canadian routing number?
No. Unlike US routing numbers, Canadian routing numbers have no check digit, so a format check cannot prove that a branch or account exists. This tool checks only the length and layout, and it looks up the institution number.
How do I find my transit number?
Look at the bottom of a void cheque, in the account details of your banking app or online banking, or ask your bank for a direct deposit form or letter. Each branch has its own transit number, so use the one for the branch where your account is held.
Can this tool tell me which branch a transit number belongs to?
No. It does not include branch data. Payments Canada publishes a free financial institution branch directory with branch lists for banks, credit unions and trust companies, and you can use it to confirm a branch.
Why is my institution number not found?
The tool holds a snapshot of the institution numbers in Payments Canada's directory. Many credit unions and caisses populaires appear under a central such as Desjardins or Central 1 and may not have their own number, and new institutions are added over time. A typo is also possible, so ask the institution for its numbers.
Did the numbers for HSBC Canada and Canadian Western Bank change?
Payments Canada now lists 016, HSBC Bank Canada's former number, under the Royal Bank of Canada, following the amalgamation that took effect on 29 March 2024. It lists 030, Canadian Western Bank's former number, under National Bank of Canada. If your account was at either institution, ask your current bank which numbers to use.
Is a transit number the same as a SWIFT code?
No. Transit and institution numbers route payments within Canada. Payments from other countries normally use the bank's SWIFT/BIC code and your account number, and some banks also ask for the transit and institution numbers. Ask the receiving bank for its incoming wire instructions.
Is a Canadian routing number the same as a US routing number?
No. A US ABA routing number has nine digits and a check digit. The Canadian electronic form is also nine digits but starts with 0 and has no check digit. Do not use one country's routing number for the other. Our ABA routing number checker can test a US number.
Where does the institution data come from?
From Payments Canada's directory of members and its Rule D4 list of institution numbers, as of 18 September 2026. It is a snapshot, so a newer number may be missing. The tool holds 133 institution numbers and no branch data.
Is my transit number or account information stored or sent anywhere?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or saved by this page.
