A direct deposit form is a single-page authorization sheet, on paper or as a fillable PDF, with labeled fields for your personal details, your bank’s routing and account numbers, an account-type checkbox, and your signature at the bottom. It looks like a standard workplace or agency form rather than anything issued by your bank, and most people can finish it in under five minutes once they have their routing and account numbers on hand.
The Layout, Section by Section
At the top of the page is a header identifying the document as a “Direct Deposit Authorization Form,” usually alongside the employer’s or agency’s name and logo. Below that, the form breaks into a few clearly separated blocks.
The first block collects your personal information: full legal name, home address, phone number, email, and sometimes a Social Security number or employee ID. This is identification so payroll can match the form to your file.
The middle block is the heart of the form. It asks for your bank details in labeled fields:
- Bank name, meaning the financial institution where you hold the account
- Routing number, a nine-digit code that identifies your bank
- Account number, which identifies your specific checking or savings account
- Account type, usually a checkbox or dropdown for checking or savings
The account and routing fields are often laid out as individual boxes, one per digit, to cut down on handwriting errors. Some forms include a second set of the same fields so you can split your pay across two accounts.
At the bottom is a signature line with a date field. Your signature confirms the details are accurate and gives your employer legal consent to route funds electronically into the account. Many forms also carry a small note or box labeled “attach voided check here.”
Information You Need to Fill It In
The two numbers that matter most are your bank’s routing number and your account number. The routing number is a nine-digit code assigned by the American Bankers Association that identifies your financial institution, and it prints along the bottom-left edge of a personal check.1U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank Routing Number Your account number sits immediately to the right and identifies your specific account at that bank.2Wells Fargo. Routing and Account Number Information for Your Wells Fargo Accounts Every customer at the same bank shares the routing number, but the account number is yours alone.
You also need to know whether the account is checking or savings, because the ACH network treats them differently. A wrong digit or the wrong account type can cause the deposit to bounce back to your employer and push your pay back by at least one full cycle while the error gets fixed.
Finding the Numbers Without a Checkbook
If you don’t keep paper checks, you can pull both numbers from your bank’s website or mobile app, where they usually appear on the account details page. Some banks will generate a prefilled direct deposit form you can download and hand straight to your employer. Your monthly statement lists both numbers as well. Calling the bank or visiting a branch works too, once staff verify your identity.
The Voided Check Slot
Many employers still ask for a voided check as backup verification of your account details. To void one, write “VOID” in large letters across the front. That prevents anyone from cashing it while leaving the printed routing and account numbers readable at the bottom. If you don’t have checks, most employers will accept a bank verification letter or a screenshot of your account details from online banking instead.
If the Form Has Room for Two Accounts
Most direct deposit forms let you split your pay between more than one account. That is useful if, say, you want a fixed dollar amount sent to savings each payday and the rest routed to checking. When the form supports a split, you’ll see a second set of bank detail fields and an option to specify either a percentage or a dollar amount for each account. One account is typically flagged as the “primary” or “remainder” account, meaning it receives whatever is left after the fixed allocations come out.
If the form only has space for one account, ask HR whether their payroll system supports splits anyway. Many payroll platforms handle it even when the paper form looks limited to a single account.
Where the Form Comes From
Your employer’s HR or payroll department is the usual source. They’ll hand you their company-specific version during onboarding, often inside a new-hire packet. Some employers skip paper altogether and have you enter your banking details through an employee self-service portal, in which case the on-screen fields mirror what the paper form would ask for.
If your employer doesn’t hand you a form, your bank can help. Many banks offer a generic direct deposit authorization form on their website or mobile app, sometimes prefilled with your routing and account information, and branches keep them on hand as well. For government benefits like Social Security, the paying agency provides its own enrollment form or online setup process.
Handling the Form Safely
A completed direct deposit form contains sensitive data, including your account number and sometimes your Social Security number. Treat it the way you would a blank check. If your employer runs an online self-service portal, use it rather than emailing the form, since email is not encrypted by default. When you submit a paper form, hand it directly to a payroll representative rather than leaving it in an open mailbox or on a desk.