Thoughts.com Blogs - What is IBAN?

View Blog

What is IBAN?

Example of an IBAN:
FR14 2004 1010 0505 0001 3M02 606

On a technical level, an IBAN consists of a two-letter country code FR (which indicates France in this case), followed by a two-digit checksum 14 and a domestic bank account number consisting of up to thirty alphanumeric characters 2004 1010 0505 0001 3M02 606. Domestic bank account numbers, often referred to as a Basic Bank Account Number or BBAN, consist of a branch or routing codes and the account number which in some countries may include alphabetics; all BBANs conform to ISO 13616. Various examples of national IBAN formats are listed in the table below. All countries codes conform to ISO 3166-1. The list below includes all countries that have adopted IBAN as of 2006.

IBAN availability worldwide
Key - : EU regulation 2560/2001 (providing free or low-cost cross-border transfers using IBAN) does not apply to these countries along with Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man and Vatican City whom are not members of the EU/EEA, kk/K: checksums, BBB: bank code, bbb: branch code, CCC: account number, SSSS: first four characters of SWIFT/BIC code, RR: reserved, X: ID number, ddd: currency code.

Country International Bank Account Number format
Andorra- ADkk BBBB bbbb CCCC CCCC CC
Austria/Österreich- ATkk BBBB BCCC CCCC CCCC
Belgium/Belgique/Belgie- BEkk BBBC CCCC CCKK
Bosnia and Herzegovina- BAkk BBBb bbCC CCCC CCKK
Croatia- HRkk BBBB BBBC CCCC CCCC C
Bulgaria- BGkk SSSS bbbb CCCC CCCC CC
Cyprus CYkk- BBBb bbbb CCCC CCCC CCCC CCCC
Czech Republic/Ceska- CZkk BBBB CCCC CCCC CCCC CCCC
Denmark/Danmark- DKkk BBBB CCCC CCCC CK
Estonia EEkk BBBB- CCCC CCCC CCCK
Faroe Islands/Foroyar- FOkk BBBB CCCC CCCC CK
Finland/Suomi- FIkk BBBB BBCC CCCC CK
France FRkk- BBBB Bbbb bbCC CCCC CCCC CKK
Germany/Deutschland- DEkk BBBB BBBB CCCC CCCC CC
Gibraltar GIkk- BBBB CCCC CCCC CCCC CCC
Greece/Ellas- GRkk BBBb bbbC CCCC CCCC CCCC CCC
Greenland- GLkk BBBB CCCC CCCC CK
Hungary/Magyarorszag HUkk BBBb bbbK CCCC CCCC CCCC CCCK
Iceland ISkk BBBB CCCC CCCC XXXX XXXX XX
Ireland/Eire- IEkk SSSS bbbb bbCC CCCC CC
Italy/Italia- ITkk KBBB BBbb bbbC CCCC CCCC CCC
Latvia/Latvija- LVkk BBBB CCCC CCCC CCCC C
Liechtenstein- LIkk BBBB BCCC CCCC CCCC C
Lithuania LTkk BBBB BCCC CCCC CCCC
Luxembourg- LUkk BBBC CCCC CCCC CCCC
Macedonia- MKkk BBBC CCCC CCCC CKK
Malta- MTkk BBBB bbbb bCCC CCCC CCCC CCCC CCC
Mauritius- MUkk BBBB BBbb CCCC CCCC CCCC RRRd dd
Monaco- MCkk BBBB Bbbb bbCC CCCC CCCC CKK
Netherlands/Nederland- NLkk BBBB CCCC CCCC CC
Norway/Norge- NOkk BBBB CCCC CCK
Poland/Polska- PLkk BBBB BBBB CCCC CCCC CCCC CCCC
Portugal- PTkk BBBB bbbb CCCC CCCC CCCK K
Romania- ROkk SSSS CCCC CCCC CCCC CCCC
San Marino- SMkk KBBB BBbb bbbC CCCC CCCC CCC
Serbia and Montenegro- CSkk BBBC CCCC CCCC CCCC KK
Slovak Republic/Slovensko- SKkk BBBB CCCC CCCC CCCC CCCC
Slovenia/Republika Slovenija- SIkk BBBB BCCC CCCC CCCC CKK
Spain/España- ESkk BBBB bbbb KKCC CCCC CCCC
Sweden/Sverige- SEkk BBBC CCCC CCCC CCCC CCCK
Switzerland/Schweiz/Suisse- CHkk BBBB BCCC CCCC CCCC C
Tunisia- TNkk BBbb bCCC CCCC CCCC CCKK
Turkey/Turkiye- TRkk BBBB BRCC CCCC CCCC CCCC CC
United Kingdom/Great Britain- GBkk SSSS bbbb bbCC CCCC CC

Additional notes on IBAN country coverage and validity of EU regulation 2560/2001. France includes these overseas territories where EU regulation 2560/2001 is valid: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. France also covers these overseas French territories where EU regulation 2560/2001 is not valid: New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, French Southern Territories, Wallis and Futuna, and Mayotte. Spain includes: Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla. Portugal includes: Azores and Madeira. Northern Ireland bank transfers are cleared through Republic of Ireland or United Kingdom depending on the bank. As previously noted Guernsey, Jersey and Isle of Man are not EU/EEA members so EU regulation 2560/2001 does not apply. Guernsey and Jersey are cleared through France or United Kingdom depending on the bank. Isle of Man bank transfers are cleared through United Kingdom.

BIC + IBAN = free bank transfers in Euros
Provided the equivalent domestic bank transfer is free, then under EU regulation 2560/2001 a BIC + IBAN cross border bank transfer is also free to a sender or recipient in that country.

Domestic bank transfers are known variously as: Transfert bancaire local in France and Belgium/Belgique, Transferencia dentro de España in Spain/España, Trasferimento bancario Domestico in Italy/Italia, Bankoverchrijving in Belgium/Belgie, Overboeking in Netherlands/Nederland, Inlandsüberweisung in Austria/Österreich, Germany/Deutschland, Switzerland/Schweiz and Liechtenstein, Domestic Bank Transfer in Ireland/Eire and United Kingdom, Bankoverchrijving in Finland/Suomi, Nettgiro in Norway/Norge, Bankgiro in Sweden/Sverige, Domestic Bank Transfer in Denmark/Danmark, HUF Giro-System in Hungary/Magyarorszag, Przelew krajowy in Poland/Polska, and Tuzemska uhrada in Czech Republic/Ceska Republika, Slovakia/Slovensko and Slovenia/Republika Slovenija. Check with your bank for details and costs (if any) of domestic bank transfers.