Open a bank account without a Social Security number
As of Oct. 16, 2026
Short answer: You don't need a Social Security number to open a bank or credit union account. The federal rule asks for your name, date of birth, address and an ID number. If you aren't a U.S. citizen, that number can be an ITIN, a passport number and country, an alien ID card number, or the number of another government photo ID. Each bank decides which ones it accepts, so call first. Since June 5, 2026, federal regulators have encouraged banks to look harder at accounts opened with an ITIN instead of an SSN, so expect more questions. Build my checklist.
Pick what you have. We'll list what the federal rule allows, what to bring and what to ask. Nothing you pick leaves your phone.
Best move: call ahead, start with a Bank On account
Call two or three banks or credit unions first and ask which IDs they accept. Start with a Bank On certified account: no overdraft fees, $25 or less to open, and a low monthly fee. Bring every ID you have, the IRS letter with your ITIN if you have one, and proof of address.
The math:
Example: a non-citizen with a foreign passport and no SSN or ITIN. The rule's minimum is met with the passport number and country of issuance. Whether the account can pay interest depends on a taxpayer ID number (CFPB).
Example: interest of $40 in a year paid to someone who didn't give a TIN as required: 24% backup withholding = $9.60 held back (IRS Topic 307), which can be claimed on a tax return.
Example: a Bank On certified account under the 2025-2026 standards: opening deposit $25 or less, monthly fee $5 or less (or up to $10 if there are at least two ways to waive it), and no overdraft or NSF fees.
A best fit for the situation described, not financial advice or a buy/sell recommendation. Partner links never change a pick.
Your roadmap
Pick your situation in the picker below.
Build your checklist and gather the documents it lists.
Call first. Ask which IDs and ID numbers the bank accepts, and whether the account is Bank On certified.
Need a tax ID? If you have a federal tax reason, apply for an ITIN with Form W-7 and your tax return. It's free at IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers and VITA sites with ITIN services.
Turned down? Ask which company's report was used, get your free copy within 60 days, and dispute anything wrong.
Show me the details
What the federal rule says (31 CFR 1020.220)
Every bank and credit union must have a Customer Identification Program. Before opening an account, it must get at least these four things from you:
Name
Date of birth
Address: a home or business street address. If you don't have one, an APO/FPO box, or the street address of next of kin or another contact person.
ID number: for a U.S. person, a taxpayer ID number. For a non-U.S. person, one or more of: a taxpayer ID number (SSN or ITIN); a passport number and country of issuance; an alien identification card number; or the number and country of any other government-issued document that shows nationality or residence and has a photo or similar safeguard.
Who is a 'U.S. person'? For this rule, a U.S. citizen (or a U.S.-organized business). A green card holder is a non-U.S. person under this rule, even though the IRS may treat them as a resident for taxes (31 CFR 1010.100(iii); IRS).
Applied but still waiting? A bank's program may open the account if it confirms the application was filed and gets the number within a reasonable time.
Checking your ID: banks may look at documents, such as an unexpired driver's license or passport, or use other methods like checking public records. Banks that use other methods must plan for people who can't show an unexpired photo ID.
These are minimums. A bank may ask for more, and it isn't required to accept every kind of ID the rule allows (FFIEC BSA/AML Manual).
The FDIC reminded banks in 2024 that the full ID number must be collected before the account is opened (FDIC FIL-15-2024).
On June 5, 2026, FinCEN issued a joint advisory with the FDIC, OCC and NCUA (FIN-2026-A002). It says using an ITIN in place of an SSN or valid work authorization document may be a relevant risk factor for banks to assess.
It encourages banks to assess the ITIN "in light of the totality of other factors". It also says no single red flag is determinative, and that the red flags don't create new legal obligations.
The advisory doesn't change the list of ID numbers in the federal rule above. But expect more questions, and some banks may change their policies. We can't tell you which banks have.
An ITIN is not proof of immigration status or permission to work (IRS).
What it is: a 9-digit tax processing number from the IRS for people who need a U.S. taxpayer ID but aren't eligible for an SSN. It's for federal tax purposes only.
What it isn't: it doesn't give Social Security benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit, doesn't change immigration status, doesn't authorize work, and isn't ID outside the federal tax system (IRS).
Not just for banking: the IRS doesn't issue an ITIN solely to open a bank or investment account. You need a federal tax reason, like filing a return (Topic 857).
How to apply: Form W-7, your federal tax return, and original identity documents or copies certified by the agency that issued them. Notarized copies aren't accepted. A passport can be used alone; otherwise you send a combination of other current documents (Topic 857).
Where: by mail to the IRS, or in person (documents checked and handed back): IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers with ITIN services (free, by appointment), VITA sites with ITIN services (free, limited locations), or Certifying Acceptance Agents (fee-based).
How long: allow 7 weeks; 9 to 11 weeks from Jan. 15 to April 30 or if you apply from abroad. Mailed original documents come back within 60 days (IRS).
Expiration: an ITIN not used on a federal tax return at least once in three consecutive tax years expires on Dec. 31 of the third year. ITINs issued before 2013 that were never renewed have expired (Topic 857).
Got an SSN later? Stop using the ITIN and tell the IRS so it can combine your records. You can't have both (IRS).
Interest needs a tax ID: the CFPB says you need an SSN or ITIN to open an account that pays interest; without one, you may be limited to a no-interest account.
Backup withholding: if you don't give the payer your TIN in the required manner, it must withhold a flat 24% from interest (IRS Topic 307). The amount shows on your Form 1099 and counts as tax withheld on your return.
Which form: U.S. persons for tax (including resident aliens) certify their TIN on Form W-9. Foreign individuals give Form W-8BEN to the bank when it asks (IRS).
FDIC insurance: "A person does not have to be a U.S. citizen or resident to have his or her deposits insured by the FDIC." Coverage is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category.
Not legal, tax or immigration advice. A bank's own written program decides what it accepts.
We don't list which banks accept ITINs or foreign IDs. Policies change, and the June 2026 advisory may change some.
We don't calculate your ITIN's expiration date. Check your IRS notices or call the IRS at 800-829-1040.
We couldn't find a federal rule on whether a bank may accept an expired ITIN.
The CFPB's online answer on this topic now redirects to its general bank-accounts page. We cite the CFPB's account-opening checklist instead.
Low-cost accounts: Bank On certified
Bank On is a national program run by the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. It certifies low-cost checking accounts and lists them at joinbankon.org/accounts.
Feature
2025–2026 standards
2027–2028 standards (posted Sept. 2026)
Opening deposit
$25 or less
$25 or less
Monthly fee
$5 or less, or up to $10 if there are at least two ways to waive it
$5 or less
Overdraft / NSF fees
None
None
Accept ITINs and consular or other government IDs
Strongly recommended, not required
Strongly recommended, not required
Screening (ChexSystems, Early Warning)
Recommended: deny only for past actual fraud
Recommended: deny only for past actual fraud
A certified account may still not accept an ITIN or consular ID, so ask. We don't know the exact date the 2027–2028 standards take effect. Sources: Bank On (CFE Fund)
Not legal, tax or immigration advice. We republish federal rules and agency guidance with dates. Your bank, the IRS, and, for immigration questions, a licensed immigration attorney or accredited representative decide what applies to you.
Can I open a bank account without a Social Security number?
Yes. The federal Customer Identification Program rule (31 CFR 1020.220) lets a bank use, for someone who isn't a U.S. citizen, an ITIN, a passport number and country of issuance, an alien identification card number, or another government photo ID number. Each bank decides which it accepts, so call first.
Can I open a bank account with an ITIN?
Yes, an ITIN is a taxpayer identification number under the rule. Since June 5, 2026, a joint FinCEN, FDIC, OCC and NCUA advisory (FIN-2026-A002) encourages banks to consider an ITIN used instead of an SSN as a possibly relevant risk factor, so expect more questions.
Can I get an ITIN just to open a bank account?
No. The IRS says an ITIN isn't issued solely for opening bank or investment accounts. You need a federal tax purpose, such as filing a U.S. tax return, and you apply with Form W-7 (IRS Topic 857).
Can I earn interest without an SSN or ITIN?
Usually not. The CFPB says you need an SSN or ITIN for an interest-bearing account. If a payer doesn't get your TIN as required, the IRS says it must withhold 24% of the interest (backup withholding).
Is my money FDIC insured if I'm not a U.S. citizen?
Yes. The FDIC says a person does not have to be a U.S. citizen or resident to have deposits insured, up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category.
What is a Bank On account?
A low-cost checking account certified by the CFE Fund's Bank On program: $25 or less to open, no overdraft or NSF fees, and a monthly fee of $5 or less (up to $10 if easily waivable under the 2025-2026 standards). Accepting ITINs and consular IDs is strongly recommended but not required.
Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.