IBAN stands for International Bank Account Number. It is a standardized format used in most of Europe and the Middle East that encodes the country, check digits, bank, and account number in a single string of up to 34 characters.

How is an IBAN validated?

An IBAN must start with a 2-letter country code and 2 check digits, match the expected length for its country, and pass the mod-97 check: when the first 4 characters are moved to the end, letters are converted to numbers (A=10..Z=35), and the result is divided by 97, the remainder must equal 1.

What is a SWIFT or BIC code?

A SWIFT/BIC (Bank Identifier Code) is 8 or 11 characters and identifies a specific bank for international wires. The structure is 4-letter bank code + 2-letter country code + 2-character location code + optional 3-character branch code (XXX or omitted means the primary office).

What is a US routing number?

A US ABA routing number is a 9-digit code that identifies a bank or credit union for ACH and wire transfers. It has a built-in checksum: 3×(d1+d4+d7) + 7×(d2+d5+d8) + (d3+d6+d9) must be divisible by 10.

Does this tool confirm the account exists or who owns it?

No. The Bank Account Number Checker only validates formatting and structure. It does not contact any bank, look up account holders, check balances, or confirm that an account exists. Always verify payment details directly with the recipient before sending money.

Are my inputs uploaded anywhere?

No. Every check runs entirely in your browser. Account numbers, IBANs, and SWIFT codes never leave your device.

Why does my bank ask for both?

The BIC tells the SWIFT network which bank to deliver the payment instruction to; the IBAN tells that bank which account to credit. Skipping either can delay or reject the wire.

IBAN vs SWIFT: What's the Difference?

They do different jobs

An IBAN identifies a specific account at a specific bank. A SWIFT/BIC identifies the bank itself. For most international wires you need both: the BIC to route the message to the right bank, the IBAN to credit the right account.

Geography matters

IBAN is mandatory across the EU, EEA, and much of the Middle East and North Africa. It's not used in the US, Canada, Australia, India, China, or Japan — where domestic account formats plus a BIC do the routing.

When one is enough

SEPA transfers within the eurozone only need an IBAN. Domestic transfers usually need only the local account number plus a sort or routing code. Cross-border wires almost always need both IBAN and BIC.

Try the tool

Bank Account Number Checker

Validate IBANs, SWIFT/BIC codes, US routing numbers, and country-specific bank account formats.

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Frequently asked questions

Sometimes — the bank portion of an IBAN often maps to a known BIC, but the mapping isn't part of the IBAN spec and isn't always unique. Ask the recipient for both.

Jun 3, 20265 min read