Abbreviation for Account: Acct., Acc. and A/C

The standard American abbreviation for account is acct., with a period. You will also meet acc. and a/c, which are more common in British and international banking. The plural is accts.

Look for it on bank statements, bills and forms, usually next to a number: "Acct. No. 4471." Out loud, just say account.

Quick facts

Standard abbreviation
acct.
Other forms
acc., a/c, ACCT
Plural
accts.
Period
Yes in American usage: acct.
Used in
Bank statements, bills, invoices, login screens
Common phrase
Acct. No. or acct. # for account number
Not to be confused with
a/c for air conditioning

Account abbreviation options

Forms of the account abbreviation
Form	Where it is common	Example
acct.	U.S. banks, bills, forms	Acct. No. 0021
accts.	Plural in U.S. writing	Two joint accts.
acc.	UK and some software	Acc. holder
a/c	UK and Indian banking, ledgers	Savings a/c
ACCT	All capital labels, screens	ACCT TYPE: CHK

If you write for American readers, use acct. It is the form most U.S. style guides list, and it is the one bank customers expect.

Where you see acct.

Bank statements: "Acct. ending in 4471" so you can match the statement to the right account.
Utility bills: "Acct. No." near the top, which you quote when you call.
Check deposit slips: a short line for the acct. number.
Accounting ledgers: accts. payable and accts. receivable as column names.
Online forms: "Acct. type: checking or savings."

On a water bill: "Acct. No. 22 0187 5. Svc. address: 14 Elm St. Amount due by the 15th." The acct. number is what you give the utility when you pay by phone.

Writing the abbreviation for account correctly

Put a period after acct. in American English, and use a capital A only when it opens a label or a sentence. A few common combinations:

Acct. No. or Acct. #: account number.
Acct. Mgr.: account manager, a sales or client role. See the abbreviation for manager.
Accts. Rec. and Accts. Pay.: accounts receivable and payable, usually shortened further to AR and AP.
Acct. Hldr.: account holder, the person who owns the account.

In letters and emails, spell out the word: "Please confirm your account number." The short form belongs in tables and form fields. For more on these rules, see how to abbreviate.

Mixups to watch for

A few lookalikes can trip readers up:

a/c means account in banking, but in a house listing or a car ad it means air conditioning. See AC.
acc. can also be short for accusative in grammar or accessory in product lists.
acct. is never short for accountant; that is usually written in full, or as CPA for a certified public accountant.

Example sentences

"Enter your acct. no. without spaces."
"Both accts. are in my name."
"Acct. type: savings."
"Call the number on the back of the card with your acct. number ready."
"The invoice lists our acct. manager as the contact."

Find more short forms for office and money words in the common abbreviations section.

Tips for forms and records

Use the same form, acct. or a/c, throughout one document.
When an account number is private, show only the last four digits after acct.
On a label with little room, ACCT in capitals with no period is accepted.
If the short form could puzzle someone, give account in full on first use.

Questions people ask

What is the abbreviation for account?

In American English it is acct., with a period. Acc. and a/c are also used, mostly in British and international banking.

What does acct. no. mean?

It means account number, the number a bank, utility or store uses to identify your account.

What is the plural of acct.?

Write accts. for more than one account, as in "two savings accts."

Is a/c short for account?

Yes, in banking and bookkeeping, mostly outside the United States. In real estate and car ads, a/c usually means air conditioning instead.

Should I use acct. in a formal letter?

It is better to write account in full in a letter. Save acct. for forms, tables, statements and short notes.