Your bank account number is a custom ID, much like a fingerprint, that identifies your account. Each account has its own unique number, and you’ll need to know it in order to carry out a number of financial transactions from ordering checks to transferring money between accounts.
Here’s a closer look at what a bank account number is and where to find it when you need it.
What Is a Bank Account Number?
Bank account numbers are used by financial institutions to help them differentiate among the many accounts that they hold for customers. You get one when you open a bank account, and each account has a different account number, even if the account holder is the same. For example, if you hold a checking account and a savings account at the same financial institution, the numbers will be different.
Bank account numbers have been in use since the 1960s. Each bank assigns numbers to accounts based on a proprietary system, and the numbers can be up to 17 digits long, but are typically between eight and 12 digits.
How to Find Your Checking Account Number
In order to carry out a number of financial transactions, you’ll need to know your account number. But sometimes, when you need it most, that series of digits can be hard to find! Let us guide you towards where it is.
On Your Checks
If you have paper checks, you should be able to find your account number or routing number printed along the bottom of the check. Your routing number will usually be in the bottom left-hand corner of the check, and your account number should be to the right of your routing number. Each will likely be labeled. The number that’s to the right of the account number? In most cases, that is the number of the check you are holding in your hands.
On Your Bank Account Statement
Your bank account number can also be found on paper account statements mailed to you by your bank or available via its online portal. The number is usually listed at the top of the statement close to other identifying information and it should be clearly labeled. It may be on the right- or left-hand side, depending on your bank’s particular practice.
On Your Bank Account’s Online Portal
You should be able to find your account number online. You’ll need to securely log in to your account through your bank’s online portal. Where the number is displayed will vary by bank. It could be listed under the name of the account, for example, or you might need to find an account details tab. Or, as we mentioned above, it should be displayed on your monthly statement.
From Your Bank
Another way to get your account number is by contacting your bank, whether in person (if they have bricks and mortar locations) or by phone. Banks follow different protocols, but some will release the information once you have properly verified your identity as the account holder.
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What Is the Difference Between a Routing and an Account Number?
It can be confusing to know the difference between a routing and an account number. Let us clear that up for you! Account numbers are unique to individual accounts, and depending on how many accounts you may hold, you may have several different account numbers. The routing number, on the other hand, is a nine-digit number that identifies the bank or credit union at which an account is held and where the bank is located. Most banks have only one routing number, though some very large banks will have more than one that varies by region. So, even if you hold multiple accounts at a bank, each with their own account number, those accounts will likely share the same routing number.
The routing number, also known as an American Bankers Association, or ABA number, is only used for transactions in the U.S. It shows that a bank is chartered at the state or federal level and has an account with the Federal Reserve.
How to Protect Your Account Number
Because you need your account number to conduct transactions with your bank, it is a valuable piece of information for hackers and criminals looking to commit identity theft or fraud. Keeping this number confidential is important, so here are ways to protect it – and your security.
Protect Your Paper Checks
A lot of valuable information is printed on paper checks, including your name, address, routing number, and account number. Avoid leaving paper checks in places where strangers have easy access to them and can either steal them or copy down your information. Shred or tear up checks and other paper bank statements before you dispose of them.
Recommended: What Can Someone Do With Your Bank Account Number?
Use Strong Passwords
When setting up a password for online accounts, be sure to use something that isn’t easy to guess, like “pass1234.” Avoid personal information like names, addresses, or birth dates. Use random words with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Also, avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
Use Secure Internet
Sometimes, you may want to check your bank account while traveling or at your neighborhood cafe. But be very cautious about your internet connection. When logging on in public places, be sure you are using a secure network that you can trust. You may also consider using a virtual private network (VPN) that encrypts your data. Or if you’re logging on to your bank account with a mobile device, consider using your mobile data, which is usually encrypted.
You may also want to make sure your device settings don’t automatically connect you to public wifi, and be sure that you don’t stay permanently logged in to any of your bank accounts.
Provide Your Account Number Only on Secure Websites
Only provide your account number to secure websites that encrypt their data. URLs for these sites will start with “https,” and they may have a little lock icon next to them. It’s important to know that even a website that starts with “https” isn’t necessarily secure. Scammers know that people assume these sites are safe and have started encrypting fraudulent sites as well. These lure you into believe they are secure when they aren’t, so proceed with caution.
Check Your Account Regularly for Suspicious Activities
Monitor your checking account and other accounts carefully, and keep an eye on your bank statements. Look out for suspicious activities like purchases or money transfers that you don’t recognize or that you didn’t make. Let your bank know immediately if you spot anything out of the ordinary. You may want to set alerts on your account that contact you when certain transactions are carried out or a purchase of a certain size is made from your account.
Keep a watchful eye on your credit reports as well. These can help you determine whether fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name. You can request a free credit report each year from each of the major credit reporting bureaus: Experian , Equifax , and TransUnion . (Pulling a report, by the way, doesn’t hurt your credit.)
The Takeaway
Your bank account number is akin to a fingerprint: uniquely yours. It’s a valuable piece of information you’ll need for any number of banking transactions. It’s also information you should protect as best you can by carefully disposing of paper checks and statements and practicing secure banking online.
If you’re looking to open a bank account, consider SoFi Checking and Savings. Some of the benefits of banking with us include no monthly, overdraft, or minimum-balance fees – none! Plus, we have 55,000+ fee-free ATMs within the Allpoint® Network.
FAQ
Are bank account numbers unique?
Yes, each bank account has a unique account number to identify the account.
What is a routing number?
A routing number is a nine-digit number that identifies your bank or credit union. While you may have multiple accounts at one bank with unique account numbers, the routing number will likely be the same for each.
Can I change my bank account number?
You can only change account numbers by opening a new bank account.
Can I find my bank account number using my mobile phone?
You should be able to find your account number using your mobile phone by logging into your bank’s online portal.
Is your bank account number on your credit or debit card?
While your account number may be printed on bank statements or paper checks, it’s not printed on credit or debit cards. The numbers printed on debit and credit cards are unique to the card and carry information about the card issuer and account information.
How many digits is a bank account number?
Account numbers may be up to 17 digits long, but are usually between eight and 12 digits.
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SoFi members with direct deposit activity can earn 4.50% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Direct Deposit means a deposit to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Deposits that are not from an employer or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, do not constitute Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate.
SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 4.50% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant.
SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 4.50% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.
SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.
Members without either Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.
Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 8/9/2023. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet..
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