Tools

IBAN checker

Paste an IBAN to check its country code, length and checksum against the international registry, and see the sort code or bank and account numbers inside it. Covers 89 countries. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.

Spaces, hyphens and lowercase are fine. The result updates as you type.

Waiting for an IBAN

Type or paste one above.

A valid IBAN is not proof of who owns it. Invoice fraud works by sending you real, valid bank details that belong to a criminal. Before paying a new supplier, or after any "we have changed our bank details" email, phone the company on a number you already hold and read the IBAN back to them. Never use the number in the email.

How IBAN checking works

What is an IBAN?

An International Bank Account Number is a standard way of writing an account number so it can be checked and routed across borders. It starts with a two-letter country code and two check digits, then the national account details: in the UK a four-letter bank code, the six-digit sort code and the eight-digit account number. Lengths vary by country, from 15 characters in Norway to 33 in Russia, and every registered length is in this checker.

Does a valid IBAN mean the account exists?

No. "Valid" means the IBAN is well formed and its two check digits agree with the rest of the number under the ISO 13616 mod-97 rule. That catches almost every typo, missing character and swapped pair. It does not prove the account is open, that it belongs to the person you expect, or that a payment will arrive. Only the receiving bank knows that.

Why does my IBAN show as invalid?

Usually one character is mistyped, two are swapped, or one is missing. The result tells you which test failed: a country code that is not in the registry, the wrong length for that country, a character that cannot appear in an IBAN, or a checksum mismatch. Copy the IBAN from a bank statement or banking app instead of retyping it, and watch for the letter O against the digit 0.

Do UK payments need an IBAN?

Payments within the UK use the sort code and account number. The IBAN matters when a customer abroad pays you, and it is printed on most UK bank statements and in banking apps. Because a UK IBAN contains the sort code and account number, this checker shows both so you can compare them with what the payee gave you.

What is the difference between an IBAN and a SWIFT or BIC code?

The IBAN identifies the account. The BIC, also called a SWIFT code, identifies the bank, and international payments usually ask for both. This tool checks IBANs only. It does not look up BICs, bank names or whether an account is open.

Registry data follows the SWIFT IBAN Registry. Format checks beyond length and checksum are shown as "looks right", never as confirmation. This is general information, not financial advice.