Is IBAN safe to share?

Yes, with trusted parties. Sharing your IBAN allows others to send money to your account but does not allow anyone to withdraw funds. Treat it like your bank account number — share it only when necessary and never alongside your banking password or card details.

What happens if an IBAN is wrong?

The bank will reject the transfer. You may be charged a rejection or recall fee (typically €5–€30). Recovering funds sent to a wrong but structurally valid IBAN belonging to someone else can take weeks and involves a formal recall process.

Can I send money without an IBAN?

Within SEPA countries, IBAN is mandatory for all credit transfers. For transfers to countries that do not use IBAN (e.g. the US, Canada, Australia), you use alternative identifiers such as an ABA routing number or BSB, together with a SWIFT/BIC code.

Is IBAN used in the USA?

No. The United States does not use the IBAN system. US domestic transfers use ABA routing numbers (9 digits) and account numbers. For international transfers to the US, the sender provides the bank's SWIFT/BIC code and the recipient's account number.

How many digits are in an IBAN?

IBANs are between 15 and 34 characters long and contain both letters and digits — not digits only. The country code (2 letters) and check digits (2 digits) are present in all IBANs. For example, Norwegian IBANs are 15 characters; Maltese IBANs are 31 characters.

Can an IBAN identify a bank?

Partially. The BBAN section of an IBAN typically embeds a bank code that can be decoded to identify the institution. However, the mapping is not standardised internationally — you need a country-specific bank code register to look up the bank name.

What is the difference between IBAN and SWIFT?

IBAN identifies a specific bank account. SWIFT/BIC identifies the bank (or branch) that holds the account. For most international transfers you need both: SWIFT/BIC to route the payment to the correct bank, and IBAN to credit the correct account.

Is IBAN the same as a card number?

No. An IBAN identifies a bank account; a card number (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) identifies a payment card product. They operate on entirely different payment networks. You cannot use an IBAN at a card checkout, and you cannot use a card number to make a bank transfer.

How do I find my IBAN?

Log into your online banking portal — your IBAN is typically shown on the account summary or account details page. It also appears on bank statements, in official correspondence from your bank, and often in your bank's mobile app.

Do all countries use IBAN?

No. IBAN is used in 70+ countries including all EU/EEA members, the UK, some Middle Eastern countries, and parts of the Caribbean. Major economies such as the USA, Canada, Australia, China, India, and Japan do not use IBAN.

Can a structurally valid IBAN still be wrong?

Yes. Structural validation confirms the IBAN is correctly formatted, but it does not confirm that the account exists or is active. Only the recipient's bank can verify that. Always double-check IBANs with the recipient before sending funds.

BBAN stands for Basic Bank Account Number — the country-specific domestic portion of an IBAN. After the 2-letter country code and 2 check digits, every remaining character is the BBAN. In Germany (22-character IBAN) the BBAN is 18 characters: 8-digit BLZ (bank routing code) plus a 10-digit account number. In Lithuania (20-character IBAN) the BBAN is 16 characters: a 5-digit bank code plus an 11-digit account number. The BBAN format is defined by each country's national banking authority.

SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) is a European payment-integration project covering 36 countries. Within SEPA, you can send euro-denominated bank transfers using only an IBAN — no extra routing codes. SEPA Credit Transfers take 1 business day; SEPA Instant transfers settle in under 10 seconds around the clock. All 27 EU member states participate, plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, the UK, and several other European states and territories.

How long does a SEPA transfer take?

Standard SEPA Credit Transfers (SCT) settle within 1 business day. SEPA Instant Credit Transfers (SCT Inst) settle within 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — including weekends and holidays. Most major European banks now support instant payments; check with your bank whether your account is enrolled for SCT Inst.

Can I use the same IBAN to receive multiple transfers?

Yes. An IBAN is a permanent identifier tied to your bank account — it does not change between transactions and does not expire. You can share it with multiple parties: your employer for salary, clients for invoices, utilities for direct debits. The IBAN only changes if you switch banks or close and reopen the account.

What is the difference between IBAN and a routing number?

An IBAN is an internationally standardised account identifier used across 70+ countries. A routing number (ABA number in the US, BSB in Australia, IFSC in India) is a domestic bank-routing code used in countries that do not participate in the IBAN system. When sending money to the US, you provide the recipient's 9-digit ABA routing number and account number instead of an IBAN. For international wires, the bank also requires a SWIFT/BIC code.

IBAN Validator

Validate any IBAN bank account number — instantly, privately, free.

We do NOT store your IBAN.
Validation runs entirely in your browser — no data is sent to any server.
No account required. No data is saved.

Reviewed April 23, 2026

scroll for examples & details ↓

How to use

1
Copy your IBAN from your bank statement or online banking portal.
2
Paste it into the field above — spaces are ignored automatically.
3
Validation runs instantly. No button, no delay.

Important

Format check only

This tool checks format only. It validates structure and checksum, but does not confirm that a bank account exists, is active, belongs to a person, or can receive payments. It does not perform financial, identity, or bank verification.

How this IBAN check works

IBAN validation checks the country code, required length, and MOD-97 checksum defined by the IBAN standard.
A passing result means the IBAN is structurally valid only.

IBAN

What is an IBAN?

An International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is a globally standardised format defined by ISO 13616 for identifying bank accounts across borders. Every IBAN consists of a 2-letter country code, 2 check digits, and a country-specific Basic Bank Account Number (BBAN). Using this free IBAN validator online before sending a wire transfer helps prevent costly rejected transactions caused by a single mistyped character.

IBAN = International Bank Account Number — defined by ISO 13616.

Length: 15 characters (Norway) to 34 characters (maximum allowed).

Structure: 2-letter country code + 2 check digits + BBAN (domestic account).

Validation: mod-97 checksum rearranges the IBAN and divides by 97 — result must equal 1.

Coverage: 70+ countries, including all 36 SEPA member states.

SEPA: within the Single Euro Payments Area, IBAN alone routes a payment.

IBANs do not expire — they are valid as long as the bank account remains open.

Cannot be used at a card checkout — IBAN is for bank transfers only.

Validation

How IBAN validation works

When you check an IBAN number, three checks run in sequence. First, the two-letter prefix is matched against a registry of 70+ supported countries. Next, the total character count is compared to each country's fixed expected length. Finally, a mod-97 checksum is computed: the IBAN is rearranged, letters are replaced by numbers, and the result is divided by 97. A structurally valid IBAN always yields a remainder of 1.

Country code check

The first two letters are matched against 70+ supported countries.

Length verification

Each country has a fixed IBAN length — the character count must match exactly.

Mod-97 checksum

The IBAN is rearranged, letters become numbers (A=10, B=11…), and the result is divided by 97. A valid IBAN always yields a remainder of 1.

Use this result correctly

What it does

Validates IBAN structure before a transfer or form submission.
Checks country code, expected length, and MOD-97 checksum.
Helps catch copy, paste, and typing errors early.

What it does not do

It does not confirm that the account exists.
It does not verify ownership or name matching.
It does not confirm that the account is open or able to receive funds.

Benefits

Why IBAN validation matters

Banks reject wire transfers with structurally invalid IBANs. Rejected transfers can incur fees, delays of several business days, and manual intervention. Client-side validation catches errors before they ever reach the banking network, saving both time and money. This is especially important in e-commerce checkouts, payroll systems, and B2B invoicing flows.

Prevents costly bank rejection fees — typically €5–€30 per rejected wire transfer.
Catches typos and transposition errors before they reach the banking network.
Confirms the country code is valid — 'UK' vs 'GB' is the single most common IBAN error.
Verifies exact character count per country — each country has its own fixed IBAN length.
Runs entirely in your browser — your IBAN is never transmitted to any server.
Covers 70+ countries including all 36 SEPA members and major Middle Eastern banks.
Free, instant, no registration required.

Who this tool is for

Finance teams checking recipient bank details before a payment run.
Operations teams cleaning imported payout or supplier data.
Developers testing IBAN fields, checkout flows, and onboarding forms.

When to use this tool

Checking supplier payout details before sending a bank transfer.
Reviewing customer-submitted bank details in onboarding flows.
Catching payroll input mistakes before export.
Testing IBAN handling in finance, billing, or fintech forms.

When this tool is not enough

A valid IBAN can still point to a closed or wrong account.
Bank-side checks may still reject the payment.
You still need recipient confirmation for high-risk transfers.

Frequently Asked Questions about IBAN

What is an IBAN number?

An IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is a standardised string of up to 34 alphanumeric characters that uniquely identifies a bank account in a participating country. It combines a 2-letter country code, 2 check digits, and the domestic account number (BBAN) into a single internationally recognised format defined by ISO 13616.

How do I validate an IBAN?

Paste the IBAN into the field at the top of this page. The validator instantly checks three things: the country code is recognised, the length matches the country's specification, and the mod-97 checksum equals 1. All three must pass for the IBAN to be structurally valid.

Can I check an IBAN online for free?

Yes. This tool is completely free, requires no registration, and validates IBANs from 70+ countries instantly in your browser. No data is stored or transmitted to any server.

Is IBAN the same as an account number?

No. Your account number (BBAN) is only one component of your IBAN. The IBAN also includes a 2-letter country code and 2 check digits. For example, a German account number is 10 digits; the full German IBAN is 22 characters.

Support guides

These pages go deeper into individual topics without duplicating the validator itself.

What Is an IBAN?

Understand what an IBAN is, what each part means, and when people need one for real payments.

How IBAN Validation Works

A practical breakdown of country checks, fixed lengths, and the MOD-97 checksum used in IBAN validation.

IBAN Format by Country

Compare IBAN lengths, example structures, and country-specific differences across major IBAN markets.

IBAN vs SWIFT/BIC

See the difference between IBAN and SWIFT/BIC, what each identifier is for, and when transfers need both.

IBAN vs Card Number

Understand why IBAN and card numbers belong to different payment systems and should never be used interchangeably.

Common IBAN Errors

See the most frequent reasons an IBAN fails validation and how to prevent bad banking data from entering your workflow.

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