To get proof of your bank account in South Africa, download a bank confirmation letter (also called a proof of account) from your banking app or internet banking. Every major bank — Absa, FNB, Nedbank, Standard Bank and Capitec — offers it, usually free, issued instantly, and accepted for RICA, FICA and debit-order mandates.
The rest of this guide explains exactly what the document is, when you need it, and the app, online, and branch routes for each of the five big banks.
What proof of a bank account is — and when you need it
Proof of a bank account is a short letter from your bank confirming that a specific account number and branch code belong to a named account holder. Banks and the people who ask for it use several names for the same document:
- Bank confirmation letter
- Proof of account / proof of banking details
- Account verification letter / account confirmation letter
It shows your name (or your company's registered name), the bank, the account number, the account type, the branch code, and usually the date the account was opened. It does not show any transactions or your balance.
You are typically asked for it when someone needs to be sure they are paying money into the right account, or that an account genuinely exists in your name:
- RICA and FICA onboarding — opening accounts with other financial services providers
- Employers — setting up salary payments for a new starter
- Tenders and vendor onboarding — proving banking details before a company loads you as a supplier
- Debit-order mandates — insurers, medical schemes, and lenders confirming the account they will collect from
- Government — SASSA, SARS refunds, and grant payments
- Insurance and investment payouts — confirming where a claim or maturity should be paid
This is a different document from a stamped bank statement, which lists your transactions over a period, and from a proof of payment, which confirms that one specific transfer went through. If someone needs to see your income or balance, they want a statement, not a confirmation letter. For a breakdown of every field that makes up your account identity, see bank details in South Africa.
Absa: how to get proof of your bank account
Absa issues a proof of account (it also uses "account confirmation letter") through both the Absa Banking App and Absa Online.
- App: sign in, open the account you need proof for, and look in that account's statements or documents area for a proof of account or confirmation letter option. You can download the PDF or send it to your email address.
- Online banking: log in at absa.co.za, select the account, and find the confirmation letter alongside the statement options. Generate and download the PDF.
- Branch: any Absa branch can print the letter and add a physical stamp. Take your ID. A small fee may apply.
The digital letter is generated on Absa letterhead with your account details and a generation date, and is produced instantly. Absa does not charge for the digital version in most cases.
FNB: how to get proof of your bank account
FNB provides a proof of account letter through FNB online banking and the FNB app.
- Online banking: log in at fnb.co.za, open the account, and look under the account's statement and document options for a proof of account item. It produces a PDF on FNB letterhead.
- App: sign in, select the account, and open its statements or documents section — the proof of account option sits with the statement downloads.
- Branch: an FNB consultant can print and stamp the letter; take your ID and account number. Fees are charged per printed document.
The digital letter downloads immediately and is free. As with statements, share the original PDF rather than a printed-and-scanned copy, which strips the document's verification features.
Nedbank: how to get proof of your bank account
Nedbank calls this a confirmation of banking details or account confirmation letter, available through the Nedbank Money app and Nedbank Online Banking.
- App: sign in, open the account, and look for an option to generate a confirmation of banking details or account letter, then download or email it.
- Online banking: log in, select the account, and find the confirmation letter in the same area as statements and other account letters.
- ATM / branch: some Nedbank ATMs can print a proof of account, and any branch will print and stamp one. Take your ID.
The digital letter carries Nedbank branding and the issue date, and is generated on demand at no charge on the digital channels.
Standard Bank: how to get proof of your bank account
Standard Bank issues an account confirmation letter (proof of account) through the Standard Bank app and Internet Banking.
- App: sign in, select the account, and open its statements or documents section — the confirmation letter is listed with the statement options. Download or email the PDF.
- Internet banking: log in at standardbank.co.za, open the account, and generate the confirmation letter from the statements and documents area.
- Branch: a consultant can print and stamp the letter. Take your ID document.
The digital letter is produced instantly on Standard Bank letterhead and is free on the app and Internet Banking.
Capitec: how to get proof of your bank account
Capitec lets you get proof of your banking details from the Capitec app, at an ATM, or in a branch.
- App: sign in, open the account, and look for an option to share, send, or print your account details or proof of banking details. You can email it or save the PDF.
- ATM: Capitec ATMs can print proof of banking details on the spot — select the account services or statement menu.
- Branch: a consultant will print and stamp the letter for you. Take your ID.
Capitec does not charge for proof of banking details, and the app and ATM produce it immediately.
Using your proof of account
A few practical points once you have the letter:
- Validity. The letter has no formal expiry, but most organisations want one dated within the last three months. Some tenders and lenders accept up to six months. Because a fresh copy takes minutes, generate a new one per application instead of reusing an old file.
- Keep the bank's PDF. Send the file you downloaded or the email the bank sent. A screenshot or a printed-and-rescanned page can lose the letterhead and verification details that make it acceptable.
- Digital vs stamped. Most requesters accept the downloaded PDF. A few — some embassies, a handful of tenders, and certain conveyancers — still insist on a branch ink stamp. If the instruction says "stamped" or "original", ask whether the digital letter is acceptable before queuing; if not, get the branch stamp.
- When a statement is needed instead. If the requester wants to see income, affordability, or a balance, a confirmation letter will not satisfy them — you need a stamped bank statement or, for a specific transfer, a proof of payment.
- Business accounts. The same digital routes work, but only profile users with the right permissions can generate letters. If the option is missing, ask your account's administrator to adjust your access.
If your business asks customers, suppliers, or tenants for proof of account regularly — to load them for payment or to run debit orders — collecting letters by email does not scale and does not actually prove the account is live. Verifying the account against the bank's records is more reliable: see how to verify a bank account in South Africa. Where you need an ongoing, structured record of an account rather than a one-off letter, businesses capture the transaction feed directly once the account holder links the account through Banklink.