What is an IBAN, and how do you check one?
Your IBAN is your bank account's international address. Here is how it's built, where to find it, and how to catch a typo before money goes astray.
IBAN in one sentence
An International Bank Account Number identifies one bank account in a standard format, so payments across borders reach the right place. Every SEPA payment in Europe uses it.
How an IBAN is built
Take the German example DE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00:
- DE: the country code.
- 89: two check digits, calculated from the rest of the number.
- 3704 0044 0532 0130 00: the national account number (BBAN), which includes the bank code and the account number.
Each country has a fixed length: 18 characters in the Netherlands, 22 in Germany, 27 in France, 24 in Spain. The spaces are only for reading.
How the check digits catch typos
The two check digits come from a calculation over the whole IBAN (known as modulo 97). If you mistype a single character, or swap two neighbouring ones, the calculation no longer matches. That is why an IBAN checker can tell you something is wrong without knowing anything about the account.
Try it: free IBAN checker. It runs in your browser, so nothing you type is sent anywhere.
What an IBAN check can't tell you
A valid IBAN is well formed. It does not prove the account exists, or who owns it. For that, euro-area banks now run a payee name check when you pay, and warn you if the name doesn't match.
Where to find your own IBAN
- In your banking app, usually under account details.
- On your bank statement.
- Sometimes on the back of your debit card.
IBAN vs BIC (SWIFT code)
The BIC identifies the bank, not the account. For SEPA payments within Europe, the IBAN alone is enough; you don't need the BIC.
Is it safe to share my IBAN?
Sharing your IBAN so someone can pay you is normal. Be careful with direct debits: someone with your IBAN could set up a fraudulent debit, but in the SEPA scheme you can claim a refund of an authorised direct debit within 8 weeks, and of an unauthorised one within 13 months. Check your statements.
Keep every IBAN in one place
With accounts at several banks, Sapthan Pay shows every account, and its IBAN, in one app.