Every Canadian bank account has three numbers that route money to it: a transit number for the branch, an institution number for the bank, and the account number itself. Payroll forms, the CRA, Service Canada and anyone setting up a pre-authorized debit ask for all three. This page explains what each number means, where to find them on a cheque and in each bank’s app, and how they combine into the routing numbers used for direct deposit and wire payments. Figures come from Payments Canada, the organization that allocates institution numbers and sets the cheque standard, and from each bank’s own help pages. It is general information, not financial advice; the account details in online banking are the final word for a specific account.
Is the branch number the same as the transit number?
Yes: for everyday banking in Canada, the branch number and the transit number are the same 5-digit code. RBC’s void cheque tutorial describes the first set of numbers on its downloadable void cheque as “a 5-digit transit number (which identifies your bank branch),” TD’s help centre calls it the Transit (Branch) number, and Service Canada’s direct deposit page asks for the “branch transit number.”
The only place the terms diverge is inside the payment system itself. Payments Canada’s cheque standard (Standard 006) uses “Transit Number Field” for the whole block printed on a cheque, which holds both the branch number and the institution number. That is why some sources describe the transit number as 8 digits and others as 5. For a payroll form, a CRA direct deposit screen or a bank transfer, “transit number” means the 5-digit branch number.
What is a transit number?
A transit number is the 5-digit number that identifies the branch where a bank account is held. Banks also call it the branch number or branch transit number. On its own it does not identify the bank, which is why a form that asks for it also asks for the 3-digit institution number or, as Service Canada does, the name of the bank.
Payments Canada’s wire payment guide describes a branch’s routing information as a “3-digit Canadian financial institution number and 5-digit branch transit number.” The table below shows how the pieces fit together, using a real branch from Payments Canada’s branch directory as the example.
How to read this table: the example uses Bank of Montreal's Montreal main branch as listed in Payments Canada's banks directory. The same branch appears in two routing formats: one for cheques and one for electronic payments.
| Number | Format | What it identifies | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branch number (transit number) | 5 digits | The branch that holds the account | 00011 (Bank of Montreal, Montreal main branch) |
| Institution number | 3 digits | The bank, credit union or other member institution | 001 (Bank of Montreal) |
| Paper (MICR) routing number, as printed on a cheque | 8 digits: branch, a dash, then institution | Branch and institution together, for cheques and other paper items | 00011-001 |
| Electronic routing number (Direct Payment Routing Number) | 9 digits: a zero, the institution number, then the branch number | Branch and institution together, for direct deposit and other electronic funds transfers | 000100011 |
| Account number | Length varies by institution | The individual account; not part of the routing number | Unique to each customer |
Source: Standard 006 — Specifications for MICR-encoded payment items (Payments Canada) — transit number field on a cheque; Standard 005 — Standards for the exchange of financial data on AFT files (Payments Canada) — electronic routing number; Wire payment — consumer guide (Payments Canada); Wire payment — consumer guide (Payments Canada) — verifying routing information; Financial institutions branch directory (Payments Canada); Financial institutions branch directory (Payments Canada) — two routing formats; Financial institutions branch directory — Banks, numeric list (Payments Canada, 2026-09-25) — Bank of Montreal example; Financial institutions branch directory — Banks, numeric list (Payments Canada, 2026-09-25) — Simplii Financial; Financial institutions branch directory — Banks, numeric list (Payments Canada, 2026-09-25) — President's Choice Bank; Financial institutions branch directory — Banks, numeric list (Payments Canada, 2026-09-25) — Manulife Bank; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada, updated September 29, 2026) — largest banks; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — Laurentian Bank; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — ATB Financial; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — Tangerine; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — Wealthsimple; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — Central 1 and Desjardins; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — note 475, RBC and HSBC Bank Canada; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — note 479, institution number 016 phase-out; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — note 478, National Bank and Canadian Western Bank; Rule D4 — Institution numbers and clearing agency/representative arrangements (Payments Canada). In effect from September 29, 2026; checked September 30, 2026.
Payments Canada’s cheque standard requires all 5 digits of the branch number to be printed, leading zeros included. If a branch number is ever shown with fewer digits, such as 0011, a form that asks for a 5-digit transit number needs the zeros added back at the front.
Where is the transit number on a cheque?
The transit number sits in the line of magnetic-ink digits along the bottom edge of a Canadian cheque, second from the left. The Government of Canada’s direct deposit enrolment instructions break that line down as follows.
How to read this table: read the line left to right. The branch number is the transit number. On most cheques the branch and institution numbers are printed together with a dash between them.
| Position (left to right) | What it is | Length | Needed for direct deposit? |
|---|---|---|---|
| First set | Cheque number | Not stated | Not required for direct deposit |
| Second set | Branch (transit) number | 5 digits | Required |
| Third set | Institution number | 3 digits | Required |
| Last set | Account number | Various lengths | Required |
Source: Canada direct deposit enrolment form completion instructions (Canada.ca); Canada direct deposit enrolment form completion instructions (Canada.ca) — digits at the bottom of a cheque; Canada direct deposit enrolment form completion instructions (Canada.ca) — timing of a paper enrolment; Direct deposit for individuals – Payments the CRA sends you (Canada.ca); Direct deposit for individuals – Payments the CRA sends you (Canada.ca) — CRA account steps; Direct deposit for individuals – Payments the CRA sends you (Canada.ca) — processing and old accounts; Direct deposit for individuals – Payments the CRA sends you (Canada.ca) — Canadian account required; Direct deposit for individuals – Payments the CRA sends you (Canada.ca) — missing payment; Direct deposit for individuals – Payments the CRA sends you (Canada.ca) — CPP, OAS and EI are separate; Direct deposit for individuals – Payments the CRA sends you (Canada.ca) — no Canadian account; Direct deposit for individuals – Payments the CRA sends you (Canada.ca) — signing up through a bank; Direct deposit for Service Canada (Canada.ca); Your guide to the Employment Standards Act — Payment of wages (Ontario.ca); Your guide to the Employment Standards Act — Payment of wages (Ontario.ca) — direct deposit conditions. In effect from September 30, 2026; checked September 30, 2026.
Payments Canada’s Standard 006 sets out how that block is encoded: the transit field contains “two groups of digits separated by the dash symbol,” reading from right to left the 3-digit institution number and the 5-digit branch number. So on a BMO cheque from branch 00011, the block reads 00011-001. The digits between special symbols on either side of that block are the account number and the cheque serial number, and the exact spacing varies by bank.
A paper cheque is not required to get these numbers. The void cheque guide walks through downloading one from online banking at RBC, TD, CIBC, BMO, Scotiabank, National Bank, Tangerine, Simplii and Wealthsimple.
What are the institution numbers for Canadian banks?
The institution number is the 3-digit code for the bank, credit union or other member of Payments Canada, and it is the same at every branch of that institution. Payments Canada allocates the numbers under its Rule D4 and publishes the full list; the table below covers the largest banks and the online banks Canadians most often ask about.
How to read this table: from Payments Canada's list of institution numbers (updated September 29, 2026) and its branch directory. Credit unions either have their own institution number or use their central's; the account's own details confirm which one applies.
| Institution number | Institution | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 001 | Bank of Montreal (BMO) | Direct clearer |
| 002 | The Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) | Direct clearer |
| 003 | Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) | Direct clearer |
| 004 | The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) | Direct clearer |
| 006 | National Bank of Canada | Direct clearer |
| 010 | Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) | Direct clearer. Simplii Financial uses CIBC's 010; the branch directory lists its Simplii Financial branch at transit 30800. |
| 016 | Former HSBC Bank Canada, now Royal Bank of Canada | HSBC Bank Canada amalgamated with RBC effective March 29, 2024; 016 continues to be used for exchange until March 31, 2028. |
| 030 | Former Canadian Western Bank, now National Bank of Canada | Amalgamated with National Bank effective March 1, 2025; 030 is still listed under National Bank of Canada. |
| 039 | Laurentian Bank of Canada | Direct clearer |
| 219 | ATB Financial | Direct clearer (formerly Alberta Treasury Branches) |
| 320 | President's Choice Bank (PC Financial) | Listed in the banks branch directory |
| 540 | Manulife Bank of Canada | Listed in the banks branch directory |
| 614 | Tangerine Bank | Formerly ING Bank of Canada |
| 703 | Wealthsimple Investments Inc. | Formerly Canadian Shareowner Investments Inc. |
| 809 | Central 1 Credit Union | A central used by many credit unions; other credit unions have their own numbers |
| 815 | Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec | Group clearer for Desjardins caisses |
Source: Standard 006 — Specifications for MICR-encoded payment items (Payments Canada) — transit number field on a cheque; Standard 005 — Standards for the exchange of financial data on AFT files (Payments Canada) — electronic routing number; Wire payment — consumer guide (Payments Canada); Wire payment — consumer guide (Payments Canada) — verifying routing information; Financial institutions branch directory (Payments Canada); Financial institutions branch directory (Payments Canada) — two routing formats; Financial institutions branch directory — Banks, numeric list (Payments Canada, 2026-09-25) — Bank of Montreal example; Financial institutions branch directory — Banks, numeric list (Payments Canada, 2026-09-25) — Simplii Financial; Financial institutions branch directory — Banks, numeric list (Payments Canada, 2026-09-25) — President's Choice Bank; Financial institutions branch directory — Banks, numeric list (Payments Canada, 2026-09-25) — Manulife Bank; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada, updated September 29, 2026) — largest banks; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — Laurentian Bank; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — ATB Financial; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — Tangerine; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — Wealthsimple; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — Central 1 and Desjardins; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — note 475, RBC and HSBC Bank Canada; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — note 479, institution number 016 phase-out; List of institution numbers and clearing arrangements (Payments Canada) — note 478, National Bank and Canadian Western Bank; Rule D4 — Institution numbers and clearing agency/representative arrangements (Payments Canada). In effect from September 29, 2026; checked September 30, 2026.
Two numbers in that list belong to banks that no longer exist on their own. HSBC Bank Canada amalgamated with RBC on March 29, 2024, and Payments Canada has extended the use of HSBC’s former number 016 for exchange until March 31, 2028. Canadian Western Bank amalgamated with National Bank on March 1, 2025, and its number 030 is still listed under National Bank of Canada. Former HSBC or Canadian Western customers should use whatever their current online banking shows rather than an old cheque.
How do you find your transit number without a cheque?
Every major bank shows the transit, institution and account numbers somewhere in online banking or its app. The table summarizes where, based on each bank’s own help page.
| Institution | Institution number | Where the transit number appears | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIBC | 010 | Online Banking, My Accounts: the account shows as xxxxx-yy-yyyyy, where the first 5 digits are the transit number. In the app: account, Account Info tab, Account Details | CIBC help page |
| TD | 004 | Pre-filled Direct Deposit form (PDF), which shows the 5-digit transit (branch), 3-digit institution and 7-digit account numbers | TD Ask Us |
| RBC | 003 | View and Print Void Cheque in Online Banking, or Get a Void Cheque in the app | RBC void cheque tutorial |
| Scotiabank | 002 | Accounts page, chequing account, Show account number and details | Scotiabank Help Centre |
| Tangerine | 614 | Chequing Account, Direct Deposit: shows institution, transit and account numbers | Tangerine FAQ |
| Wealthsimple | 703 | Chequing account, More, Direct deposit info; transit number 00001 for all accounts | Wealthsimple direct deposit page |
BMO and National Bank customers get the same numbers from the downloadable void cheque in online banking or the app. Menu names change when banks redesign their apps, so the linked help page is the place to check if a label has moved.
Do online banks and Wealthsimple have a transit number?
Yes. A provider with no branches still needs a branch number for the payment system to route money, so online-only accounts use a small number of transit numbers rather than one per branch. Wealthsimple, which is not a bank, lists its transit (branch) number as 00001 and its institution number as 703 on its direct deposit page, which matches Payments Canada’s listing of 703 as Wealthsimple Investments Inc. The same page notes that an employer’s payroll system may need updating if it does not accept Wealthsimple’s institution number. Simplii Financial does not have its own institution number: Payments Canada’s banks directory lists a Simplii Financial branch at transit 30800 under CIBC’s 010.
Anyone moving a paycheque to a no-fee account anyway can compare options in the bank accounts for newcomers comparison. Wealthsimple’s chequing account is one of them, and the Wealthsimple chequing account review covers its direct deposit setup and limits.
What is the difference between a transit number and a routing number?
A transit number identifies only the branch; a routing number identifies the branch and the institution together. Canada uses two formats of routing number for the same branch, and Payments Canada’s branch directory lists both:
- Paper (MICR) format: 8 digits written as branch, dash, institution, for example 00011-001. This is what appears on a cheque.
- Electronic format: 9 digits with no dash. Payments Canada’s Standard 005 for automated funds transfers defines it as “constant zero,” then the institution number, then the branch routing number, and says it “may also be described as the Direct Payment Routing Number (DPRN).” The same BMO branch becomes 000100011.
Direct deposit forms usually ask for the transit and institution numbers in separate boxes, so the routing number rarely has to be typed as one string. Some payroll and payment systems do ask for the 9-digit electronic version; building it is a matter of putting a zero in front of the institution number and the branch number after it.
US bank forms ask for a 9-digit ABA routing number, which is a different system. A payment from a US bank to a Canadian account usually travels as an international wire, where the sender’s bank needs the Canadian routing information plus the receiving bank’s SWIFT code.
What about SWIFT codes and wire transfers?
A SWIFT code (Business Identifier Code, or BIC) identifies a bank for international wires; it does not replace the transit number. Payments Canada’s wire payment guide lists what a sender needs for a payment to a Canadian account: the recipient’s name and address, the account number, the branch name and address, the branch’s routing information (institution number and transit number), and the bank’s SWIFT code if available. The guide adds that routing information can be checked in the Financial institutions branch directory.
For domestic moves between two Canadian accounts, a transfer rarely needs the full routing string. Interac e-Transfer needs only the recipient’s email address or mobile number, while linking an outside account for transfers or receiving a wire uses the transit, institution and account numbers.
When do you need a transit number?
The transit, institution and account numbers are needed whenever money goes into or comes out of an account automatically:
- Direct deposit of pay. Employers ask for a void cheque or a direct deposit form on the first day. Starting a new job is also a good moment to check the pay itself with the hourly to salary calculator.
- Government payments. The CRA says the fastest way to sign up is online, through a bank or in a CRA account, while Service Canada asks for the social insurance number, bank name, branch transit number and account number. The CRA payment dates and CPP and OAS payment dates show when each deposit lands once it is set up.
- Pre-authorized debits. Landlords, lenders, insurers, gyms and utilities pull payments using the same three numbers.
- Wire payments and some transfers. Incoming wires need the routing information and account number.
Newcomers usually need a transit number in the first week: the employer asks for it alongside the social insurance number, covered in the SIN application steps.
How do you check that a transit number is real?
Payments Canada’s Financial institutions branch directory lists routing numbers and addresses for branches of Canadian banks, credit unions and trust companies, and Payments Canada says the underlying file is updated weekly. It is organized by institution type, with a numeric list (look up a routing number to find the branch) and a geographic list (look up a branch to find its routing number).
The directory confirms that a branch and institution exist; it cannot confirm an account number. For a personal account, the numbers in the bank’s app are the reliable source.
What are the common mistakes with transit numbers?
- Swapping the transit and institution numbers. The transit number has 5 digits and the institution number has 3. A form rejected as invalid often has them in the wrong boxes.
- Dropping leading zeros. A branch written as 0011 is 00011 on a 5-digit form.
- Using the cheque number. The first group on the bottom of a cheque is the cheque number, which is not needed for direct deposit.
- Using an old cheque after a merger or branch move. Former HSBC and Canadian Western Bank customers, and anyone whose branch closed, should take the numbers from current online banking.
- Using a US routing number format. A Canadian transit number alone is not a US ABA routing number.
- Updating only one payer. Changing direct deposit with the CRA does not change it for CPP, OAS or EI, or for an employer. Each payer needs the new numbers, and the CRA advises keeping the old account open until the first payment reaches the new one.