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Routing Number Designations

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Question: 
I was told by co-workers that a routing number can not start with the number 5. I am curious to know if this is true, and if it is, why can't the routing number start with the number 5?
Answer: 

The first two digits of the Routing Number are assigned as follows:

00 series: checks and drafts of the U.S. Government and its agencies
01-12 series: checks and electronic transactions of banks, Federal Reserve Banks, Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Land Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Farm Credit Banks, and state government units.
13-20 series: reserved for future use.
21-32 series: Checks, drafts and electronic transactions of thrift institutions. (Discontinued assignment in 1985. Since then, they use the 01-12 series)
33-49 series: reserved for future use
50-59 series: reserved for internal process control purposes by banks, Federal Reserve banks and other entities.
60 series: Reserved for future use
61-72 series: electronic transaction identifiers
73-79 series: reserved for future use
80 series: travelers checks
81-92 series: reserved for future use. Numbers in the 90-91 series were originally used to identify non-par items. Such usage is now obsolete.
93-99 series: reserved for future use

First published on BankersOnline.com 12/16/02

First published on 12/16/2002

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