If you’ve ever needed to wire money to someone–a vendor or customer, perhaps–and you needed a bank routing number, most instructions on finding that number refer to a line of numbers “printed on a check” (see example below). In an era when “printed on a check” is moving more-and-more to buggy-whip status, the American Bankers Association (ABA) decided it was time to create an official lookup tool to find bank routing numbers online. (Another handy feature: If you know the routing number but need the bank name and address, it will do a reverse lookup.)

(This refers only to the bank’s routing number. To wire money to an individual or business, you will still need the recipient’s checking account number.)

The browser-based search tool (RoutingNumber.ABA.Com) enables users to find bank routing numbers for all U.S. financial institutions eligible to maintain a Federal Reserve Account. First time users must agree to the ABA’s terms of use before using the search engine.

Paper Check Routing Number Lookup Tool

 ABA’s New Official Online Routing Number Lookup Tool

Facts about Bank Routing Numbers

• The ABA created bank routing numbers in 1905.
• Bank routing numbers are used for check processing, electronic funds transfer and online banking.
• Routing numbers are the first nine digits located in the bottom left corner on the front of a check (if you can recall what a check is).
• Routing numbers are only issued to federal and state chartered financial institutions that are eligible to maintain an account at a Federal Reserve Bank.