IBAN Formats by Country: Examples, Length and Structure

The IBAN is in use in 49 countries today, not only across Europe but also in places such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Brazil. The length varies a great deal: Norway gets by with 15 characters, while Malta needs 31. If you have an international IBAN in front of you and are unsure whether it is correct, this page gives you the full list with country code, IBAN length and examples.

The IBAN worldwide: 49 countries at a glance

The IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is no longer a purely European format. Today 49 countries around the world use the standardised account number layout defined in ISO 13616. The length varies considerably, from 15 characters (Norway) to 31 characters (Malta). Every IBAN starts with a two-letter country code, followed by a check digit and the country-specific BBAN (Basic Bank Account Number).

On this page you will find a complete overview of every IBAN format, with length, currency and a direct link to the relevant country page.

Full country table

Country	Code	IBAN length	Currency	Country page
Albania	AL	28	ALL	Albania
Andorra	AD	24	EUR	Andorra
Belgium	BE	16	EUR	Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina	BA	20	BAM	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria	BG	22	BGN	Bulgaria
Costa Rica	CR	22	CRC	Costa Rica
Denmark	DK	18	DKK	Denmark
Germany	DE	22	EUR	Germany
Estonia	EE	20	EUR	Estonia
Finland	FI	18	EUR	Finland
France	FR	27	EUR	France
Georgia	GE	22	GEL	Georgia
Greece	GR	27	EUR	Greece
United Kingdom	GB	22	GBP	United Kingdom
Ireland	IE	22	EUR	Ireland
Iceland	IS	26	ISK	Iceland
Israel	IL	23	ILS	Israel
Italy	IT	27	EUR	Italy
Jordan	JO	30	JOD	Jordan
Kosovo	XK	20	EUR	Kosovo
Croatia	HR	21	EUR	Croatia
Latvia	LV	21	EUR	Latvia
Liechtenstein	LI	21	CHF	Liechtenstein
Lithuania	LT	20	EUR	Lithuania
Luxembourg	LU	20	EUR	Luxembourg
Malta	MT	31	EUR	Malta
Moldova	MD	24	MDL	Moldova
Monaco	MC	27	EUR	Monaco
Montenegro	ME	22	EUR	Montenegro
Netherlands	NL	18	EUR	Netherlands
North Macedonia	MK	19	MKD	North Macedonia
Norway	NO	15	NOK	Norway
Austria	AT	20	EUR	Austria
Poland	PL	28	PLN	Poland
Portugal	PT	25	EUR	Portugal
Romania	RO	24	RON	Romania
San Marino	SM	27	EUR	San Marino
Sweden	SE	24	SEK	Sweden
Switzerland	CH	21	CHF	Switzerland
Serbia	RS	22	RSD	Serbia
Slovakia	SK	24	EUR	Slovakia
Slovenia	SI	19	EUR	Slovenia
Spain	ES	24	EUR	Spain
Czech Republic	CZ	24	CZK	Czech Republic
Turkey	TR	26	TRY	Turkey
Ukraine	UA	29	UAH	Ukraine
Hungary	HU	28	HUF	Hungary
Vatican City	VA	22	EUR	Vatican City
Cyprus	CY	28	EUR	Cyprus

The general structure of an IBAN

Whatever the country, every IBAN follows the same basic principle:

Section	Length	Content
Country code	2 letters	ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 (e.g. DE, AT, CH)
Check digits	2 digits	Calculated using Mod-97 (ISO 7064)
BBAN	variable	Country-specific: bank code plus account number

The check digits in positions 3 and 4 make it possible to validate the entire IBAN mathematically. The algorithm catches 99% of all typos and transposed digits. You can enter any IBAN from the table above into our IBAN validator to check it for validity straight away.

The DACH countries in detail

Germany (DE): 22 characters

The German IBAN is made up of:

DE + check digits (2) + bank code (8) + account number (10) = 22 characters

Example: DE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00

The eight-digit bank code in positions 5 to 12 identifies the bank. From it you can derive the international BIC code with the BIC calculator. Everything else about the German format is on the IBAN Germany page.

Austria (AT): 20 characters

AT + check digits (2) + bank code (5) + account number (11) = 20 characters

Example: AT61 1904 3002 3457 3201

Austria uses a five-digit bank code, shorter than the German one but built on the same principle. Details are on the IBAN Austria page.

Switzerland (CH): 21 characters

CH + check digits (2) + BC number (5) + account number (12) = 21 characters

Example: CH93 0076 2011 6238 5295 7

Instead of a bank code, Switzerland uses a BC number (Bank Clearing Number). The account number is 12 characters long and can contain both digits and letters. There is more on this on the IBAN Switzerland page.

Regional particularities

Nordic countries: short IBANs

The Scandinavian countries are among those with the shortest IBANs. Norway has the shortest IBAN of all at 15 characters, followed by Denmark and Finland with 18 characters each. Sweden is something of an outlier at 24 characters, because the Swedish clearing number and account number need more positions.

The Balkans: recent IBAN rollouts

Several Balkan states adopted the IBAN only in the last few years. Kosovo (XK, 20 characters) uses the unofficial country code XK, because the country is not listed in ISO 3166-1. Serbia (RS, 22 characters), Montenegro (ME, 22 characters) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BA, 20 characters) all use comparatively compact formats.

The United Kingdom: the IBAN after Brexit

Although the United Kingdom left the EU in 2020, the British IBAN (GB, 22 characters) remains valid and is accepted by banks. The UK is no longer part of the SEPA area in the strict sense, but many banks still treat transfers to the United Kingdom as SEPA payments, because the country continues to take part in the SEPA scheme. You will find details of the British format on the IBAN United Kingdom page.

Mediterranean islands: the longest IBANs

Malta holds the record for the longest IBAN in our database at 31 characters. This is down to the detailed BBAN structure, with a four-digit bank branch identifier and an 18-digit account number. Jordan (30 characters) and Cyprus (28 characters) are also among the countries with particularly long IBANs.

Validate an IBAN and find the BIC

Whatever the country, you can check any IBAN on our home page: the IBAN validator checks the format, length, check digits and, where possible, the bank assignment. If you need the international BIC/SWIFT code of a bank, use our SWIFT code lookup tool.

Frequently asked questions

Why do different countries have IBANs of different lengths?

The IBAN length depends on the national BBAN format, that is, the combination of bank code and account number used in each country. Norway has a very compact banking system with short account numbers (an 11-digit BBAN), whereas Malta uses a detailed structure with a bank branch identifier and a long account number (a 27-character BBAN). The ISO standard only sets the framework; the specific layout is decided by each country itself.

Does every country in the world have an IBAN?

No. The IBAN is currently supported by around 80 countries worldwide, the 49 most important of which are in our database. Large economies such as the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan do not use the IBAN. For transfers to those countries you need the national account number and the SWIFT code of the receiving bank instead, which you can find through our SWIFT code lookup tool.

Can I use an IBAN from one country in another country?

No. An IBAN is always tied to a specific country and bank account. The country code at the start (e.g. DE for Germany, AT for Austria) identifies the country unambiguously. You cannot use a German IBAN for an Austrian account; every account has its own country-specific IBAN.

How do I tell whether an IBAN is valid?

The check digits in positions 3 and 4 allow an arithmetic validation using the Mod-97 method. In addition, professional validation tools such as our IBAN validator check the format (the correct length for the country), the bank code (does the bank exist?) and the structure of the BBAN. A successful check does not guarantee that the account actually exists, however; it only confirms that the IBAN is formally well-formed.

A practical view

Anyone who makes international transfers regularly benefits from two things: a rough idea of how long an IBAN typically is per country (German ones 22, Austrian ones 20, Maltese ones 31), and a validator that handles the rest automatically. The IBAN validator supports all 49 countries in this table, checks the Mod-97 check digits and, for European IBANs, also shows the matching BIC. Just paste in the IBAN and you get a result within a second.

Sources

• ISO 13616-1:2020 – IBAN Structure
• SWIFT IBAN Registry (official country list)
• ECBS IBAN Registry
• Regulation (EU) No 260/2012 – SEPA