Short answer: Most U.S. banks need four facts from you, backed by documents: your name, date of birth, a street address, and an ID number (a Social Security number for citizens; an SSN, ITIN, passport number, or alien ID number for everyone else). In practice that means a valid photo ID, your SSN or ITIN, and sometimes proof of address plus an opening deposit.
Those four facts aren’t the bank being fussy. They come straight from the federal Customer Identification Program rule, 31 CFR 1020.220, which every bank and credit union has to follow before it opens an account. What varies from one bank to the next is which documents it accepts as proof, and that’s where people get stuck.
The right checklist depends on who you are. Find your situation below.
You’re a U.S. Citizen With a Driver’s License
This is the easy case. Bring:
- A valid, unexpired government photo ID. A driver’s license, state ID, U.S. passport, passport card, or military ID all work.
- Your Social Security number. You usually just need to know it, not show the card.
- Proof of address, but only if the address on your ID is out of date.
- Money for the opening deposit, if the account requires one. Many checking accounts now require $0 to $25.
If you just moved, your license probably shows the old address. A recent utility bill, lease, or bank statement from another institution usually covers the gap. Updating your license fixes the problem for good; see what you need to transfer your driver’s license to a new state, and file a USPS change of address so new statements reach you.
A name that doesn’t match. If your ID shows your married name but your Social Security record still has your maiden name, the bank’s identity check can fail. Update the SSA first. Our name change documents guide lists the order to do it in.
No photo ID at all. Get a non-driver state ID before you go. It’s accepted everywhere a license is. Here are the state ID card documents, and many states cut the fee for older adults; see free state IDs for seniors.
You’re Opening an Account for a Child or Teen
Most banks won’t let a minor open an account alone. The usual setup is a joint or custodial account with a parent or guardian.
| Who | What to bring |
| The parent or guardian | Their own photo ID and SSN, plus proof of address if needed |
| The child | The child’s Social Security number. Some banks also ask for a birth certificate or the child’s school ID. |
| A legal guardian who isn’t a parent | The court order naming them guardian |
Teens 16 or 17 can sometimes open a student checking account with a parent as co-owner and their own learner’s permit or school ID. If your child doesn’t have a Social Security card on hand, here’s how to get a Social Security card. Parents of newborns can request one at the hospital when they fill out the birth certificate paperwork.
You’re Not a U.S. Citizen
Federal law doesn’t stop banks from opening accounts for non-citizens. It just changes the ID number the bank records. For a non-U.S. person, the bank can accept one or more of these:
- A taxpayer ID number, such as an SSN or an ITIN
- A passport number and the country that issued it
- An alien identification card number (green card or EAD)
- The number and country of another government-issued photo ID that shows nationality or residence
Each bank’s written policy decides which of these it actually takes. Some credit unions are more flexible than large national banks, and some accept a foreign consular ID such as the Mexican matrícula consular.
What to bring, by status
| Your status | Typical documents |
| Green card holder | Permanent resident card, SSN, proof of U.S. address |
| H-1B or other work visa holder | Passport with visa, I-94, SSN (or proof you’ve applied for one), employment letter, U.S. address |
| F-1 student | Passport with visa, I-20, I-94, school ID, and a letter from the international student office confirming your U.S. address |
| No SSN and not eligible for one | Passport or consular ID, ITIN or ITIN application, proof of address |
| Visitor or foreign resident | Passport, foreign address, and often a U.S. address or a referral from your bank at home |
Newly arrived workers and students should line up their immigration paperwork first. See our guides to H-1B visa documents and student visa documents.
If your ITIN hasn’t arrived yet, the CIP rule allows a bank to open the account once you’ve applied, as long as the bank confirms the application was filed and later collects the number. Not every bank uses that option, so ask. Here’s how to apply for an ITIN, and if an old one lapsed, how ITIN renewal works.
A newer wrinkle: in June 2025, the OCC, FDIC, and NCUA issued an order letting banks get a customer’s taxpayer ID number from a third-party source instead of directly from the customer, as long as they have the right controls in place. It doesn’t change what you need to have, but it can make online applications smoother at banks that use it.
You’ve Been Turned Down Before
Banks check more than ID. Most also pull a report from ChexSystems or Early Warning Services, which track problems like unpaid overdrafts, accounts closed by the bank, and suspected fraud. ChexSystems generally keeps negative records for five years, even though federal rules allow up to seven.
If a bank denies you, it has to tell you which reporting company it used. Then:
- Request your free ChexSystems report. You’re entitled to one free copy a year.
- Dispute anything that’s wrong.
- If a record is accurate, pay the old balance and ask that bank to update or remove the entry. Paying doesn’t remove it automatically.
- Meanwhile, apply for a second-chance checking account. Many banks and credit unions offer them, usually with a monthly fee and fewer features, and you can often move to a regular account after a year or two of clean history.
Some online banks and fintech apps don’t use ChexSystems at all, though they still verify your identity the same way.
You’re Opening the Account Online
Online applications ask for the same four facts. The difference is how you prove them:
- You’ll type in your SSN or ITIN and answer identity questions pulled from credit records.
- Many banks ask you to photograph the front and back of your ID and take a selfie.
- You’ll fund the account by linking another account, by debit card, or by mobile check deposit.
If the online check fails, which happens often with recent movers, name changes, and thin credit files, the bank will ask you to upload documents or visit a branch. Non-citizens without an SSN often have to apply in person.
Joint, Business, and Estate Accounts
Joint accounts. Every owner provides their own ID and ID number. Both usually need to be present, or each completes identity verification online.
Business accounts. These need the business’s formation documents and EIN on top of the owners’ personal ID. See business bank account documents, the EIN application, and our comparison of the best business bank accounts for an LLC.
Estate accounts. An executor opening an account for a deceased person’s estate needs the death certificate, letters testamentary or letters of administration from the probate court, and an EIN for the estate. Closing the person’s old accounts is a separate process; see how to close a deceased person’s bank account.
Managing a parent’s account. A bank won’t let you sign on someone else’s account without authority. That usually means a durable power of attorney that the bank has reviewed and accepted. Here’s what goes into a power of attorney.
Why It’s Worth Doing
About 4.2% of U.S. households, roughly 5.6 million, had no bank account in 2023, according to the FDIC’s national survey. The most common reason given was not having enough money to meet minimum balance requirements. That barrier is lower than it used to be, since many checking accounts now have no minimum. An account also matters more for taxes now, because the IRS has been phasing out paper refund checks; see our tax filing documents checklist for what to have ready.
Quick Answers
Can I open a bank account without a Social Security number? Yes. Non-citizens can use an ITIN, passport number, or alien ID number, depending on the bank’s policy. Some credit unions also offer accounts that don’t require a tax ID at all because they don’t pay interest.
Do I need proof of address if my ID shows my address? Usually not. Banks ask for it when the ID address is missing, outdated, or a P.O. box.
Can I use a P.O. box as my address? Not as your residential address. The rule calls for a street address. People without one can sometimes use the street address of a relative or another contact person.
Can I open an account with an expired ID? Most banks say no. Renew it first, or bring a different valid photo ID such as a passport.
How much money do I need to open an account? Many checking accounts require nothing or $25. Savings accounts and premium checking may require more.
Will opening an account hurt my credit? Usually not. Most banks check ChexSystems, not a hard credit pull. A few run a credit check if the account includes overdraft lines.
Rules and figures here come from the federal CIP rule (31 CFR 1020.220), the FDIC’s 2023 National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households, and the federal banking regulators’ consumer help pages at HelpWithMyBank.gov.