Sign a direct deposit form keeping your bank details private

What a direct deposit authorization asks for

The form gives your employer or client permission to pay you electronically, straight into your bank account, instead of by paper check. Most versions ask for the same things: your name and often an employee ID, the bank's name, the routing number, the account number, whether it's a checking or savings account, and how much should go there. Then you sign and date it.

The signature matters: it's your authorization for the payer to make those deposits, and on many forms also to reverse a deposit made in error. Read that paragraph before you sign so you know what you're agreeing to.

Finding your routing and account numbers

The routing number identifies your bank and is always nine digits. The account number identifies your account at that bank and varies in length. Both are printed along the bottom edge of a paper check, usually next to the check number; they're also in your banking app or online banking, often under account details or “direct deposit”.

Use the routing number your bank gives for direct deposits or ACH transfers. Some banks use a different routing number for wire transfers, and that one won't work for payroll.

Getting paid onto a prepaid card? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau points out that you need the prepaid account number — usually not the same as the long number on the card — and the provider's routing number. Call the card's customer service number to get both.

Voided checks and bank letters

Many employers ask for a voided check so they can read the numbers off it themselves. Write “VOID” in large letters across the front, don't sign it, and scan or photograph it. No checkbook? Ask your bank for a direct deposit letter or a printout that shows the account and routing numbers, and ask payroll whether they'll accept that instead.

Splitting pay between accounts

Many forms have room for two or more accounts, for example a fixed amount into savings and the rest into checking. Fill in the fixed-amount or percentage lines first and mark one account as receiving the remainder, so that a raise or a smaller paycheck still adds up. If the form only has one set of lines, ask payroll for a second form.

Your choice of bank

Under the federal Electronic Fund Transfer Act rules (Regulation E), no one may require you to open an account at a particular bank as a condition of employment. The CFPB's official interpretation spells out what that means: an employer may make direct deposit mandatory only if you choose the bank that receives it. An employer that wants to pay into one bank or payroll card it picked must also offer you another way to be paid, such as a paper check.

Payroll diversion scams

The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center has warned about criminals who phish employees' payroll logins and change the bank account on file, so the next paycheck lands in an account they control — often a prepaid card. In another version, HR or payroll staff receive an email that appears to come from an employee, asking to update their direct deposit details for the current pay period.

In 2025 the FBI added a warning about fake search-engine ads that imitate employee self-service sites. Its advice: type the site's address yourself or use a bookmark instead of clicking search results, check the URL for small typos, and never give a one-time passcode to someone who calls you — even if they say they're your bank.

If you're asked to “confirm” or “update” your direct deposit out of the blue, check with payroll through a channel you already know before doing anything.

Sources

• 12 CFR 1005.10(e)(2) — Regulation E, compulsory use
• CFPB — Official interpretation of Regulation E, 1005.10(e)(2)
• CFPB — Direct deposit to a prepaid card
• FBI IC3 — Payroll diversion via employee credentials (2018)
• FBI IC3 — Business email compromise, incl. direct deposit change requests (2019)
• FBI IC3 — Criminals impersonating employee self-service websites (2025)