What people mean by an ACH number
There is no number called an “ACH number” in the ACH rules. People use the phrase for the routing number that a bank uses for ACH payments. Nacha, the organization that writes the ACH rules, calls it a routing number, also known as an RTN or ABA number.
A form that asks for your “ACH number” usually wants that 9-digit routing number. Because the phrase is not official, a form could mean something else by it, such as the routing number and the account number together. If the form does not make it clear, ask the company that gave it to you.
ACH number and account number
They are two different numbers, and an ACH payment needs both.
| ACH routing number | Account number | |
|---|---|---|
| What it identifies | Your bank or credit union | Your own account at that bank |
| Length | Always 9 digits | Differs from bank to bank. An ACH payment has room for up to 17 characters |
| Is it only yours? | No. Other customers of the bank use the same one | Yes |
| Can a typing mistake be caught? | Often. The ninth digit is a check digit | No. Compare it with a check or a letter from the bank |
Where to find both numbers
Nacha gives three places.
- Your bank’s website or mobile app. Nacha says this is the best way.
- The bottom of a check. The routing number is the 9-digit number on the left. The account number is to its right, and the check number comes after it.
- Your bank. Ask for the routing number for ACH or direct deposit.
These are not the numbers on your debit card.
Take care with the number on a check. At some banks the routing number printed on paper checks is different from the one for electronic payments. The bank’s website or app shows the right one.
Why the ACH routing number can differ from the wire one
Some banks have more than one routing number. Bank of America, for example, lists three kinds for each state.
| Kind of routing number | What the bank says it is for |
|---|---|
| Paper | Ordering checks, for example |
| Electronic payment | Direct deposits, automatic payments and ACH transfers, for example |
| Wire transfer | Wire transfers |
So “ACH routing number” has a real meaning: it is the routing number for electronic payments, not the one for wires. For an ACH payment, use the number your bank lists for ACH, direct deposit or electronic payments. See ACH vs wire transfer.
What an ACH account is
“ACH account” is not an official term, and it is not a special kind of account. People use it for a checking or savings account that sends or receives ACH payments.
Nacha describes the ACH Network as a payment system that reaches all US bank and credit union accounts. An ACH payment says whether it is going to a checking account or a savings account. Some accounts do not allow some kinds of ACH payment, such as some savings or loan accounts. Such a payment comes back with return code R20.
When a company asks for your “ACH account”, it wants the details of the account it should pay into or collect from.
For a business, “ACH account” can also mean being set up to take or make ACH payments. What you need depends on which way the money moves.
| You want to | What you need |
|---|---|
| Be paid by ACH, when a customer or an employer sends the money | Only a bank account. Give the payer your details, for example on an ACH information form |
| Collect payments from customers by ACH debit | An ACH service from your bank (an ACH origination agreement) or from a payment processor. See how to accept ACH payments |
| Pay staff or suppliers by ACH | Your bank’s ACH service, payroll or payment software, or a NACHA file that you upload to your bank. See how to send ACH payments |
To send or collect ACH payments through a bank, the business signs an ACH origination agreement with that bank. Nacha says this agreement binds the business to the Nacha rules.
The four ACH details
A company needs four details to pay you by ACH or to collect a payment.
- the name on the account
- the routing number
- the account number
- the account type, checking or savings
Each one is explained in what information is needed for an ACH payment. To give your details on one clear page, use the ACH information form.
Check the number before you use it
The routing number checker tests the 9 digits against the bank checksum. It catches a wrong digit and most swapped digits. It cannot tell you the bank’s name or whether an account exists.
Common mistakes
- Giving the account number when the form wants the routing number, or the other way around.
- Giving the debit card number. An ACH payment uses the account number, not the card number.
- Using the wire routing number. Ask for the ACH or direct deposit number.
- Dropping a leading zero. Many routing numbers start with 0. A routing number always has 9 digits.
- Copying the routing number from a check without checking it. At some banks the number on checks is not the ACH one.