Direct deposit ACH form
Make an ACH authorization form for direct deposit to collect employee bank details. Free download. No signup. This site does not upload what you type.
1Your business
2Form options
3Download
Copies the authorization paragraphs as plain text, for an email or your own document. They point to the bank account on the form, so keep those details next to them.
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Direct deposit authorization, US LetterDirect Deposit Authorization Form
Fill in this form to have your pay deposited into your bank account. Sign it and return it to ____________________.
Employee
Bank account
Please attach a voided check, or a bank letter that shows the routing and account numbers.
Authorization
I authorize ____________________ to deposit my pay into the bank account named on this form by ACH credit (direct deposit). If a deposit is made in error, ____________________ may correct it as allowed by the ACH rules and applicable law. This authorization stays in effect until ____________________ receives written notice from me to change or stop it and has had a reasonable time to act on it. I confirm that this is my account and that the bank details on this form are correct.
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How to use this direct deposit form
- Add your business details. The form names you as the employer that will make the deposits.
- Choose your options. Keep or remove the voided check line, and pick a layout and paper size. Pick how many bank accounts to print if employees may split their pay. Add extra lines, such as a department or work location, under Form options.
- Download and share. Give employees the fillable PDF to type into, or print the PDF for new-hire packs.
- Enter the details in your payroll system and check them against the form.
- Keep the signed form in the employee’s file.
What a direct deposit authorization form includes
| Section | What the employee fills in |
|---|---|
| Type of request | Start direct deposit, change my account, or stop direct deposit |
| Employee | Name, employee ID if you use one, phone and email |
| Bank account | Bank name, routing number, account number, checking or savings |
| Amount per pay period | Blank for all of the net pay, or a dollar amount or percent for each account when pay is split |
| Authorization | Permission to deposit pay, and to correct a deposit made in error |
| Signature | The employee’s signature and the date |
Nacha rules do not set a form for payments into an account, so the sentences on this form are common practice.
After you set it up
Payroll files now label pay with the word PAYROLL so banks can spot it. Since March 20, 2026, Nacha rules ask for that description on direct deposits of wages. Your payroll software or bank sets it, not this form.
If an employee’s bank corrects their details, you get a Notification of Change. Look the code up in the NOC codes list and update the record before the next payroll.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Copying the number from a deposit slip. Take the routing number from a check or the bank’s app.
- Mixing up checking and savings. The account type has to match, or the deposit can be returned or corrected.
- Split amounts that do not add up. If pay is split, one account should be marked for the rest of the pay.
- Changing bank details from an email alone. Payroll diversion fraud uses fake “please update my account” emails. Confirm any change with the employee in person or by phone.
- Naming one bank that everyone must use. You cannot require a particular bank. Let employees choose.
Sample direct deposit ACH form (filled in)
This is what the form looks like once it is filled in. Yours will show your own business name.
Direct Deposit Authorization Form
Please check the details below, then sign and return this form to Maple Street Fitness.
Employee
Bank account
Please attach a voided check, or a bank letter that shows the routing and account numbers.
Authorization
I authorize Maple Street Fitness to deposit my pay into the bank account named on this form by ACH credit (direct deposit). If a deposit is made in error, Maple Street Fitness may correct it as allowed by the ACH rules and applicable law. This authorization stays in effect until Maple Street Fitness receives written notice from me to change or stop it and has had a reasonable time to act on it. I confirm that this is my account and that the bank details on this form are correct.
Questions and answers
What is an ACH form for direct deposit?
An ACH direct deposit authorization form is the form an employee fills in so an employer can pay them by direct deposit. It records the bank name, routing number, account number and account type, and the employee's permission to deposit pay into that account.
Is direct deposit an ACH payment?
Yes. Direct deposit is an ACH credit. The employer's bank sends the pay through the ACH network to the employee's bank. Read more in is direct deposit ACH?
Does a direct deposit authorization have to be in writing?
Nacha rules let an employer get permission for deposits into a consumer's account in any lawful way, so the rules themselves do not require a written form. A signed form is still the normal practice. It gives you a clear record of the bank details and of the employee's agreement. Your state's wage laws may add their own rules.
Can an employer require direct deposit?
Regulation E says an employer may not require employees to receive pay by direct deposit at one particular bank. An employer may require direct deposit if employees can choose the bank, or may offer a choice between a named bank and another method such as a check. State law can be stricter.
Can an employee split direct deposit between two accounts?
Often, yes. Nacha, which writes the ACH rules, tells employees they can ask for their pay to be split, for example 85% to checking and 15% to savings, or a set dollar amount to savings with the rest to checking. Whether you can offer it depends on your payroll system. To print room for a second or third account, choose the number of accounts under Form options.
Does the employee need to attach a voided check?
No rule requires it. A voided check or a bank letter is a common way to make sure the routing and account numbers are right. You can turn that line off in the form options.
Is there a Spanish version of the form?
Yes. Under Form options, tick "Add a Spanish version as page 2". The download then has the English form on page 1 and the same form in Spanish on page 2. The person fills in and signs only one of them.
Sources
- 12 CFR 1005.10, Preauthorized transfers (Regulation E), paragraph (e)(2), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Official interpretation of 12 CFR 1005.10, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- How ACH works (direct deposit is an ACH credit), Nacha
- Consumer FAQs on ACH payments, Nacha
- Company Entry Descriptions (PAYROLL), effective March 20, 2026, Nacha
- Ready to sign up for Direct Deposit with your employer?, Nacha
General information, not legal or financial advice. Rules change and banks set their own requirements. Check with your bank before you act. ACH Forms is not affiliated with Nacha.