'%20/%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}
SWIFT / BIC Code Checker — validate the format
Check the length, bank code, ISO country code and structure of any SWIFT/BIC code, with a bank, country, location and branch breakdown. No sign-up, and nothing is sent anywhere.
Step by step
How to check a SWIFT/BIC code
It takes a few seconds and happens entirely on your device.
Paste the SWIFT/BIC code
Type or paste the code into the field. Spaces and letter case don't matter — the checker uppercases it for you.
Run the check
Select Check code. The tool verifies the length, bank code, ISO country code, and the location and branch codes, all in your browser.
Read the breakdown
A valid code is split into its bank, country, location and branch parts, so you can confirm each section is right.
Anatomy
What is a SWIFT/BIC code?
A SWIFT/BIC code (Bank Identifier Code) is a standardised way to identify a bank for cross-border payments. It is 8 or 11 characters: a four-letter bank code, a two-letter country code, a two-character location code, and an optional three-character branch code.
Under the hood
How SWIFT/BIC validation works
A genuine check looks at the structure and the country code — not just the length. It confirms the form of the code, which is what catches typos.
Bank & country
The first four characters are the bank code and must be letters. The next two must be a real country code — we check them against the official ISO 3166-1 list of 200+ countries.
Length & characters
A BIC is exactly 8 or 11 characters. The location code is two letters or digits; the optional branch code is three. The tool confirms the count and the allowed characters in each part.
What it can and can't do
Structure and country checks catch most mistakes. Confirming a BIC is registered and active needs the licensed SWIFT directory, so this tool validates the form of a code, not its registration.
Reference
What each part of a BIC means
Every SWIFT/BIC code follows the same ISO 9362 layout. Here is what each position represents, using the example DEUT DE FF 500.
| Position | Part | Length | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | Bank (institution) code | 4 letters | DEUT |
| 5–6 | Country code (ISO 3166-1) | 2 letters | DE |
| 7–8 | Location code | 2 letters or digits | FF |
| 9–11 | Branch code (optional) | 3 letters or digits | 500 |
An 8-character BIC refers to a bank's primary office; the 11-character form adds a branch code. A branch code of XXX also means the primary office.
Troubleshooting
Common reasons a SWIFT/BIC fails
If the checker reports an invalid code, it's usually one of these.
Wrong length
A BIC must be exactly 8 or 11 characters. Nine or ten characters — often a mistyped or partial branch code — will fail.
An invalid country code
Characters five and six must be a real ISO country code. A typo here — or the wrong country entirely — is caught immediately.
Wrong characters
The bank code must be letters, and pasting can pull in the letter O instead of zero, or stray symbols. Only A–Z and 0–9 belong in a BIC.
Good to know
SWIFT/BIC vs IBAN
They're often needed together for an international transfer, but they identify different things.
SWIFT/BIC — the bank
The Bank Identifier Code identifies the financial institution. Cross-border payments use it to route to the right bank, then the IBAN to reach the account.
IBAN — the account
The International Bank Account Number points to one specific account. Need to check one? Use our free IBAN checker to validate an IBAN.