To pay by e-check, you need five pieces of information: the account holder’s name, the bank’s name, the nine-digit routing number, the account number, and the account type (checking or savings). An e-check is a digital version of a paper check that moves money through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network. The form takes a few minutes to fill out, but any wrong detail can bounce the payment and trigger a returned-item fee.
The Five Pieces of Information
- Account holder name. Your full legal name exactly as it appears on the bank account. A mismatch can flag the transaction for review or cause a return.
- Bank name. The financial institution where the account is held.
- Routing number. A nine-digit number that identifies your bank within the ACH network. The American Bankers Association originally created this system, and every bank and credit union has at least one.
- Account number. The unique number tied to your individual account. This tells the network which account to pull funds from.
- Account type. Whether the account is checking or savings. Picking the wrong one is a common reason e-checks fail, because the ACH system processes the two account types differently.
Some payment forms also ask for a billing address, phone number, or email. Those fields are for the merchant’s records and confirmation receipts, not for the ACH transfer itself.
Where to Find Your Routing and Account Numbers
On a Paper Check
If you have a checkbook, look at the bottom edge of a blank check. The numbers are printed in a magnetic ink font designed for machine reading.1Government Publishing Office. GPO Publication 310.5 – Guidelines for Specifying Quality and Determining Compliance of MICR, OCR, and OMR The first nine digits on the left are your routing number. The next group is your account number. The shorter number at the far right is the check number, which you can ignore for e-check purposes.
Without a Paper Check
Most banks display both numbers in their online banking portal or mobile app, usually under account details or settings. Your monthly statement also lists them. If you cannot locate them digitally, calling your bank’s customer service line and verifying your identity will get you the numbers over the phone. Some banks post the routing number on their public help page.
One caution: larger banks sometimes use a different routing number for electronic transfers than for paper checks. If the bank’s website lists a separate “ACH routing number” or “electronic transfer routing number,” use that one for e-check payments.
What Else the Form Will Ask You to Do
After entering the banking details, you have to authorize the withdrawal. This step is not optional. Federal regulations require that any preauthorized electronic transfer from your account be approved by a writing or similar authentication from you.2eCFR. 12 CFR 1005.10 – Preauthorized Transfers In practice, that means checking a box confirming you agree to the payment or typing your name as an electronic signature.
The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act gives these digital authorizations the same legal weight as a handwritten signature on a paper check.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC Chapter 96 – Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Once you submit, the merchant has legal permission to pull the specified amount from your account. For recurring payments like monthly subscriptions, one authorization typically covers all future withdrawals until you revoke it.
How Long the Payment Takes to Clear
E-checks are faster than most people expect. According to Nacha, the organization that manages the ACH network, roughly 80 percent of ACH payments settle within one business day or less. ACH debit transactions, which is what an e-check payment is, must settle no later than the next business day under Nacha rules.4Nacha. The Significant Majority of ACH Payments Settle in One Business Day or Less
Same Day ACH is also available for transactions up to $1 million per payment, with that limit set to increase to $10 million in September 2027.5Nacha. Same Day ACH Per Payment Limit to Increase to $10 Million Whether a specific payment qualifies for same-day processing depends on when it is submitted and the merchant’s payment processor. For most consumer bills and online purchases, expect the funds to leave your account within one to two business days.
After the payment clears, your bank statement will show the withdrawal, usually labeled with the merchant’s name and an ACH descriptor. You should also receive an email receipt or confirmation from the merchant with a transaction ID. Keep it as proof of payment.
If You Enter Something Wrong
When the ACH network cannot complete a payment, the transaction is “returned” with a reason code. The most common causes are insufficient funds, a closed account, an account number that does not match any active account, or the wrong account type. Returns for these basic errors typically happen within two business days of settlement.
A failed e-check is not free. Your bank will usually charge a returned-item or nonsufficient-funds fee, and the merchant may add their own returned-payment fee. You still owe the original amount, so the total cost of a bounced e-check adds up quickly. That is why it is worth confirming every digit of your routing and account numbers before you submit.
Sometimes the problem is minor enough that the system corrects itself. If your bank detects that a routing number or account number has changed, it may send the merchant a notification of change rather than rejecting the payment. The current transaction goes through, and the merchant updates their records for next time. Common triggers include a bank merger that changed routing numbers, an account number reformatting, or a name change on the account.