How to Find Your Bank Routing Number for Form 2290

When you pay your Heavy Vehicle Use Tax by Electronic Funds Withdrawal (EFW, also called direct debit) on Form 2290, you enter two numbers from your bank account: the routing number and the account number. The routing number tells the IRS which bank to pull the money from. A wrong routing number is a common cause of a failed payment, so it is worth getting right the first time.

What a routing number is

A routing number, sometimes called an ABA routing transit number, is a nine digit code that identifies your bank within the U.S. banking system. It is always nine digits, for example 121000248 or 026009593. The same bank can have more than one, because large banks assign routing numbers by the state where you opened the account and by the type of transfer. Bank of America, for instance, explains in its routing number FAQ that its routing numbers vary depending on the state of your account and offers a lookup so you use the right one; most large banks work the same way. For an EFW debit you want the ACH routing number for your account.

Where to find your routing number

• On a paper check: it is the first group of nine digits along the bottom left, printed before your account number and the check number.
• In your online banking or mobile app, usually under account details or account information.
• On a bank statement.
• On your bank's website, often in a routing number help page or FAQ.
• By calling your bank or visiting a branch and asking for the ACH routing number.

Read it from a check, not a display name

Copy the routing and account numbers from a printed check or an official bank document, not from the nickname your banking app shows on the home screen. A single wrong digit can cause the IRS debit to fail, which means follow up letters and a tax that did not actually get paid, even though your return was accepted. If you do not have paper checks, your bank can confirm the correct ACH routing number for direct debits.

Source

For how routing numbers are structured and why they differ by state, Bank of America's routing number FAQ is a clear plain language reference, and your own bank publishes its numbers the same way. For the payment step itself, see the IRS payments page (irs.gov/payments).