How to Set Up Your BMO Direct Deposit Form
Need a voided check? Generate a professional one in about 60 seconds, no bank visit or checkbook required.
Create my voided checkBottom line: To set up direct deposit with BMO, you need two numbers from your account, your routing number and your account number. You can find both in BMO online banking, on a paper check, or on a statement. Put them on your employer's direct deposit form, often with a voided check attached, and your pay lands in your account automatically.
What a direct deposit form actually asks for
Direct deposit is money sent straight into your bank account by computer, with no paper check to cash. It moves through the ACH network, short for Automated Clearing House, which is the system US banks use to send payments to each other. Most employers set it up through one short form.
Most employers hand you their own form. If yours has not, you can build a direct deposit authorization form here and download it as a PDF for free.
The form needs a few things:
- Your routing number. This is a 9-digit number that tells the banking system which bank holds your account. BMO's routing number is not the same for everyone. It depends on the state where you opened your account.
- Your account number. This points to your specific checking or savings account.
- The type of account, checking or savings.
- Your name, address, and signature.
Because the routing number changes based on where your account was opened, do not copy one off a website. Confirm your own in BMO online banking or read it from one of your checks. That is the surest way to avoid a bounced payment.
Where to find your BMO routing and account numbers
On a check
Look at the row of numbers along the bottom of a BMO check. These are printed in special magnetic ink, called the MICR line, so machines can read them. The 9-digit group on the left is your routing number. The next group is your account number. A shorter number by itself is the check number, which you do not need for direct deposit. If the numbers are in a different order on your checks, the routing number is still the 9-digit one.
In BMO online banking or the mobile app
Sign in, then open the checking or savings account you want your pay sent to. Look for a link like "Account Details" or "Account & Routing Numbers." Both numbers are listed there. This is the easiest option if you do not keep paper checks.
On a statement or by asking BMO
Your account number appears on your monthly statement. Statements do not always print the full routing number, so if you are unsure, call BMO or visit a branch and ask them to confirm it. A banker can also print a direct deposit form with your details already filled in.
The role of a voided check
A voided check is a check with the word VOID written in large letters across the front. Employers often ask for one because it proves the account is yours and shows your routing and account numbers exactly as your bank has them. Writing VOID across it means no one can fill it in and cash it, while the numbers at the bottom still read clearly.
To make one, take a blank check, write VOID across the middle in dark ink, and keep the numbers at the bottom uncovered. For step-by-step help, see how to void a check.
No paper checks? You still have options. BMO online banking can generate a direct deposit form with your details on it. You can ask a branch for a bank letter. Or you can create a voided check in about a minute and hand that in. Most payroll teams accept any of these, but check what yours prefers.
How to fill out and submit the form
- Enter your routing number and account number exactly as they appear in online banking or on your check. One wrong digit is the most common reason a deposit fails.
- Mark whether the account is checking or savings.
- Add your full legal name, address, and signature. Your signature is what authorizes the payments.
- Attach a voided check or a bank-issued form if your employer asks for proof of the account.
Some forms let you split your pay across two accounts, for example most of it to checking and a set amount to savings. Fill in both sets of numbers if you want that.
Hand the finished form to whoever runs payroll, usually HR or your manager. They may want it uploaded to a payroll portal, emailed as a PDF, or turned in on paper. Ask which they prefer so it does not sit in the wrong inbox.
What to expect after you turn it in
Direct deposit does not start instantly. Payroll has to enter your details and line them up with the next pay run. Plan on one to two pay periods before it kicks in, and do not be surprised by one more paper check in the meantime.
Some employers send a tiny test deposit of a few cents first to confirm the numbers work. If you spot a mistake on the form, tell payroll right away. A wrong number can bounce the payment back and delay you, so catching it early is what keeps your first paycheck on time.
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