IBAN Validator & Checker

What Is an IBAN? How Many Digits in an IBAN?

IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is a standardised way of writing a bank account so it can be recognised across borders for international money transfers. This free IBAN decoder and IBAN lookup tool reads any IBAN you enter — from any of the 80+ countries that use the standard — and breaks it into its parts. Developed in 1997 by the European Committee for Banking Standards (ECBS) and made international through ISO 13616, the IBAN is now the default for SEPA payments across Europe and for many cross-border transfers worldwide. A common question is how many digits in an IBAN — the answer depends on the country, as the table further down shows.

Every IBAN follows the same overall pattern, regardless of country. A German IBAN, for example, has 22 characters made up of these components:

• Country code — 2 letters (DE for Germany, GB for the UK, FR for France)
• Check digits — 2 digits computed with the MOD97 algorithm
• Bank identifier — identifies the bank (an 8-digit Bankleitzahl in Germany, a 4-letter bank code plus 6-digit sort code in the UK)
• Account number — the national account number, with a length that varies by country

The first four characters (country code + check digits) are always universal; everything after them is the BBAN (Basic Bank Account Number), whose layout is defined per country in the official IBAN Registry.

IBAN Digit Count — Length by Country Table

The international IBAN length differs by country, so the IBAN digit count is not fixed. The question how many characters is an IBAN is answered differently for each country. The table below shows the IBAN lengths of commonly used countries:

How to Tell Which Bank an IBAN Belongs To

The question of which bank an IBAN belongs to is answered by the bank identifier that sits right after the check digits. The exact field differs by country: in the United Kingdom it is a 4-letter bank code followed by a 6-digit sort code; in Germany it is the 8-digit Bankleitzahl (BLZ); in France and Italy it is a numeric bank code plus a separate branch code. This IBAN bank lookup parses that identifier automatically for every country whose structure is in the registry and labels each field for you.

For Turkish IBANs the tool goes one step further: the 4-digit bank code (characters 5 to 8) is matched against a built-in directory of every bank operating in Turkey, so the bank name is shown instantly. A few examples:

• 0001 — Ziraat Bankasi
• 0010 — Halkbank
• 0012 — VakifBank
• 0046 — Akbank
• 0062 — Garanti BBVA
• 0067 — Yapi Kredi (YKB)

For other countries the tool shows the raw bank and branch codes; to map those codes to a specific bank name you can cross-check the national bank register or the SWIFT/BIC directory.

IBAN Validation — How Does the MOD97 Algorithm Work?

As an IBAN checker, this tool runs the MOD97-10 algorithm defined in the ISO 7064 standard to decode IBAN details and verify them. The algorithm mathematically tests the correctness of the check digits and works identically for every country. The IBAN check process has these steps:

1. The first 4 characters of the IBAN (country code + 2 check digits) are moved to the end.
2. Letters are converted to numbers: A=10, B=11, ... Z=35.
3. The resulting large number is divided by 97.
4. If the remainder is 1 the IBAN is valid; any other value means it is invalid.

Thanks to this algorithm, the vast majority (over 99%) of typos can be detected. However, MOD97 validation only checks that the format is mathematically correct; to verify that the account actually exists, you must contact the bank.

How to Find the Account Number from an IBAN

To find the account number from an IBAN, read the part that comes after the bank (and branch) identifier. The exact positions depend on the country. For a UK IBAN the layout is:

• Characters 1-2 (GB): Country code
• Characters 3-4: Check digits (MOD97 validation)
• Characters 5-8: 4-letter bank code
• Characters 9-14: 6-digit sort code (branch)
• Characters 15-22: 8-digit account number

A German IBAN instead places an 8-digit Bankleitzahl in characters 5-12 and a 10-digit account number in characters 13-22. This tool reads the country code first, applies the correct layout from the IBAN Registry and extracts the account number for you in a single step.

Where Is the IBAN Branch Code?

Regarding the IBAN branch code: whether a separate branch field exists at all depends on the country. The UK, France, Italy, Spain and Ireland encode a distinct branch code (in the UK, the 6-digit sort code) right after the bank code, and this tool shows it as its own field. Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland have no separate branch code — the bank identifier alone routes the payment.

So whether you can find the branch from an IBAN directly varies: when the country's format includes a branch code, the tool displays it; when it does not, the branch may be embedded in the account number under the bank's internal scheme, and only the bank can confirm it for certain.

Use Cases for an IBAN

An account number in this format is required in the following situations:

• SEPA transfers: Within the Single Euro Payments Area the IBAN alone is enough to send euros across 36 countries.
• International money transfer: For cross-border payments the IBAN is usually paired with the bank's SWIFT/BIC code.
• Salary and payroll: Employers register employees in their system with one.
• Direct debits and standing orders: Bills, rent and subscriptions are set up against it.
• Refunds and benefits: Tax refunds and government payments are paid into it.

Things to Watch When Transferring Money

Besides checking and validation, some important points deserve attention when transferring money:

• Always get the number from the recipient in writing. Account numbers communicated verbally carry a high risk of typos. Prefer numbers shared via phone or email.
• MOD97 validity does not guarantee the account exists. Even if the format is correct, the account may be closed, frozen or never opened. For high-value transfers, confirm with the bank branch.
• International transfers also need a SWIFT/BIC code. The IBAN alone is sufficient only for transfers within the European SEPA area. Cross-border transfers may also require a SWIFT code.
• Beware of change requests. In social-engineering attacks, fraudsters may send a fake number claiming "the bank account changed". Confirm directly by phone or in person whether the account of the person or organization you are paying has changed.
• Know your transfer types. Transfers to customers of the same bank are instant. Transfers to different banks happen during business hours; transfers sent at night or on weekends post on the next business day.

IBAN Security and Common Mistakes

IBAN numbers do not contain enough information to access a bank account; they are used only to receive money transfers. Still, this information in the wrong hands can lead to various risks. Building a habit of IBAN checking reduces these risks.

• An IBAN can belong to a fake account: Fraudsters can generate realistic-looking IBANs. This tool runs MOD97 validation; but only the bank can confirm whether the account belongs to a real institution.
• A single-digit difference makes a big difference: In an IBAN, changing one digit can send money to a completely different account. Compare the IBAN before every transfer.
• An incorrectly entered IBAN can pass MOD97: Although unlikely, in theory a wrong IBAN can pass the MOD97 test. So confirm with the recipient before transferring.
• E-commerce fraud: In a sale, the other party may send an IBAN. Sending money to an IBAN without verification can mean losing the money before the product is delivered. IBAN tools show the bank name; check which bank it belongs to before paying.

How to Use This IBAN Validator

Paste the IBAN (with or without spaces) into the input field and click the "Parse & Validate" button. The tool validates the IBAN with the MOD97 algorithm, applies the correct per-country layout to break down the country code, bank and branch identifiers and account number, and resolves the bank name automatically for Turkish IBANs. Everything happens in your browser; your IBAN is never sent to a server. In the FAQ section you can find more information on IBAN length, which bank an IBAN belongs to, and IBAN validation.