How do I find my bank institution code?

Your branch (transit), institution, and account number are located on the bottom of a cheque for the relevant account , as shown below. If you do not have cheques or cannot find the numbers shown, you will need to contact your bank.

What is an example of a bank institution number?

A routing number for electronic payments contains a zero (called the "leading zero"), a three-digit financial institution number and a five-digit branch number. For example, if Bank's routing number is 026011242, the institution number is 260 , and the transit number is 11242.

Is bank code the same as institution number?

List of Canada financial institution numbers. List of banks in Canada with their financial institution number (bank code) thats is a unique 3 digit bank code assigned to a bank or institution to identify them and code is the same for all branches of the bank, credit union .

What is a 3-digit financial institution number?

What is an institution number? The institution number is a unique three-digit code assigned to a certain bank or financial institution to identify them . A transit number is made up of five-digits and together with the institution number they form a routing number.

How do I know what institution my bank is?

You should be able to find your transit, institution, and account numbers by logging into your online banking account, or you can find them in your check book . The transit number (five digits) identifies which branch you opened your account at (often called your home branch).

What is a banking institution example?

These can be large national banks (Wells Fargo or Bank of America), regional or super-regional banks (U.S. Bank or Fifth Third Bank), or banks that operate in a geographically defined area (the National Bank of Arizona or the Bank of Colorado).

What is my financial institution account number?

At the bottom of a check, you will see three groups of numbers. The first group is your routing number, the second is your account number and the third is your check number.

What institution are banks?

Banks are financial institutions that can accept deposits from the public and offer loans to borrowers from those deposits and the interest gathered from them . To function as a bank, an institution has to get a bank license from the federal or state government.

How do I find my bank's bank code?

In the United States, the bank code for financial transactions combines a routing number and a bank account number. The external bank identification routing number and bank account number are printed in MICR ink on the bottom of each check, with the routing number to the left of the bank account number .

How do I check my bank account code?

You can find your bank account number on your bank statements, printed at the bottom of a paper check, or by logging on to the bank's website .

What Is A Bank Institution Number? (2024)

There are 5,711 bank branches in Canada as of 2021 according to the Canadian Banking Association. That’s a lot to keep track of, so how do banks and companies know where to send your money?

It actually comes down to a series of numbers that work like an address. Those numbers include your bank account, transit number and bank institution number. Think of it as part of your personal bank account’s unique coordinates.

What is a Bank Institution Number in Canada?

A bank institution number is a three-digit number that refers to a specific bank. Not a bank branch, but the corporation itself. This number, combined with the five-digit transit number, makes up the routing number. That number is needed for bank transactions.

Canadian Bank Institution Numbers

Here are some of the institution numbers for the most recognized Canadian banks. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but know that each bank has its own number.

Bank or Financial Institution	Institution Number
Bank of Montreal (BMO)	001
Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank)	002
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)	003
Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)	004
National Bank of Canada	005
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)	010
Canadian Western Bank	030
Laurentian Bank of Canada	039
Bank of Canada (BOC)	177
Citibank	260
First Nations Bank of Canada	310
HomeEquity Bank	358
Tangerine Bank	614
Equitable Bank	623

What is the Purpose of a Bank Institution Number?

The bank institution number is part of the routing number, which is needed for financial transactions. This is why when you’re onboarding at a new job, you’re asked to provide your transit, institution and account number or a void cheque, which has the number on it.

You may not realize it, but you leverage these numbers often. You give these numbers to human resources so you can have your salary directly deposited to your account or you input these numbers into an app like Wise so you can send or receive money internationally.

How Do I Find a Bank Institution Number on a Cheque?

On a cheque, usually starting from the bottom left, you’ll see a series of numbers. The first set of numbers is the cheque number. After that are five numbers which make up the transit number. The next three numbers make up the institution number.

So if you bank with Scotiabank, you’ll see ‘002’,’ or if you bank with EQ, you’ll see ‘623.’

How Do I Find a Bank Institution Number Without a Cheque?

If you’re not a cheque user, but you need your institution number, you don’t need to order a cheque book. Instead, you can find them on the following:

Your paper or electronic bank statement.
Your online banking portal will often have your transit/branch and institution number or will provide a digital cheque which you can download or copy the information.
You call or go into your nearest bank branch and ask for the number.
Search online. Many sites have a comprehensive list of bank institution numbers.

Bottom Line

Ultimately, whether you have cheques in your bank or drawer or don’t use cheques at all, the paper isn’t important. What’s important is the list of numbers you need so you can pay or be paid as part of your everyday transactions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)