IBAN Format by Country
Reference for IBAN format and length by country.
| Country | Code | Length | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | GB | 22 | GBkk BBBB SSSS SSAA AAAA AA |
| Germany | DE | 22 | DEkk BBBB BBBB CCCC CCCC CC |
| France | FR | 27 | FRkk BBBB GGGG GGCC CCCC CCCC CXX |
| Spain | ES | 24 | ESkk BBBB GGGG CCDD DDDD DDDD |
| Italy | IT | 27 | ITkk KBBB BBSS SSSC CCCC CCCC CCC |
| Netherlands | NL | 18 | NLkk BBBB CCCC CCCC CC |
| Belgium | BE | 16 | BEkk BBB CCCC CCXX |
| Switzerland | CH | 21 | CHkk BBBB BCCC CCCC CCCC C |
| Poland | PL | 28 | PLkk BBBB BBBB CCCC CCCC CCCC CCCC |
| Sweden | SE | 24 | SEkk BBBB CCCC CCCC CCCC CCCC |
Use the IBAN Validator to check a specific IBAN.
How this tool works
An IBAN's length and internal structure are fixed per country, and the specification lists all of them. The format is the country code, two check digits, and then the national account number, which may or may not have a meaningful internal structure of its own. Knowing the expected length and character set for a country is the cheapest validation there is, and it rejects most wrong input before the checksum is computed.
This tool gives you the rules for a country: the total length, the length of the national part, the character set allowed, and whether the BBAN is broken into named blocks such as a bank identifier and a branch identifier. Those blocks matter in practice, because a national account number is usually a bank code followed by a branch code followed by an account number, and the boundaries are not always obvious from the string.
Selected country formats
| Country | Total length | National part | Blocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 22 | 18 | Bank code, account number |
| France | 27 | 23 | Bank code, branch code, account number, check key |
| United Kingdom | 22 | 18 | Bank code, branch code, account number |
| Spain | 24 | 20 | Bank code, branch code, check digits, account number |
| Italy | 27 | 23 | National check digit, CIN, ABI, CAB, account number |
The blocks are not always the same concept in each country. A branch code in one country may be a clearing code in another.
When to use it
- Validate the shape of an IBAN before computing the checksum
- Render a national account number in the right groups for an operator
- Build a country-specific validation rule set
- Understand the structure of an unfamiliar country's IBAN
Frequently asked questions
How long is an IBAN?
Between 15 and 34 characters, depending on the country. The format is the country code, two check digits, and the national account number, whose length is what varies.
What is the structure of an IBAN?
Two letters for the country, two digits of check digits, and the national account number. Some countries structure the national part further into a bank identifier, a branch identifier and an account number.
Do all countries use letters in the IBAN?
No. Some national account numbers are purely numeric. The IBAN as a whole is always alphanumeric, and the country code is always letters.
Why does the length differ by country?
Because the national account number is what differs. A country with a long national account format produces a longer IBAN, and the specification fixes the length per country.
Can I tell which bank an IBAN belongs to from the format alone?
Usually, once you know the country, because the first block of the national part identifies the bank. But the format alone does not give you the account holder, and it is not a substitute for a bank lookup.