What is a routing number on a debit card?

Asking “What is a routing number on a debit card?” is actually a pretty common question. It doesn’t matter why you’re asking but I’ll give you the answer… there is no routing number on a debit card. But I get your confusion. Every debit card does have a routing number associated with it. But to find it, you must look deeper than just your card. You need to look at the bank itself. A routing number is the same for all customers at a financial institution (bank or credit union usually).

How to Find Your Debit Card’s Routing Number:

So to find your routing number for a debit card, simply Google ‘Routing number + name of your financial institution’ Your routing number will appear on the Google page. You won’t even have to click into a site. Just look at the meta description to see the routing number displayed in bold font.

I Googled my bank’s routing number just now. I typed, ‘Routing number FNBO Direct’. The routing number displayed in bold on the first spot on Google. But to check, I scrolled down the page a little to see I was getting the same routing number on different pages. This ensures the number is correct.

After ensuring I have the right number, I simply copy the 9 digits. I then use that information for whatever form I’m filling out which required the routing number. Getting the routing number is simple – even though a routing number isn’t found on your debit card – or credit card for that matter. You can also call the bank to get its routing number. Or some banks display it on the homepage of their site. That’s smart. Furthermore, you can find your bank’s routing number on your monthly statement.

What the Numbers on Your Debit Card Mean (Including Where the Account Number Is Located)

So what is a routing number on a debit card – nothing. It doesn’t exist. In fact, a debit card doesn’t even give a hint at what the routing number is. These are what the digits on a debit card mean: The first number is the issuer number (3 is American Express, Diner’s Club or Carte Blanche. 4 is Visa. 5 is MasterCard. Six is Discover. This is why if you’re ever unsure if an online retailer will accept your card provider, just type in the first digit of the card number – once you do that, a prompt will usually appear if your card cannot be processed.

You may be wondering why the debit card numbers refer to something you typically refer to as credit cards: American Express, Discover, etc. Actually, these are just payment processing networks. Thus, they are used to process for credit and debit transactions.

The next 5 digits on the card indicate the bank number. That’s the closest thing to a routing number you’ll find on a debit card. So if someone asks you for the 5-digit routing number, perhaps this is what they’re really asking for. The next 6 numbers are the account number. These are of course specific to the account which the card is associated with.

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The last 4 numbers on a debit card are referred to as check digits. Check digits are just a magical formula of digits which can authenticate the card is real. It’s kind of like reading the VIN number on a car if that is something you’re familiar with. There’s a serial code within that’s unique to the car. The last 4 numbers on a debit card are the magic digits.

To recap, there is no routing number on a debit card. A routing number can only be found by knowing which bank the card is linked to. So in order to find the routing number, simply Google your bank’s name + routing number.

Comment below if you have any questions. I will answer them!