Direct Deposit Form
Fill in the form below and download a completed direct deposit authorization form as a PDF. It is free, there is no account to create, and nothing you type is stored.
What a direct deposit form does
A direct deposit form, sometimes called a direct deposit authorization form, is how you tell an employer where to send your pay. Instead of handing you a paper check every payday, they send the money electronically to your bank account through the ACH network, which is the system US banks use to move money between each other.
You usually fill one in when you start a new job, when you change banks, or when you want your pay split across two accounts. The same form is also used for pension payments, benefit payments, and contractor payouts.
What the form asks for
- Your full legal name. It needs to match the name on your bank account, not a nickname.
- Your address. Not always required, but most payroll teams want it on file.
- Your bank name. The bank that holds the account, for example the one on your debit card.
- Routing number. Nine digits that identify your bank.
- Account number. Usually between four and seventeen digits, it identifies your specific account.
- Account type. Whether the account is a checking account or a savings account.
- Amount. Most people send their full pay. You only fill this in if you are splitting your pay.
- Signature and date. You sign by hand after you print it, which is what makes it an authorization.
Where to find your routing and account numbers
The quickest place is the bottom of a paper check. Reading left to right, the first nine digit block is the routing number, the next block is your account number, and the last short block repeats the check number. The odd looking characters around them are just separators.
No checkbook? Open your banking app and look under account details, where both numbers are usually listed in full. They also appear on most bank statements. If you would rather not hunt for them, your bank can confirm both over the phone or in a branch.
Be careful copying the account number from a debit card. The long number on the front of the card is the card number, which is a different thing and will not work for direct deposit.
Do you also need a voided check?
Plenty of employers ask for a voided check to go with the form. It is their way of checking the account really belongs to you, because the numbers are printed on the check rather than typed by hand. A bank letter usually works too.
If you have a checkbook, the free option is simple: take a blank check, write VOID in large letters across the front, and attach it. Do not sign it. If you bank online and have never had a checkbook, there is nothing to void, which is where our generator comes in.
Create a voided checkAfter you hand it in
Direct deposit is rarely instant. Most employers run a prenote first, a test transaction that checks the account details work before any real money moves. That usually adds one pay cycle, so expect your first electronic payment to land on the second payday after you submit the form.
Until then you will most likely get a paper check as usual. Here is more on how long direct deposit takes.
Questions
What is a direct deposit form?
It is the short form your employer uses to send your pay straight to your bank account instead of handing you a paper check. It collects your name, your bank name, your routing number, your account number, and whether the account is checking or savings. You sign it, hand it to payroll, and your pay arrives in your account on payday.
Is this direct deposit form free?
Yes. Filling in the form and downloading the PDF costs nothing, and you do not need an account or an email address. We sell a separate product, a voided check, for people who have no checkbook and need one to attach.
Will my employer accept this form?
Most will. It asks for the same details every direct deposit form asks for, and it has a signature and date line. Some employers use their own form or an online portal instead, so it is worth asking your payroll team first.
Do I need a voided check with my direct deposit form?
Often, yes. Many employers ask for a voided check or a bank letter alongside the form to confirm the account really belongs to you. If you have a checkbook, write VOID across a blank check and attach it. If you do not, our generator can create one for you.
Where do I find my routing and account numbers?
Both are printed along the bottom of a paper check. The routing number is the nine digit number on the left, and your account number is the longer number next to it. You can also find both in your online banking app, usually under account details, or on a bank statement.
Do you store my bank details?
No. The form is built and sent straight back to your browser, and nothing you type is saved to our servers. There is no account to create and no record kept.