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For Consumers |
Consumer Protection: Know Your Rights |
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Opening a bank account
When Must a Bank Open a Personal Bank Account?
Except for a number of specific reasons for refusal,
a bank must open a personal account for you if:
- it's a personal account that you request in person at a bank branch
or point of service at which personal bank accounts can be opened.
For example, if you go to a bank branch that only offers business accounts,
you may not be able to open a personal bank account;
- you provide the bank with the following information:
- your name;
- your date of birth;
- your address, if any; and
- your occupation, if any;
- you can show acceptable identification;
- you agree to let the bank verify your identification, if the bank requests it; and
- you agree to let the bank find out if any of the
reasons for refusal apply to you,
if the bank requests it (the bank often contacts a credit reporting agency
to do this).
After verifying your pieces of identification and whether the reasons for refusal
can apply to you, the bank may also ask you to present a piece of identification from "List A"
that shows your photograph and signature. The bank may request
this if it has reasonable grounds to believe that you're misrepresenting your identity.
Banks must publicly display a notice explaining these requirements.
They must also give you this information in writing if you ask for it.
Proving where you live
Although having a permanent address is not a requirement, the bank may also ask you
for proof that you live where you say you do. An example of such proof would be a
recent utility bill that includes both your name and address.
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