Does a valid IBAN mean the account exists?

No. IBAN validation only checks the format, length, and mathematical checksum (MOD-97). It confirms the number is structurally correct and hasn't been mistyped, but it does not verify that the account is open, active, or belongs to a specific person. Always confirm account ownership with your bank or the recipient before sending funds.

What is the MOD-97 checksum and how does it catch errors?

MOD-97 is an error-detection algorithm defined in ISO 7064. It rearranges the IBAN, converts letters to numbers (A=10 through Z=35), and checks if the result is divisible by 97 with a remainder of 1. This catches over 98% of single-character transposition errors and virtually all single-character substitution errors — the most common mistakes when copying IBANs.

Which countries use IBAN?

Over 75 countries use IBAN, including all EU/EEA member states, the UK, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, and many others. Notable countries that do NOT use IBAN include the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, and India. For US/Canada payments, routing numbers and account numbers are used instead.

What is SEPA and why does it matter for IBANs?

SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) covers 36 European countries where EUR bank transfers are processed like domestic payments — typically within 1 business day with no extra fees. If your IBAN belongs to a SEPA country, you can send and receive EUR transfers at domestic rates. Non-SEPA IBANs may incur international wire fees and take 2-5 business days.

How do I find my IBAN?

Your IBAN is typically printed on your bank statement, shown in your online/mobile banking app, or printed on your debit card (in some European countries). You can also call your bank and request it. In the UK, your IBAN is derived from your sort code and account number. In Germany, it's derived from your BLZ (Bankleitzahl) and account number.

Can I validate multiple IBANs at once?

This tool validates one IBAN at a time for accuracy and clarity. For bulk validation needs, professional services like SWIFT's IBAN validation API or iban.com offer batch processing. Our single-IBAN validator is ideal for verifying individual IBANs before making a payment or adding them to your records.

Does the US have IBAN?

No. The United States does not use the IBAN system. US bank accounts are identified by a 9-digit ABA routing number and an account number (typically 10-12 digits). For international transfers to the US, senders need the SWIFT/BIC code of the US bank plus the routing and account numbers. There are no plans to adopt IBAN in the US.

IBAN Validator

IBAN Number

Paste or type an IBAN — spaces and dashes are ignored

Example IBANs (click to test)

Enter an IBAN to validate

Supports 75+ countries with MOD-97 checksum verification

What Is an IBAN?

Understanding the International Bank Account Number format.

An IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is a standardized format for identifying bank accounts across national borders. Defined by ISO 13616, it was originally adopted in Europe and is now used in over 75 countries. The IBAN makes cross-border payments faster and less error-prone by including a built-in error-detection mechanism (check digits).

75+

Countries

use IBAN

MOD-97

Check Method

ISO 7064

Max Length

characters

How IBAN Validation Works

The MOD-97 algorithm explained step by step.

IBAN validation uses the MOD-97 algorithm (ISO 7064) to detect transcription and transposition errors with over 99% accuracy. Here's how it works:

Move the first 4 characters (country code + check digits) to the end of the string
Replace each letter with its position in the alphabet plus 9 (A=10, B=11, ... Z=35)
Divide the resulting number by 97 and check the remainder
If the remainder is exactly 1, the IBAN is valid

For example, GB29 NWBK 6016 1331 9268 19 rearranges to NWBK6016133192681916 29, converts letters to numbers, and the final number mod 97 equals 1.

IBAN Structure by Country

Country-specific IBAN formats and lengths.

Every IBAN starts with a 2-letter country code followed by 2 check digits, then the country-specific BBAN (Basic Bank Account Number). The total length varies by country:

Country	Code	Length	SEPA
United Kingdom	GB	22	Yes
Germany	DE	22	Yes
France	FR	27	Yes
Spain	ES	24	Yes
Italy	IT	27	Yes
Netherlands	NL	18	Yes
Switzerland	CH	21	Yes
UAE	AE	23	No
Saudi Arabia	SA	24	No
Poland	PL	28	Yes

Common IBAN Mistakes

Frequent errors that cause payment failures.

Transposed digits

Swapping adjacent digits (e.g., 31 instead of 13). MOD-97 catches 98% of these.

Wrong length

Missing or extra characters from copy-paste. Each country has a fixed IBAN length.

Confusing O/0 and I/1

Letters and digits look similar in print. Double-check when reading from documents.

Domestic format used

US, Canada, and Australia don't use IBAN. Routing numbers will fail validation.

Outdated IBAN

Bank mergers or migrations can change IBANs. Confirm with the recipient's latest statement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about IBAN validation, formats, and international transfers

An IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is a standardized format used in over 75 countries to identify bank accounts for cross-border transfers. It includes a country code, check digits, and your domestic account details in a single string. You need an IBAN to send or receive international wire transfers in IBAN-using countries — without it, payments may be delayed, returned, or routed incorrectly.

IBAN identifies your specific bank account (like a mailing address). SWIFT/BIC identifies your bank itself (like a company name). For international transfers, you typically need both: the IBAN tells the system which account to credit, while the SWIFT/BIC code routes the payment to the correct bank. SWIFT codes are 8 or 11 characters, while IBANs range from 15 to 34 characters depending on the country.

Common reasons: (1) Wrong length for the country — each country has a specific IBAN length. (2) Invalid check digits — even one mistyped character will cause the MOD-97 checksum to fail. (3) The country code is not recognized — some countries don't use IBAN (US, Canada, Australia). (4) Special characters — IBANs only contain letters (A-Z) and digits (0-9). Check for accidental spaces, dashes, or special characters in the account number portion.

Embed IBAN Validator

Add this calculator to your website or blog for free.

Related calculators from other categories

Last updated Mar 25, 2026