Canadian Bank Institution Numbers

Across the globe, banks have specific and unique designations – names, numbers, monikers that precisely identify the institution and its place within the financial industry. This is the case in Canada where bank institution numbers work to distinguish banks from one another.

This bank institution number does not change and it’s necessary for things in the country such as funding transfers to or from a Canadian bank account. Unlike other accounting numbers, this banking code is typically attached to the entire institution (bank, credit union, etc.) rather than a specific branch or person. This is particularly true for larger banking conglomerates.

Most banking destinations will share their specific institution numbers with you – simply ask a financial professional. But if you fail to request this number, it can be easily located on a Canadian check: banking institution numbers are 3-digit figures found at the bottom of checks following the five-digit transit number and preceding a person’s account number of up to 12 digits. They also can be found online, including within this article.

Here is a listing of institution numbers (in easy-to-find alphabetical order) for the ten largest Canadian banks:

But these are just a few of the financial spaces discovered across Canada. From sea to sea, from small to large, from national name to credit union, here is a comprehensive, alphabetical listing of all banks and their individualized institution numbers: