What do you need to open up a bank account

Opening a new account – much like going off to college – is a rite of passage for many students. The account you choose can help you ease into the habit of managing your own money and making good financial decisions while in school. Here’s a guide on how to open your first checking or savings account:

Figure out what you need

When it comes to determining what accounts will work for you, review your needs. Are you looking for an easy way to access cash? Will you need to write checks? Do you need a way to set money aside for longer-term savings goals? Also, consider the proximity and availability of your bank’s ATMs and branches, in addition to other personal preferences that may be important to you like online banking and overdraft protection.

The type of account you require will be based on your personal and financial needs and goals, so it’s important to know these before choosing your accounts.

Consider your options

Once you’ve identified your needs, evaluate your options:

• Checking account: A checking account can be opened individually or jointly, and you’ll need your basic information, Social Security number, driver’s license, and a minimum opening deposit amount. Most checking accounts come with checks, some don't - choose which you'll need. The account can usually be linked to a debit card – giving you quick access to cash – and can be managed online, as well as at ATMs. Wells Fargo also has a unique service for cardholders called Card Design Studio® service, where you can insert your favorite image to appear on your Wells Fargo Debit Card. You can also provision your debit card to a digital wallet.
  
• Savings account: Similar to checking, you’ll need to choose between an individual or joint savings account, and be prepared with the same basic information and an opening deposit amount. It is never too soon to start saving for your future financial goals. With an account like Wells Fargo Way2Save Savings , you have the opportunity to save automatically by linking to your checking account.

Actively monitor your accounts

Once you’ve set up your accounts, review your options for monitoring and managing them. One way to keep tabs on the status of your accounts is with alerts sent right to your email or wireless device. By signing up for these alerts, you can be notified quickly when a transaction takes place, allowing you to help monitor your account activity wherever, whenever.

There are a variety of Wells Fargo products that can assist you in managing your accounts. Wells Fargo Online® gives you 24-7 access to your accounts with activity details as well as various alerts you can choose from. And with Wells Fargo Mobile®, you can check your accounts on the run – choose from the mobile website or apps to help access your account.

Opening your first bank account is just one milestone in your financial future. Once you get started with opening an account, you’re one step closer to building a solid financial foundation for years to come.

Can I apply for a bank account?

We offer a range of bank accounts, with different features that may fit your needs.

For most of our current accounts, you need to be;

• Aged 18+ 
• A UK resident

There are a few exceptions. Our Adapt account is for young people; you can apply between the ages of 11 - 17. For our Student bank accounts, you need to be aged 17+.

Some of our accounts have extra eligibility criteria required to apply. If applicable, you can find these on the webpage for the account you're interested in, or in our Current Account Terms & Conditions PDF (834KB)

How do I prove my identity online?

We want to get your account up and running as soon as possible, so, if we can, we'll ask you to upload some documents as part of your application.

This is important, as it helps us check you are who you say you are.

We'll probably ask for;

• Photo ID, such as: driver's licence, passport or EU ID card
• A short video or selfie to compare with your photo ID 
• We might also need to see a proof of address, such as: a driver's licence, utility bill, bank statement or tax document

If you don't have your documents with you, you can select to do this later. Once you've finished your application look out for an email and text from us and our security partners, HooYu or DigiDocs. 

Documents we can accept

The quickest way to get an account is to apply online, but if you haven't got the documents for online ID, we accept others when you return your documents to one of our branches or send them in the post to us. You'll need one item to confirm your identity and another document that we can accept as proof of your address. You may, however, use your Full or Provisional UK Driving Licence as proof of both your identity and address.

Documents we can accept in branch:

Select the options below to take a look at the different documents:

Documents we can accept by post:

Select the options below to take a look at the different documents:

Looking to open a savings account?

If you want to open one of our Instant Access savings accounts, you must be a current account customer. If you want to open one of our Fixed Term accounts, or ISA's, you'll need to provide proof of ID and address.

New to the UK?

If you're new to the UK or are arriving soon, you'll need to know your new UK address before applying, and enter this during your application. 

Once you've applied, we'll ask you for proof of identity and proof of UK address, which we'll need to verify before we open your account. 

Why do banks ask for proof of ID and address?

It's important that banks work hard on processes that help prevent money laundering. This is when criminals try to disguise money that has been made illegally, to use it for their own future purposes.

To do this, criminals often attempt to open a bank account using fake or stolen ID. We try to stop this by verifying all of our new customers as genuine, by asking for proof of identity and often current address.

If you are applying online, we try our best to complete this electronically, using our security partners DigiDocs or HooYu, so the process is as easy as possible for you. This is why we ask you to have your ID at hand before you begin your application.

Compare current accounts

Now that you know what you’ll need to open an account, it’s time to pick one. Take a look at our guide to understand which could be right for you.

Check your financial health

With our financial heath check tool you can review your finances and get tips and tricks to make better decisions.

Plan a budget

Looking to get your spending under control? Our budget calculator can help you work out how much you can spend and how much to save.

Something else we can help you with?