Canada Transit Number Validator
Validate any Canadian transit number (5-digit branch + 3-digit institution) — Payments Canada registry lookup and instant bank identification.
Validate a Canadian Transit Number →The Canadian transit number system is used for domestic EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) payments through the Payments Canada ACSS network. A transit number identifies the specific bank branch (5 digits), paired with the institution number (3 digits) that identifies the bank. For example, transit 00200 + institution 003 = Bank of Montreal. BankValidor validates both formats — branch + institution (TTTTT-III) and the 9-digit EFT format (0IIITTTTT) used on cheques.
Canadian Transit Number Formats
Canadian banks use two main routing formats: the branch transit + institution number pair for domestic transfers, and the 9-digit EFT format found on Canadian cheques. Both are validated by Payments Canada.
How Canadian Transit Number Validation Works
Enter Transit & Institution Numbers
Type the 5-digit branch transit number and 3-digit institution number. Accepts hyphenated format (TTTTT-III) or the 9-digit EFT format.
Format & Registry Check
We validate the format, check the institution number against the Payments Canada registry of 115+ institutions, and identify the bank.
Instant Result
Get the bank name, EFT routing code, BIC/SWIFT code (if available), and confidence level — VALID, WARNING, or INVALID.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Canadian transit number?
A Canadian transit number (also called a branch transit number) is a 5-digit code that identifies a specific bank branch within a financial institution. It is used for domestic EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) payments through Payments Canada's ACSS (Automated Clearing Settlement System). It is always paired with a 3-digit institution number.
What is a Canadian institution number?
The institution number is a 3-digit code that identifies the financial institution (bank or credit union) in Canada. Major examples: 001 (BMO), 002 (Scotiabank), 003 (Royal Bank of Canada/RBC), 004 (TD Bank), 010 (CIBC), 006 (National Bank), 016 (HSBC Canada). There are 115+ recognized institutions in the Payments Canada registry.
What is the EFT 9-digit routing number format?
The 9-digit EFT routing number found at the bottom of Canadian cheques follows the format 0IIITTTTT: a leading zero, followed by the 3-digit institution number, followed by the 5-digit branch transit number. For example, RBC branch 00200: 0 + 003 + 00200 = 000300200. This format is used by Payments Canada's ACSS system.
Does Canada use IBAN or SWIFT for international transfers?
Canada does not use the IBAN system. For international wire transfers to Canada, you need the recipient's SWIFT/BIC code (e.g., ROYCCAT2 for RBC), the bank name and address, and the account number. The transit number and institution number are for domestic Canadian transfers only.
Ready to validate?
Enter a Canadian transit number and institution number to get instant validation with bank name, EFT routing code, and registry status.
Validate a Canadian Transit Number →