Articles

Chickipedia

Where Is The Routing Number On A Check

By: Stephen Thiele

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Looking for information on where is the routing number on a check? Every check, both personal and business, that is issued by a bank has a routing number on it. The routing number serves the purpose of being a form of identification for your financial institution. When someone goes to cash or deposit a check that you have written, the bank that is accepting the check can use the routing number to determine which bank issued the check. All banks have their own routing number that is different from the routing number of another bank.

Locating the routing number on a check is very easy. At the bottom of your check, you should see three sets of numbers. The first set of numbers is the routing number for your bank. The routing number generally starts with a zero, and it is nine digits long. The first four digits in the routing number refer to the clearing house that your bank uses. The next four digits are used to identify your bank, and the ninth digit is used by other banks to ensure that your check is bona fide. Next to the routing number on your check you will find your account number, followed by the number of your check, which is also located in the top right corner of the check.

Including routing numbers on checks makes it much easier for clearing houses to check the authenticity of the check before they are cashed or deposited. Without routing numbers, every check that a bank accepts would have to be processed manually. Now a certain type of programmed scanner can be used to read thousands of checks each and every minute. Knowing where to locate the routing number on your checks will come in handy if you want direct deposit from your employer, as your employer will need both your routing and account number to send your paycheck directly to your bank account.

Posted on: Apr. 12, 2011