The Gusto direct deposit authorization form is handled electronically inside your Gusto account: you enter your bank’s routing and account numbers in your profile, and Gusto presents the authorization for you to e-sign in the same flow. A paper form only comes into play if your employer chooses to use one. The whole setup usually takes a few minutes once you have your banking details in front of you.
What to Have Ready
Gather three things before you sign in: the name of your bank or credit union, your nine-digit routing number, and your account number. Both numbers are printed at the bottom of a paper check, routing on the left and account in the middle. No checks on hand? Your bank’s website, mobile app, or phone line will give you both.
You also need to know whether the account is checking or savings, because the two use different processing codes. If you plan to split your pay across more than one bank, have every account’s details ready so you can set everything up in one sitting.
Filling Out the Form Inside Gusto
New hires usually reach the authorization during the self-service onboarding email Gusto sends after an employer adds them. If you are already onboarded and need to add or update an account, the path is the same:
- Sign in at app.gusto.com.
- Click My Profile in the navigation menu.
- Open the Pay section.
- Click Add Payment Method to link a new bank, or Edit to change an existing one.
- Verify the bank. Gusto offers instant verification through Plaid, which connects to your bank login. If you prefer, type the routing and account numbers in manually.
- Complete the security check, which asks for a two-step verification code and confirmation of your current bank details.
- Click Save.
Somewhere in this flow Gusto will ask you to e-sign the direct deposit authorization.1Gusto. Pay Your Team by Direct Deposit (for Admins) That signature gives your employer the written record they need showing you voluntarily authorized the deposit. Once you save, the form is submitted. There is nothing to email, upload, or hand to HR.
If Your Employer Uses a Paper Form
Some employers still prefer a paper authorization to keep in their own records. If yours does, fill it out in black or blue ink, sign and date it, and hand it directly to your payroll administrator or HR contact. Don’t leave a form with your routing and account numbers sitting in an open mailbox, on a shared desk, or in an email thread.
When the Authorization Takes Effect
Submitting the form is not the same as your paycheck landing in the account. Gusto has to confirm the account is real and reachable first, and the timing depends on how you verified.
Plaid verification, the option that connects through your bank login, activates the account right away. Manual entry is slower: Gusto sends a small test deposit (usually one cent) that should appear in the account within one to two business days.2Gusto. Get Paid Through Gusto (for US Employees) Any payroll that runs before verification finishes will be issued as a paper check rather than a direct deposit, so check your Gusto profile or bank statement to confirm the link is active before your next payday.
Employer-side processing speed also affects when funds actually hit on payday. Most new employers on Gusto start on four-day processing before they qualify for two-day.3Gusto. Direct Deposit Payment Speeds in Gusto Nothing about that requires action from you, but it explains why a first deposit sometimes arrives later than expected.
Splitting Pay or Changing Accounts Later
Gusto lets you keep up to five bank accounts on file and split your paycheck between them.4Gusto. Edit Bank and Personal Information (for US Employees and Contractors) You choose one method:
- By percentage, with the percentages adding up to 100 (for example, 80 percent to checking and 20 percent to savings).
- By dollar amount, with the remainder of net pay going to whichever account you place last (for example, $500 to savings and the rest to checking).
When you split by dollar amount, drag and drop the accounts into the order you want them paid. Gusto pays each account in that sequence until net pay is used up, and the last account catches whatever is left.2Gusto. Get Paid Through Gusto (for US Employees) To set this up, go to the Pay section and click Split Pay once you have more than one account on file.
To change a bank later, use the same path: My Profile, Pay, Edit. You will go through the same security check and verification. One timing point matters: if you update banking information after your employer has already submitted a payroll but before payday, that run may still route to your old account. Contact your employer if it happens.
To remove an account, click Edit next to it, scroll to the bottom of the pop-up, and click Remove Account. If you remove your only account, Gusto switches any submitted payroll to paper check automatically, and your employer will need to hand you the check.4Gusto. Edit Bank and Personal Information (for US Employees and Contractors)
Your Right to Pick Your Own Bank
Federal law bars any employer from requiring you to open an account at a specific financial institution as a condition of getting paid or keeping your job.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1693k – Compulsory Use of Electronic Fund Transfers The bank you list on the Gusto authorization is your choice. Many states go further and prohibit employers from mandating direct deposit at all, requiring a paper check or paycard alternative. Rules vary, so if your employer insists on direct deposit and you would rather not use it, check your state’s wage payment laws or ask your state labor agency. To decline through Gusto, remove your bank account from the Pay section and your employer will issue paper checks going forward.
Keeping the Details Secure
Your routing and account numbers are the keys to your bank account, so handle them carefully while filling out the form. Confirm you are on app.gusto.com and not a lookalike page before typing anything in. If your employer asks you to email your banking details, push back: the Gusto platform is built so you can enter them yourself without sending them over email or text. Admins who accept paper forms should store them somewhere with restricted access.
If you notice an unauthorized transaction after direct deposit is set up, report it to your bank right away. Regulation E gives consumers specific rights to dispute unauthorized electronic transfers, and moving quickly limits your potential liability.6Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1005.10 – Preauthorized Transfers