Full text of Federal Reserve Bank of New York Circulars : 8203. Addition of the Check Digit in the Routing Number Field on Checks

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F E D E R A L R E S E R V E BANK
O F NEW YO R K

^Circular No. 8203
I October 19, 1977

ADDITION OF THE CHECK DIGIT
IN THE ROUTING NUMBER FIELD ON CHECKS

To A ll B anks and O ther F in an cial D ep o sitory In stitu tio n s
in th e S econd F ed eral R eserve D istrict, and O thers C oncerned:
A new program has been developed by a joint American Bankers Association/
Federal Reserve System task force to reduce check processing exception items. The
program, which is scheduled for implementation on July 1, 1978, calls for the
removal of the dash in the Routing Number portion of the MICR line at the bottom
of checks, and the insertion of a Modulus-10, weights 3, 7, 1, check digit as the
last digit in the Routing Number field. It will be the same digit that is currently
being used in transferring funds and securities over the Federal Reserve
Communiciations Network. The check digit assigned to each financial depository
institution can be found in the 1975 edition or later editions of the Rand McNally
publication entitled Key to Routing Numbers; for your information, enclosed with
this circular is a page from that publication, showing the check digits assigned
to certain banks.
The primary purpose of including the check digit in the MICR line is to
enable banks and processing centers with automated check processing operations to
regenerate any single digit in the Routing Number field if that digit cannot be
read by a reader/sorter. The check digit will also enable such banks and processing
centers to detect and reject misread items in the Routing Number field, as is current­
ly done by many banks and processing centers with regard to the account number field.
Inventories of checks currently held in stock may be used until supplies
are exhausted— even after the July 1, 1978 implementation date. However, all
financial depository institutions are requested to specify the nine-digit' Routing
Number in placing new orders for checks that are to be used after July 1, 1978.
Commercial check printers have been notified of this change in specifications and
should be able to assist all financial depository institutions in the ordering of
checks with the new nine-digit Routing Number. Your customers who reorder their
own supply of checks directly from commercial check printers should be notified
of the new Routing Number format. However, caution should be exercised to ensure
that checks with the MICR encoded, nine-digit Routing Numbers are not circulated
prior to the official July 1, 1978 implementation date.




(Over)

Banks and processing centers with automated check processing operations
will also be required to make changes in their check processing software systems
to accommodate the new nine-digit format. It is essential that software changes
be made and tested in advance of the July 1, 1978 implementation date to permit
the efficient processing both of checks with eight-digit Routing Numbers and of
checks with nine-digit Routing Numbers during the period following implementation
of the new format. Financial institutions and data processing centers that fail
to make the appropriate software changes prior to July 1, 1978 will experience an
ever increasing reject rate as nine-digit items become more prevalent in the check
collection system. It is suggested that institutions using a vendor-supplied soft­
ware package contact their vendors to determine if the vendors will supply the
necessary software modifications.
For those banks interested, a recent publication entitled Routing Number
Excerpts from the Final Report of the ABA/FRS Check Digit Task Force is available
for purchase from the American Bankers Association.
Any questions on the new program may be directed to Karl L. Ege,
Vice President and Operations Adviser at this Bank (Tel. No. 212-791-618*0 .




P aul A. V olcker,

President.

50—757

0219-0757 (7)
0223-0758 (7)
0223-0760 (o)
0213-0763 (o)
0213-0767 (a)
0213-0770 (8)
0213-0771 (l)
0213-0774 (o)
0219-0779 (7)
0223-0782 (o)
0223-0785 (9)
0213- 0787 (6)
0214- 0791 (2)
0213-0793 (l)
0219-0797 (5)
0219-0802 (6)
0213-0809 (S)
0213-0811 (8)

0223-0812 (o)
0213-0814 (7)
0213-0817 (6)

0213-0818
0213-0819
0219-0827
0223-0832

(2)
(5)
(<*)

0219-0835
0213-0839
0213- 0842
0214- 0846

(6)
(6)
(2)
(l)

(9)

0223-0857 (3)
0214-0859 (7)
0213-0864 (2)
02130867
0214- 0870 (4)
0213-0873
0213-0878
0213-0881
0223-0882

(6)
(l)
(7)
(9)

0213-0883 (3)
0223-0888 (7)
0213-0893 (o)
0223-0895 (5)

0223-0897 (l)
0223-0900 (6)
0223-0901 (9)

The First National Bank of Highland, and Branch,
Highland. *
Chemical Bank of Rochester, and Branches,
Hilton. •
Bank of Holland, Holland.*
Homer National Bank, and Branch, Homer.*
First National Bank of Waterloo, Interlaken
Office, Interlaken.
Keesevilla National Bank, and Branches,
Keeseville. *
The National Union Bank of Kinderhook, and
Branch, Kinderhook.*
Bank of Lake Placid, and Branch, Lake Placid. *
The Sullivan County National Bank of Liberty,
and Branches, Liberty.*
Cattaraugus County Bank, Little Valley. *
The Citizens Central Bank, Lyndonville Office,
Office of Arcade, Lyndonville.*
First National Bank of Cortland, Marathon Office,
Marathon.
The North Fork Bank fit Trust Company, and
Branches, Mattituck*
The First National Bank of Mexico, and Branches,
Mexico.
Bank of Millbrook, and Branch, Millbrook. •
National Union Bank of Monticello, and Branch,
Monticello. •
Nichols National Bank, Nichols. *
Bankers Trust Company of Albany N A, Offices of
Albany at Indian Lake, Long Lake, Newcomb,
and North Creek.
Wyoming County Bank, North Java Branch of
Warsaw, North Java.
The St. Lawrence National Bank, Branches of
Canton at Madrid, and Norwood.*
Citibank (New York State),N. A., Offices of
Buffalo-Syracuse Area at De Witt, Oriskany Falls,
Syracuse, and Utica.*
First National Bank, Ovid.*
National Bank of Oxford, Oxford.*
Stissing National Bank, and Branch, Pine Plains.*
First Trust Union Bank, Randolph Office, Office
of Wellsville, Randolph. •
First National Bank, Red Hook.*
Bank of Richmondville, Richmondville. *
National Bank of Roxbury, Roxbury. *
The Oystermen's Bank & Trust Co., and
Branches, Sayville.*
The Citizens Central Bank, Silver Springs Office,
Office of Arcade, Silver Springs. *
Bank of Smithtown, and Branches, Smithtown.*
Tioga State Bank, and Branches, Spencer.*
National Bank of Stamford, Stamford.*
(i)
Bank of Suffolk County, and Branches, Stony
Brook.
Seaway National Bank, and Branch, Watertown. •
Tupper Lake National Bank, Tupper Lake.*
National Bank of Vernon, Vernon.*
The Canandaigua National Bank and Trust
Company, Victor Office, Victor.
The National Bank of Delaware County Walton,
and Branches, Walton.*
First National Bank, Wayland. *
Essex County-Champlain National Bank,
Willsboro, Westport Office, Westport.*
The Citizens National Bank and Trust Company,
Whitesville Office, Office of Wellsville,
Whitesville. *
Bankers Trust Company of Rochester, and
Branches, Rochester.*
Wyoming County Bank, Wyoming Branch of
Warsaw, Wyoming.
Community National Bank, Coming Office, Office
of Addison, South Coming.

* M e m b e r A. B. A.

Cir. No. 8203)
Digitized for(Enc.
FRASER


50— 1003
213

Check digit appears in parenthesis See rules

NEW YORK—-Prefix No. 50

219

0214-0903 (3)
0223-0906
02134)907
0213-0912
0223-0913
0213-0920
02234)922

Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company/Suffolk
National Association, and Branches, Bay Shore.*
(4) The Canandaigua National Bank and Trust
Company, Holcomb Office, Holcomb.*
(8) Bankers Trust Company of Central New York,
and Offices, Utica.
(o) Essex County-Champlain National Bank,
Willsboro, Crown Point Office, Crown Point.
(a) Firsi Trust Union Bank; Yorkshire Office, Office
of Wellsville, Yorkshire.
(i) Citizens National Bank, Hammond. •
(«) The Bath National Bank, Bath.*

02144)926 (6)

Vanguard National Bank, Hempstead.

02134)928 (s)

Redwood National Bank, Redwood.*

02144)929 (3)

Bank of Babylon, and Branches, Babylon.*

02194)930 (0)

Hudson Valley National Bank, and Office,
Yonkers.
The Citizens Central Bank, Delevan Office,
Office of Arcade, Delevan. *
Bank of Castile, Perry Branch, Perry.

0223-0931 (o)
02234)932 (3)
02134)933 (7)
02194)934 (a)
02234)935 (a)
0223-0936 (5)
02134)937 (9)

0213- 0943 (4)
0219-0945 (3)
0223-0948 (8)
0219-0949 (4)
0214- 0950 (9)

02134)951 (5)
02134)952 (8)
0214-0954 (1)
02144)956 (7)

The St. Lawrence National Bank, Heuvelton
Office, Office of Canton, Heuvelton.*
The First National Bank of Jeffersonville, and
Branch, Jeffersonville. *
Wyoming County Bank, and Branches, Warsaw.*
Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company/Central
New York, and Branches, Ontario. •
The Chase Manhattan Bank, N. A., Offices of
New York City at De Witt, Liverpool, Syracuse,
and Utica.
Chemical Bank of Syracuse, and Branches,
Syracuse. *
Manufacturers Hanover Trust
Company/Mid-Hudson, and Branches, Monroe.*
The Red Creek National Bank, and Branch, Red
Creek.*
Peoples National Bank of Rockland County,
Monsey.*
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Long Island
Regional Check Processing Center, Jericho,
Jericho.
Chemical Bank of Binghamton, Binghamton.*
The Chase Manhattan Bank, N. A., Branches of
New York City at Binghamton, and Endwell.
Peconic Bank, Riverhead.*

02234)961 (l)

Continental Bank, Carden City.*
The Citizens Central Bank, Elba Office, Office of
Arcade, Elba.*
Community National Bank, Coming North
Branch, Branch of Addison, Coming.
Alden State Bank, Alden. *

02134)963 (8)

First National Bank, Norfolk.*

0223-0965 (3)

First Trust Union Bank, Olean Office, Office of
Wellsville, Olean.
The Valley National Bank, Wallkill, N.Y., and
Branches, Walden.*
Pavilion State Bank, and Branch, Pavilion.*

02234)957 (a)
02234)960 (8)

02194)967 (a)
0223-0968 (a)
0213-0972 (a)
02134)973 (5)
02144)985 (5)
02134)999 (7)
0213-1001 (a)
0213-1003 (8)

K88

The National Bank of Northern New York,
Croghan Office, Office of Walertown, Croghan. *
Solvay Bank, Solvay.*
Long Island National Bank, and Branches,
Hicksville. *
Citizens Bank of Cape Vincent, Cape Vincent*
Bankers Trust Company of Albany NA,
Broadalbin Branch, Broadalbin.
Endicott Trust Company, and Branches, Endicott.
,

* M e m b e r A B. A.