What Is a Transit Number? How to Find It - NerdWallet Canada (2024)

A bank transit number is a distinct number representing your home branch location. The transit number is just one of a series of numbers linked to your account.

What a bank transit number is and how it’s used

A bank transit number is a unique five-digit number used to identify the bank branch where you opened your account in Canada. That’s why the transit number is sometimes called a branch number.

Your bank transit number combined with your three-digit institution number forms the eight-digit routing number for your account. You’ll need your bank transit number, account number and financial institution number to set up online deposits or withdrawals from your bank account. Everyday bank transactions, such as sending or receiving a wire transfer or automatic payments, also use these numbers to locate your bank account.

Routing number vs. transit number

A bank transit number and routing number each represents part of the path leading up to your account location. Here are some the features and differences:

How to find your bank transit number

There are few ways to find the bank transit number for your accounts. A personal cheque or a void cheque is the quickest way to obtain your branch number if you keep them handy.

How to find the bank transit number on a cheque

To read the bank transit number on a cheque, look for a row of numbers at the bottom and follow this guidance:

• The first number, from left to right, is the cheque number.
• The second number, which is five digits long, will be your bank transit number.
• There might be a dash right after the transit number followed by three numbers. Those three numbers are your financial institution number.

If you’re trying to isolate your transit number, just focus on the second set of numbers in the sequence: just five digits. But know that together, your transit number and institution number, make up your routing number.

How to find the bank transit number online

If you don’t use cheques, you can also find your transit number by logging into your online banking portal or mobile app and reviewing your recent transactions or e-statements.

When you’re trying to differentiate your bank transit number from your routing number, use only five of the eight digits. For electronic transactions, the transit number is the last five digits.

Here’s an example of how to locate the branch number for paper and digital transactions:

If YYYYY indicates the transit number and XXX is the institution number, then the numbers will appear as:

• YYYYY-XXX on a paper transaction transit number.
• 0XXXYYYYY on an electronic transactions routing number.

Other ways to find your bank transit number

There are other methods to find your bank transit number. Financial documents, such as bank statements for the account may list the transit number, for instance.

You can also contact your bank or the local branch where you opened your bank account and ask them to verify the transit number for your account.

Always be sure to double-check the information you get because a wrong transit number can cause problems for any direct deposits or automatic withdrawals that you may be trying to set up, or waiting to clear.