Frequently Asked Questions: Checking Accounts

Account Information

Depending on your preference, you can apply for Citizens personal and business products online, over the phone, or by visiting a Citizens branch near you. To apply online, just select the appropriate link from the top of this page and find the product you’re looking for. You’ll find information about applying online on the individual product page. You can also reach a banking advisor by calling the Citizens Contact Center at 1-800-922-9999, or just speak to a representative by walking into the Citizens branch most convenient to you.
We have partnered with Deluxe to provide safe and convenient options to order personal and business checks, Home Equity Line of Credit checks, or Personal Line of Credit checks:

Online Banking: Log In | Enroll
- Order checks through the Account Services section, then under Order New Checks
Online Through Deluxe: Order Checks
- Order directly with Deluxe, our preferred check provider
By Phone: 1-866-322-1350

In Person: Find A Branch

When you place your order using any of these convenient options, be sure to select your check style and confirm the following:
- Name and address
- Routing number
- Account number
- Check starting number
Please note: If you would like to change a name or address on your checks, please visit a branch near you or call us at 1-800-922-9999 to complete your order.

Your checks will be sent in a flat, streamlined package in a blue envelope.

Online Banking & Bill Pay

You can review account history and current transactions, transfer funds between accounts, place stop payments, request copies of statements, send customer service requests via secured email, pay bills, view images of cleared checks, access your checking and savings account statements online, and much more. Retail Online Banking users have access to deposit accounts, loans, and lines of credit. Business users can access deposit accounts and overdraft lines of credit. They can also request that other business or personal accounts on which they have an eligible account ownership be linked to their online profile.
Automatic payments provide a means for automatically scheduling payments in Pay Bills based on the options you select. You can set up two different types of automatic payments.
- Automatic Payments for Electronic Bills - If you receive electronic bills, some billers let you set up options for paying them automatically. You can decide whether to always pay the amount due or to set a limit on the amount for automatically paying the bill. You can also decide whether to make the payment on the due date or on the earliest date available after you receive the bill.
- Automatic Payment Schedules - You can set up a schedule to pay bills of a set amount automatically at regular intervals. For example, you can schedule a payment at the first of each month to pay your mortgage or rent. This type of automatic payment is always available to you, regardless of whether or not you receive electronic bills from the biller.
You can use Online Banking to safely pay almost anyone in the United States, including national bank card companies, mortgage or auto loan companies, department stores, your health club, or the paperboy. Any company or individual you could send a check for payment to is eligible for payment through Online Bill Pay.
Please note that individuals or businesses residing outside the United States are not eligible for bill payment. In addition, using Online Bill Pay for tax payments or court-ordered payments is prohibited.
All account information entered and displayed online is maintained on a secured database encrypted using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology. We also protect information stored in our database by hardened connections called firewalls. Only those devices authorized to communicate with the database can make a connection to the database. Additionally, we offer Safe With Citizens® to ensure our Online Banking is safe.

Direct Deposit & Paid Early

Direct deposit is the electronic transfer of a payment directly from the account of the payer to the recipient's account.
It's not always convenient to make a trip to the bank to cash your payroll or Social Security check. With direct deposit, you can have your funds automatically deposited into your checking account. So, there is no more running to the bank on payday or waiting in line to make deposits. And, because your funds are available on the date of receipt, you won't have to wait for checks to clear.
The first step in direct deposit enrollment is to ask your employer for direct deposit forms. These are very basic forms that will ask you to provide the following information to set up direct deposit:
- Your bank’s ABA or routing number. This nine-digit number is found on the bottom left of your checks.
- Your checking account number. This is the main number for your checking account that you use for all deposits and withdrawals. It is found on the bottom of the check directly to the right of the routing number.
- You may need to submit a voided check. This will allow the employer to verify the above information. Write VOID in large letters in ink across the check, covering most lines so that nothing else can be written in on the check.
- Your bank's address. You should be able to find this information online, but you could also call a representative.
Direct deposit can make it easier to save money if your employer will allow you to split your deposit between a checking account and a savings account. Set up only what you need for daily expenses to be directly deposited into your checking account and have the rest of your paycheck sent to savings. If your employer won’t set up a split direct deposit for you, consider setting up automatic transfers to occur as soon as the money from your paycheck is deposited into your checking. This allows you to save money without even thinking about it!

You can also set up direct deposit with IRS refunds and Social Security payments. While the IRS does allow you to split the deposit, Social Security payments must go to one account initially.
It depends. You might get your direct deposit 2 days earlier, 1 day earlier or on your regularly scheduled payday. Here are some reasons why you might not receive your deposit early:
- Your deposit isn’t sent earlier by your payer.
- Your deposit type is not eligible, such as a bank-to-bank transfer.
- There’s a payroll system issue from your payer.

Debit Cards

Your Citizens Debit Card offers a convenient and secure way to make your purchases. It provides:

Simple:
- Make purchases at millions of locations worldwide
- Purchases are automatically deducted from your primary checking account
- The tap-to-pay feature only takes seconds to checkout
- Add your debit card to the digital wallet on your mobile phone for faster checkouts
- No–fee balance inquiries, deposits and cash withdrawals, payments and transfers at any Citizens ATM^†
- Make purchases and get cash back using your PIN at participating retailers
Security:
- Didn’t make the purchase? Zero Liability coverage against unauthorized purchases^†
- Real time 24/7 account fraud monitoring and alerts
- Freeze your debit card in the Citizens Mobile Banking app if it's misplaced and easily unfreeze it when it's found
- View recent transactions, balances and monthly statements with online and mobile banking^†
Learn more about our Citizens Debit Card benefits
You can activate your debit card in a few different ways:
- Use the Citizens Mobile App.^† Go to "Manage Cards" in the menu and it will bring you to where you can activate your debit card in the app^†.
- Complete a purchase. Make an in-store purchase with your debit card using your PIN.
- Visit an ATM. Complete a transaction at any Citizens ATM with your debit card with your current PIN.
- By phone. Call 1-800-527-1800 and have your card and PIN handy to activate.
Please contact us immediately if you realize that your card is missing or if you notice any fraudulent transactions: 1-800-922-9999. This is the best way to minimize disruption in your account. You are not responsible for fraudulent card transactions that are reported promptly, and you can demonstrate that you have exercised reasonable care in safeguarding your card from the risk of loss or theft^†.

And remember, you have tools within your Citizens mobile app that allow you to...
- immediately freeze (or unfreeze) your debit or ATM card in our Mobile App^†
- file a claim if you suspect fraud on a debit transaction. Go to your transactions and choose one you suspect as fraud and begin the dispute process. You will be able to add additional transactions to the claim.
- check on the status of a submitted debit or ATM card claim (even when you initiated your dispute over the phone) in the mobile app from the hamburger menu by clicking on "Dispute Status."
Debit cards are linked to your primary checking account. Purchases made in a store or online and ATM withdrawals are automatically deducted from this primary checking account through use of your debit card.
- Use your debit card for your everyday purchases at millions of locations worldwide. Plus, your contactless debit card makes in store checkouts even easier.
- Use your debit card at the ATM — you can get cash, transfer funds, and make deposits at no-fee Citizens ATMs^†.
When you use your debit card, funds are deducted from your primary checking account linked to your debit card. You can use it in two ways:
- You can simply sign or tap for your purchase.
  You must press the "Credit" button and sign or tap to pay for your purchases.
- You can use your PIN at participating retailers.
  You must press the "Debit" or "ATM" button on the retailer's terminal. Then enter your Personal Identification Number (PIN). With PIN-based purchases you can also get cash back when you make a purchase at participating merchants.
Your options may differ depending on the merchant. Some merchants may require a signature (such as restaurants), while others may offer you the option of "Credit" or "Debit" when processing your purchase. Usually, if you select "Credit," you will sign a receipt to authorize your purchase. If you select "Debit," you will use your PIN. When you use your PIN, the funds are immediately taken from your account.

When you use your debit card without your PIN, the merchant may request an authorization from us. If we approve the request, we immediately remove the authorized amount from your Available Balance through a debit card authorization hold. This hold remains on your account until we receive a final settlement request (instructions from the merchant for us to deduct the exact amount of your final purchase from your account).
Whether you select "Credit" or "Debit," the purchase amount will be deducted from your Citizens checking account.
It may take several business days for the actual purchase amount to replace the pending transaction amount on your account. The pending transaction reduces your available balance. The pending transaction is generally replaced when the final purchase amount is deducted from your account within 3 business days. If the pending amount is not matched with an actual purchase amount within 3 business days, the pending transaction will be removed from your account. Regardless of when the final transaction settles with your account, you should consider these funds spent.

Frequently Asked Questions: Checking Accounts

Account Information

Popular Questions

Online Banking & Bill Pay

Direct Deposit & Paid Early

Debit Cards