To send a bank transfer, you need, at minimum, the recipient’s full legal name, their bank’s routing number, and their account number. What details you need for a bank transfer beyond those three depends on the method: a domestic ACH transfer also needs the account type, a domestic wire adds the recipient bank’s name and address, an international wire adds a SWIFT/BIC code and often an IBAN, and peer-to-peer apps replace the account numbers entirely with an email address, phone number, or username.
Domestic ACH Transfer
ACH transfers move money between U.S. bank accounts through the Automated Clearing House network. They’re the standard method for direct deposits, bill payments, and routine transfers between your own accounts at different banks. You need four pieces of information about the recipient:
- Full legal name, exactly as it appears on the account. Small discrepancies can cause a rejection.
- Nine-digit routing number that identifies the recipient’s bank. It sits on the bottom-left of a paper check, and most banking apps list it in the account details.
- Account number for the specific account. On a check, this appears immediately to the right of the routing number.
- Account type: checking or savings. Sending to the wrong type can delay or reject the transfer.
ACH transfers typically take one to three business days to settle. Same-day ACH is available at many banks for an added fee. Because ACH transactions process in batches, they’re generally cheaper than wires and often free between consumer accounts.
Domestic Wire Transfer
Wire transfers settle the same day and are the standard method for large, time-sensitive payments like real estate closings. A wire needs the same core information as an ACH transfer, plus the recipient’s bank name and branch address so the sending institution can independently verify the routing information.1U.S. Bank. What Kind of Information Is Required to Send a Wire Transfer
Accuracy matters more with a wire than with an ACH. Wires process individually and are nearly irreversible once they leave your bank. ACH transactions run in batches, which creates a brief window where errors can sometimes be corrected. With a wire, the money is gone within hours, and recovery depends on the recipient voluntarily returning it. Outgoing domestic wire fees at major banks typically run between $0 and $35, depending on whether you initiate the transfer online or in person.
International Wire Transfer
Cross-border transfers require more documentation because the money passes through multiple banking systems and must satisfy anti-money-laundering rules in both countries. Gather the following before you start:
- SWIFT/BIC code, an eight- or eleven-character code that identifies the recipient’s bank globally. The first eight characters specify the bank and country; an optional three-character suffix identifies a specific branch. The recipient or their bank’s website can supply it.2Swift. Business Identifier Code (BIC)
- IBAN, an International Bank Account Number used in over 80 countries, including most of Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Latin America and Africa. The IBAN combines a country code, check digits, and the account number into a single standardized string. Not every country uses IBANs, but where one is required the transfer will be rejected without it.
- Recipient’s full name and physical address, as registered with their bank.3Western Union. International Bank Account Transfer Details
- Receiving bank’s full name and street address for the branch where the recipient holds the account.4U.S. Bank. What Information Do I Need to Send an International Wire Transfer
- Intermediary bank name and SWIFT code, if one is required. When the sending and receiving banks don’t have a direct relationship, the transfer routes through a third bank. Smaller banks with limited international presence almost always need one.
- Purpose of transfer. Some countries require a stated reason for the incoming funds, such as “family support” or “purchase of goods.”
Some transfers require both a SWIFT code and an IBAN. The SWIFT code tells the network which bank should receive the money; the IBAN tells that bank which specific account inside it should receive the funds. Sending to Europe usually calls for both. Sending to the United States or other countries that don’t use IBANs, the SWIFT code and account number are enough.
International wires are more expensive than domestic ones. Fees vary widely depending on the banks involved and the destination country, and an intermediary bank may deduct its own fee from the transfer amount before the money reaches the recipient. Ask your bank for a complete fee breakdown before you authorize the transfer.
Digital Payment Platforms
Peer-to-peer services like Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal replace routing and account numbers with everyday identifiers. Depending on the platform, you send money using the recipient’s email address, mobile phone number, or username. PayPal also lets you search by the recipient’s name. These identifiers link to the recipient’s underlying bank account or platform balance without exposing the actual account numbers to the sender.
The tradeoff is speed against reversibility. Payments through most peer-to-peer apps are treated as completed once sent. Send money to the wrong phone number or email address, and getting it back depends entirely on the unintended recipient returning it.
For transactions above certain dollar thresholds, platforms may ask you to verify your identity with a government-issued ID and confirm your legal name. This step satisfies federal “Know Your Customer” requirements.
Verifying Details Before You Send
Because a single wrong digit can redirect an entire payment to a stranger, confirm the details directly with the recipient before you authorize anything large. For wires especially, call the recipient at a phone number you already have on file to confirm the account information. Scammers who compromise email accounts frequently change the banking details inside legitimate-looking invoices and payment instructions, and voice confirmation is often the only way to catch it. When using peer-to-peer apps to pay someone new, send a small test amount first and confirm they received it before sending the rest.
If You Enter the Wrong Details
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that if you provide incorrect account or routing numbers, you could lose your money and may not be able to get it back.5Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. I Sent Money to Someone and They Couldn’t Get the Money Because the Information Didn’t Match What I Provided. What Can I Do?
Your chances of recovery depend on the type of transfer and how quickly you act. With a wire transfer, the window to cancel is measured in minutes. Once a wire processes, reversing it requires the recipient’s cooperation, and if the money landed in a stranger’s account, that person has no obligation to return it without a court order. ACH transfers are slightly more forgiving because they process in batches, which creates a brief gap where your bank may be able to pull the transaction back. But you still need to catch the error fast.
If you realize you’ve sent money to the wrong destination, contact your bank immediately with your transaction confirmation number and the correct details. For international transfers, your bank can request a SWIFT trace to track where the funds are in the system. If the bank can’t resolve the problem, you can file a complaint with the CFPB, though that’s a last resort and not a guarantee of recovery.