To open a bank account, you will usually need a government-issued photo ID, your Social Security number or another accepted identification number, your date of birth, a residential address, contact details, and money for any required opening deposit.
The exact list depends on the bank, the account, your age, and whether you apply online or at a branch. One institution may accept a passport and utility bill. Another may request a second ID, a lease, or additional verification before approving the application.
The safest approach is to check the bank’s requirements before you start. That five-minute step can save you from arriving at a branch with the wrong documents or reaching the end of an online application only to discover that your ID photo is unacceptable.
This article focuses mainly on personal checking and savings accounts in the United States. Business, trust, estate, and custodial accounts usually require additional paperwork.
The basic information most banks ask for
Banks and credit unions are required to have procedures for identifying their customers. At a minimum, their customer identification programs generally collect your name, date of birth, address, and an identification number. The institution must also take reasonable steps to verify that you are who you claim to be.
Prepare the following information before starting your application:
- Your full legal name
- Your date of birth
- Your residential address
- Your mailing address, if different
- Your phone number
- Your email address
- Your Social Security number, ITIN, or another accepted identification number
- Your employment or occupation information, when requested
- The source of the money you expect to deposit, when requested
You may know most of this without looking anything up. Still, check that the spelling and formatting match your identification.
A missing middle name may not matter. A different last name, old address, reversed date of birth, or single incorrect digit in a Social Security number can stop an online application and send it into manual review.
Use your legal name
Enter the name shown on your current identification rather than a nickname.
If everyone calls you Sam but your passport says Samantha, use Samantha. If you recently changed your name after marriage, divorce, adoption, or a court order, the bank may ask for documents connecting the old name with the new one.
The easiest option is to update your primary identification before applying. When that is not possible, call the institution and ask what supporting document it accepts.
Have your current address ready
A bank generally asks for a residential or business street address rather than relying only on a post office box. Customer identification rules allow certain alternatives for someone who does not have a residential or business street address, but the institution will still follow its own verification procedures.
You can usually provide a separate mailing address if you receive mail somewhere else.
Do not use an old address simply because it still appears on your driver’s license. Explain the difference and bring acceptable proof of the current address.
Bring a government-issued photo ID
For most people, the main document is an unexpired government-issued photo ID.
Common examples include:
- Driver’s license
- State identification card
- U.S. passport
- Passport card
- Military identification
- Permanent resident card
- Employment authorization document
- Foreign passport, when accepted
- Consular identification card, when accepted
The FDIC tells prospective customers to prepare a driver’s license, state ID, military ID, passport, or another form of identification accepted by the institution.
The ID normally needs to be current
An expired license may show your name and photograph, but the bank may not accept it as current identification.
Check the expiration date before your appointment. This is especially easy to miss when you no longer drive regularly or use a passport that has been sitting in a drawer for years.
If your main ID has expired, ask whether the bank accepts a temporary license, renewal receipt, or another government-issued document. Do not assume it will.
The photograph and information need to be clear
For an online application, you may be asked to photograph the front and back of your ID.
Use good lighting, keep all four corners visible, and make sure there is no glare across your name, document number, or expiration date. A blurry photograph can cause the verification system to reject the document even when the ID itself is valid.
Do not edit the image, cover information, or submit a screenshot of a photograph when the bank asks you to take a live image through its app.
Ask before using a foreign ID
Some banks and credit unions accept foreign passports and consular identification cards. Each institution sets its own policy on which foreign documents it will accept. The CFPB specifically recommends checking with the institution rather than assuming a particular foreign ID will work.
Ask whether the document must be:
- Unexpired
- Translated
- Accompanied by a visa or immigration document
- Supported by proof of a U.S. address
- Presented in person
An online bank may have stricter automated verification than a branch where an employee can examine several documents.
You may need a second form of identification
One photo ID may be enough at some institutions. Others request a second document.
Common secondary documents include:
- Social Security card
- Birth certificate
- Health insurance or Medicare card
- Employee identification card
- School identification card
- Voter registration card
- Another government-issued identification document
- A bill or official letter showing your name and address
The CFPB’s account-opening checklist lists a Social Security card, birth certificate, or bill showing your name and address as common secondary documents.
A second ID serves a different purpose
Your primary ID usually confirms your identity through a photograph and government record.
The second document may confirm your Social Security number, date of birth, address, or connection to another record. That is why two photo IDs are not always better than one photo ID and one address document.
Ask what the bank is trying to verify. Then bring the document that solves that problem.
Originals may be required
A photograph stored on your phone may not be accepted at a branch.
The bank may want to inspect the original document or a certified copy. Online applications may accept digital images submitted through a secure verification process.
Do not email scans of your passport or Social Security card to a random address supplied during a phone call. Confirm that you are using the bank’s official secure portal or verified contact channel.
Prepare your Social Security number or ITIN
Banks commonly ask for your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, known as an ITIN.
You may only need to enter the number rather than show the physical card. Another institution may ask for the card or a tax document when its verification system cannot confirm the number.
Do not carry your Social Security card unnecessarily
Call before taking the original card to a branch.
If the bank only needs the number, leave the card stored securely at home. Losing a wallet containing your driver’s license, bank card, and Social Security card gives an identity thief an unpleasantly useful collection of information.
Can you open an account without a Social Security number?
Possibly.
The CFPB notes that an accepted identification number may include an ITIN, passport number and country of issuance, alien identification number, or another government-issued identification number. Some institutions accept foreign passports or consular IDs, but their policies differ.
For a U.S. person, the customer identification rules generally use a taxpayer identification number. A bank may have procedures for an applicant who has applied for a TIN but has not received it yet, and a 2025 federal exemption also allows institutions to use certain alternative methods to obtain TIN information from an approved third party. That change does not mean every bank will open every account without asking you for the number.
Call the bank and ask:
- Can I open this specific account without an SSN?
- Do you accept an ITIN?
- Which foreign identification numbers do you accept?
- Do I need to apply at a branch?
- Can the account earn interest?
- What additional address or immigration documents are required?
Do not rely on a general statement that the bank “serves everyone.” Account requirements can differ within the same institution.
Bring proof of your current address
Your photo ID may already show your current residential address. When it does not, the bank may ask for another document.
Possible proof-of-address documents include:
- Utility bill
- Lease or rental agreement
- Mortgage statement
- Property tax notice
- Bank or credit card statement
- Insurance statement
- Government letter
- Pay statement
- School enrollment document
The bank decides which documents it accepts and how recent they must be.
Check the date on the document
A utility bill from three years ago proves that you once received mail at the address. It does not provide strong evidence that you live there now.
Many institutions want a document issued recently, often within a stated number of days or months. Ask for the exact period.
The name should match
Address verification becomes harder when every household bill is in someone else’s name.
If you live with parents, relatives, roommates, or a partner, ask what alternatives the bank accepts. A lease, government letter, pay statement, school record, or official letter addressed to you may work.
Do not alter a bill or add your name yourself. That creates a much bigger problem than an inconvenient application.
A P.O. Box may not be enough
You may use a P.O. Box for privacy or dependable mail delivery, but the institution will generally still ask for a residential or business street address for identification purposes.
Provide the physical address and list the P.O. Box separately as the mailing address when the application allows it.
If you do not have a fixed residential address, contact the bank before applying. Federal customer identification rules allow certain alternative contact addresses, but the institution still needs a method it accepts for verifying you.
Prepare your contact details
You will normally need an email address and phone number.
The bank may use them for:
- Application updates
- Identity verification codes
- Fraud alerts
- Online banking enrollment
- Password recovery
- Electronic statements
- Debit card activation
Use contact details you control and expect to keep.
Protect the email account first
Your email can become a route into your bank account. A criminal who controls it may request password resets, intercept security messages, or impersonate you.
Use a unique email password and turn on multi-factor authentication before connecting the address to a new financial account.
Do not use someone else’s phone number casually
A trusted relative may help you receive a verification code during the application. The problem comes later when fraud alerts and account recovery messages continue going to that person.
Use your own number when possible. If you must use another arrangement, ask how to update it once your number changes.
Check whether an opening deposit is required
Some checking and savings accounts have no minimum opening deposit. Others require you to deposit a stated amount before the account becomes active.
The opening deposit is not necessarily the same as the balance required to avoid a monthly fee. The CFPB recommends asking both how much is required to open the account and what balance or activity is needed to avoid ongoing charges.
Ways to fund the account
You may be able to use:
- Cash at a branch
- A personal or cashier’s check
- A debit card
- An ACH transfer from another bank
- A wire transfer
- Direct deposit after the account opens
An online application may ask for the routing and account numbers of your existing bank. It may also send one or two small test deposits that you must confirm before the accounts are linked.
Do not deposit every available dollar immediately
When changing banks, start with enough to meet the opening requirement and test the account.
Confirm that you can log in, use the debit card, transfer money, receive alerts, and contact customer service before moving your full emergency fund or closing your previous account.
The new account may be legitimate and insured. You can still discover that its transfer times, ATM network, or deposit rules do not work well for you.
Additional information the bank may request
The identification documents are only part of the application.
A bank may ask about:
- Your occupation
- Your employer
- Your annual income range
- Your citizenship or tax residency
- The expected source of deposits
- Your expected monthly transaction volume
- Whether you will send or receive international transfers
- Whether you hold a prominent public position
- The purpose of the account
Some of these questions can feel nosy. They help the institution understand the expected use of the account and apply its identity, tax, fraud, and anti-money-laundering procedures.
Answer accurately
You do not need to predict every future transaction.
Give a reasonable answer based on how you expect to use the account. If you are opening basic checking for payroll and bills, say that. If the account will receive business sales, international payments, or large cash deposits, do not describe it as a quiet household account.
Using a personal account for business transactions can also violate the institution’s terms or create accounting problems. Open the correct account type.
What joint account owners need
Every joint owner will normally need to provide identification and personal information.
That can include:
- Legal name
- Date of birth
- Residential address
- Identification number
- Photo ID
- Contact information
- Signature or electronic consent
One person cannot usually complete all identity verification for the other owner simply because they are married or related.
Understand what joint ownership means
Adding someone as a joint owner is different from letting them view the account or use a card.
A joint owner may have the ability to deposit, withdraw, transfer, and close the account, depending on the agreement. The ownership can also affect what happens after death, divorce, debt collection, or a dispute between the owners.
Do not add someone merely because the application makes it easy.
Ask the bank to explain joint ownership, authorized signer access, beneficiaries, powers of attorney, and other account roles. Speak with an attorney when the legal consequences matter.
What a minor may need
Age requirements depend on state law and bank policy. In many places, someone under 18 will need a parent, guardian, custodian, or another qualifying adult to help open the account. The FDIC advises younger applicants to ask a trusted adult about the institution’s options.
The bank may request:
- The minor’s name and date of birth
- The minor’s Social Security number or other accepted identification number
- A birth certificate, passport, school ID, or state ID
- The adult’s full identification documents
- Proof of the relationship or authority, in some cases
- An opening deposit
Check who owns and controls the money
A teen checking account, custodial account, joint account, and minor savings account are not the same product.
Ask:
- Who legally owns the funds?
- Who can withdraw money?
- Can the minor use a debit card?
- Are spending limits available?
- Does the adult receive alerts?
- When does the account convert to an adult account?
- Will fees change at that point?
The documents matter, but the account rules matter more over the next several years.
What non-U.S. citizens may need
You do not necessarily need to be a U.S. citizen to open a U.S. bank account. You do need to meet the institution’s identity, address, tax, and eligibility requirements.
Possible documents include:
- Foreign passport
- U.S. visa
- Permanent resident card
- Employment authorization document
- Consular identification card
- ITIN
- Foreign taxpayer identification number
- Proof of a U.S. address
- Immigration or school documents
The CFPB notes that some banks accept foreign passports and consular identification documents, but each institution decides which foreign IDs it accepts.
Call the exact branch
A national bank’s general website may say foreign documents are accepted while an employee at the branch is unfamiliar with the process.
Call the location you plan to visit and ask for a detailed list. Write down the employee’s name and bring more than one accepted document when possible.
Ask whether online opening is available
An institution may accept your documents at a branch but not through its online identity system.
That is not necessarily a denial. The automated system may simply be unable to verify the foreign document.
Ask whether you can complete the application in person.
Online applications may require extra verification
An online bank cannot look across a desk and compare your face with your license. It may use documentary and non-documentary verification methods instead. Federal examination guidance recognizes both approaches as part of a bank’s risk-based customer identification procedures.
You may be asked to:
- Photograph your ID
- Take a live selfie or short video
- Answer questions based on public or credit records
- Verify your phone or email
- Link an existing bank account
- Provide additional documents through a secure portal
- Speak with a verification employee
A failed online application is not always a final denial
The system may fail because:
- Your address was recently changed
- Your credit file is thin
- Your phone number is new
- The ID image was unclear
- Your name differs between records
- Your credit file is frozen
- The system cannot verify a foreign document
Contact the institution and ask whether it offers manual review or branch opening.
Watch for fake bank applications
Use the institution’s official website or app.
Do not follow an advertisement or text message to a page asking you to upload your passport, Social Security card, and debit card details without verifying the destination.
Confirm that the institution is federally insured and that the web address belongs to the actual bank or credit union. A professional-looking page can still be a copy designed to collect identity documents.
Business accounts need more paperwork
A business bank account normally requires personal identification for the owners or controlling individuals plus documents proving that the business exists.
Depending on the business type, the bank may ask for:
- Employer Identification Number
- Social Security number for a sole proprietor
- Articles of organization or incorporation
- Partnership agreement
- Operating agreement
- Business license
- Assumed-name or DBA certificate
- Beneficial ownership information
- Resolution authorizing the account
- Business address documents
Requirements vary substantially between a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, nonprofit, trust, and estate.
Ask before bringing every company document you own
Call the business banking department and describe the legal structure.
A sole proprietor may need a small set of documents. A company with several owners may need identification from multiple people and formal authorization showing who can open and operate the account.
Preparing the correct documents is easier than bringing a folder containing every tax return and contract the business has ever produced.
Trust and estate accounts also require legal documents
A bank opening an account for a trust, deceased estate, guardianship, or power of attorney arrangement needs to verify both the people involved and their legal authority.
Possible documents include:
- Trust agreement or certification of trust
- Death certificate
- Court appointment of an executor or administrator
- Letters testamentary
- Guardianship order
- Power of attorney
- Tax identification number for the estate or trust
- Identification for trustees, executors, agents, or beneficiaries
Do not assume a photocopy of a will gives you authority to access someone else’s bank account.
Ask the bank’s estate or trust department for its exact requirements. Legal rules and document names vary by state and situation.
What happens if the bank cannot verify you?
The bank may request more information, delay the opening, restrict the account temporarily, or decline the application.
A denial does not automatically mean you did something wrong.
Your documents may not match
A recent move, name change, incorrect birth date, or mistyped identification number can create a discrepancy.
Ask which information failed to match and what document can correct it.
The bank may review your account history
Banks and credit unions may use checking account reporting companies when deciding whether to offer an account. Negative information can include unpaid balances from a previously closed account, suspected fraud, or a history of bad checks.
This is different from simply forgetting one piece of identification.
If the bank denies your application based on a checking account report, it must provide an adverse action notice containing the reporting company’s contact information. You can request a free copy of that report and dispute inaccurate information.
A lower-risk account may still be available
Some institutions offer accounts that do not allow overdrafts or check writing. These may be easier to qualify for after problems with a previous checking account.
Ask whether the bank offers a second-chance or lower-risk account rather than submitting the same application repeatedly.
Prepare the documents without exposing them
The documents used to open an account contain enough information to create serious identity problems when they fall into the wrong hands.
Use a simple application folder
For a branch visit, prepare only what you expect to need:
- Primary photo ID
- Secondary ID
- Proof of address
- Social Security or ITIN information
- Opening deposit method
- Any special account documents
Keep the folder with you. Do not leave it visible in a parked car.
Do not send sensitive documents through ordinary email
Use the bank’s secure upload system, encrypted message center, or in-person process.
If an employee asks you to email identification, verify the address through the bank’s published phone number and ask whether a secure alternative is available.
Keep copies of what you submitted
Record which documents were provided and the date.
You do not necessarily need to photocopy every identification document. A note showing what was submitted can help if the application is delayed or the bank asks for the same item again.
Check the account terms while you have the documents out
Opening the account is not the finish line.
Before depositing money, check:
- Monthly maintenance fee
- Fee-waiver requirements
- Minimum balance
- ATM network
- Overdraft settings
- Returned-payment fees
- Cash and check deposit options
- Mobile deposit limits
- External transfer limits
- Paper statement fees
- Early closure fee
- Deposit insurance
The CFPB recommends comparing fees, minimum deposits, branch and ATM access, digital tools, and customer service when choosing or moving a checking account.
An application that takes five minutes can create an account you keep for ten years.
Spend a little longer checking the terms.
A practical document checklist
Before applying, check that you have:
- An unexpired government-issued photo ID
- A second accepted identification document, if required
- Your Social Security number, ITIN, or other accepted identification number
- Proof of your current residential address
- Your phone number and secure email address
- Money or account details for the opening deposit
- Identification for every joint owner
- Minor, business, trust, or estate documents when relevant
- The bank’s current list of accepted documents
Then check the details:
- Does the name match across the documents?
- Is the ID unexpired?
- Is the address current?
- Is the proof-of-address document recent enough?
- Do you need originals or certified copies?
- Can the application be completed online?
- Will the bank accept your form of identification?
- Is an opening deposit required?
That is usually enough to avoid the most common delays.
Frequently asked questions
Can you open a bank account with only a driver’s license?
Possibly.
Some institutions accept one government-issued photo ID and verify the remaining information electronically. Others require a second ID, proof of address, or Social Security information.
Check the bank’s list before applying.
Do you need your physical Social Security card?
Not always.
Many applications ask only for the number. The bank may request the card or another supporting document when it cannot verify the number electronically.
Can you open a bank account without proof of address?
The bank needs an address as part of its customer identification process. Your photo ID may provide acceptable proof. When it does not, the bank may request a bill, lease, government letter, or another supported document.
People without a fixed residential address should ask about the institution’s alternative verification process before applying.
Can you use an expired passport or driver’s license?
Some institutions may accept an expired document with additional identification, but many require current, unexpired ID.
Ask before relying on it.
Can a non-U.S. citizen open an account?
Many institutions allow eligible non-U.S. citizens to open accounts using accepted identification such as a foreign passport, ITIN, immigration document, or consular identification card.
The bank decides which documents and account types it accepts.
Can you open an account completely online?
Yes, when the institution can verify your identity digitally and the account is available in your state.
You may need to photograph your ID, complete a selfie check, verify your contact details, and connect another account for funding.
Does opening a bank account affect your credit score?
A standard deposit account is not the same as applying for a credit card or loan.
The institution may still review a checking account report, credit report, or identity information according to its policies. Applying for an overdraft line of credit or another borrowing product can involve a separate credit inquiry.
How long does it take to open a bank account?
A straightforward branch or online application may be completed quickly. Access can take longer when the institution needs additional verification, mails the debit card, places a hold on the opening deposit, or manually reviews the application.
Do not schedule urgent bills from the account until you know the money is available and the payment tools work.
Do both people need to be present for a joint account?
Some banks require both applicants to visit a branch or complete their digital verification separately. Others allow one person to begin the application and invite the second owner.
Each owner generally needs to provide their own identity and tax information.
What happens if your application is denied?
Ask for the reason.
If the decision was based on a checking account report, use the adverse action notice to request a free copy and check it for errors. You can also ask whether the institution offers a lower-risk or second-chance account.
The bottom line
Opening a bank account is easier when you prepare the documents before starting.
Most applicants should have an unexpired government-issued photo ID, their Social Security number or another accepted identification number, proof of their current address, contact details, and a way to make any required opening deposit.
You may also need a second ID.
Joint owners, minors, non-U.S. citizens, businesses, trusts, and estates usually require additional information. The exact rules vary, so call the bank or credit union and ask what it accepts for the specific account you plan to open.
Check the documents for mismatched names, expired dates, old addresses, and unclear photographs. Submit sensitive information only through an official branch, app, website, or secure upload system.
Then read the account terms.
The correct identification gets the account open. The fees, access, deposit rules, and customer service determine whether it remains worth keeping.