To switch your direct deposit to another bank, get the new bank’s routing number and account number, give them to your employer through its payroll portal or a Direct Deposit Authorization form, and leave the old account open until at least one full paycheck has landed in the new one. Plan on the change taking one to two pay cycles to take effect.
What You Need Before You Start
Two numbers do the work: the routing number, a nine-digit code that identifies your bank within the ACH network,1American Bankers Association. ABA Routing Number and your account number, which points to your specific account inside that bank. You can pull both from the bottom of a personal check (routing first, then account), from your online banking or mobile app under account details, or from a direct deposit form your bank generates for you.
Copy the digits straight from your bank’s records rather than typing from memory. One wrong digit can send a paycheck to the wrong place or bounce the transfer back. Many employers also want a voided check or a bank-issued direct deposit letter as proof the account exists. If your new bank doesn’t issue paper checks, request a direct deposit verification letter through its website or a branch.
Submit the Change to Your Employer
Most employers handle the change in one of two ways. If your company uses a payroll platform like ADP, Gusto, or Workday, log in, open the payment or direct deposit section, and enter the new bank details yourself. The portal may ask you to upload a voided check or bank letter.
If your employer uses paper, fill out a Direct Deposit Authorization form with your legal name, the bank’s name, the routing and account numbers, and whether the account is checking or savings. Send it through whatever channel payroll specifies: hand delivery, an internal HR system, or encrypted email. Don’t email account numbers through an unencrypted message, and never put them in a subject line. On any web portal, confirm the URL begins with “https” before entering banking details.
One protection worth knowing: no employer or bank can require you to open an account at a particular bank as a condition of employment.2eCFR. 12 CFR Part 1005 – Electronic Fund Transfers (Regulation E) If direct deposit is offered, the choice of bank is yours.
When to Submit
Payroll systems lock in banking details several days before payday. Submit a change too close to the next pay date and the deposit will still go to your old bank for one more cycle. Aim to send your new information at least a week before your next payday. Right after a payday is the cleanest moment, because it gives the payroll team a full cycle to process the update.
How Long the Switch Takes
Expect one to two full pay cycles. The delay isn’t the ACH network itself; interbank transfers settle in one to two business days. The lag comes from payroll processing, which batches payment instructions days before pay hits. A mid-cycle change often can’t take effect until the following period.
Some employers also send a small test deposit, sometimes just a few cents, to verify the new account before routing a full paycheck to it. Watch for it in your new account and confirm the amount with payroll if asked. This step can add a few days.
ACH doesn’t process on federal bank holidays, so paydays that fall on or near one may arrive a day early or a day late depending on how your employer schedules the payment.3Federal Reserve Financial Services. Holiday Schedules
Verify the First Deposit Before Closing the Old Account
On your next payday after submitting the change, check both accounts. Your pay stub or earnings statement should show the last few digits of the receiving account and the bank name. Compare that against your new account. If the money still landed at the old bank, the change likely hasn’t taken effect yet, and payroll can confirm what they have on file.
Keep the old account open until at least one full paycheck clears in the new one. Close it too early and any deposit still routed there comes back marked “account closed.” The funds return to your employer within about two business days, and payroll then has to reissue the payment, either as a paper check or a corrected transfer. During that gap, you don’t have access to the money.
Once a full paycheck has cleared in the new account, you can close the old one. Check the account terms first: some banks charge an early closure fee if you close within 90 to 180 days of opening.
Move Your Autopays Off the Old Account
Switching where your paycheck lands is only half the move. Anything that automatically pulls from the old checking account will fail once that account is closed or empty, and failed payments can trigger late fees, service cutoffs, and credit-report damage.4FDIC. Thinking About Moving to Another Bank?
Before closing anything, list every recurring debit and transfer tied to the old account. Common ones:
- Loan payments: mortgage, auto, student, personal
- Insurance premiums: health, auto, renters, homeowners
- Utilities: electric, gas, water, internet, phone
- Subscriptions: streaming, gym, software
- Credit card autopay
- Automatic transfers to savings or investment accounts
Update each biller with the new routing and account numbers. If you use the old bank’s online bill-pay feature, cancel those scheduled payments and rebuild them in the new bank.4FDIC. Thinking About Moving to Another Bank? Leave enough money in the old account to cover anything that hasn’t switched yet, and watch both accounts closely during the changeover.
Splitting Pay Across More Than One Account
While you’re updating direct deposit, check whether your payroll system lets you split each paycheck across multiple accounts. Many do, either by fixed dollar amount or by percentage.5Nacha. Split Deposit A common setup sends a set amount to savings and the rest to checking. Designate one account as the “remainder” so you don’t have to redo the math each time your pay changes. Available options vary by employer, so check the payroll portal or ask HR.
If You Receive Federal Benefits
Federal benefit payments follow different channels, and most are required to be delivered electronically.6eCFR. 31 CFR Part 208 – Management of Federal Agency Disbursements
Social Security and SSI
Update banking information for Social Security or SSI through a my Social Security account at ssa.gov, by calling 1-800-772-1213, or in person at a local Social Security office.7Social Security Administration. Update Direct Deposit Have the new routing and account numbers ready.
VA Benefits
Veterans receiving disability compensation, pension, or education benefits can update direct deposit inside their VA.gov profile after signing in with a verified Login.gov or ID.me account.8Veterans Affairs. Change Your Direct Deposit Information Without internet access, submit paper form SF-1199A instead.9General Services Administration. Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form
Other Federal Payments
Railroad Retirement, Civil Service (OPM), and most other federal benefit payments can be updated through the Treasury’s Electronic Payment Solution Center or the Go Direct program.10Go Direct. FAQ
If You’re a Contractor or Self-Employed
Without an employer, you update banking details directly with each client or payment platform that pays you. If a client uses payroll software with a contractor portal, log in and change the details yourself. On platforms like PayPal or Stripe, update the linked account in settings. For ACH payments arranged outside any portal, send the new numbers through a secure channel and confirm the change before the next scheduled payment. The same rule holds: keep the old account open until at least one payment lands in the new one.