IBAN, SWIFT & International Payments
IBAN Format by Country: Length, Structure and Examples
Every country that uses IBANs fixes the exact length and layout of its numbers. A German IBAN is always 22 characters, a Saudi IBAN always 24, a Norwegian IBAN always 15. That makes length the quickest way to catch a missing or extra digit.
The table below lists the length and a valid example for the countries FloatForex users send money to most often. Every example passes the mod-97 check digit test.
Key takeaways
- IBAN length is fixed per country and can never exceed 34 characters.
- Norway has the shortest IBAN in use (15 characters); many Gulf countries use 22 to 30.
- The first two letters always tell you the country, and the next two digits are always the check digits.
- The US, Canada, Australia, China and India do not use IBANs for domestic accounts.
IBAN length and example by country
| Country | Code | Length | Example IBAN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | AT | 20 | AT61 1904 3002 3457 3201 |
| Bahrain | BH | 22 | BH67 BMAG 0000 1299 1234 56 |
| Belgium | BE | 16 | BE68 5390 0754 7034 |
| Denmark | DK | 18 | DK50 0040 0440 1162 43 |
| Egypt | EG | 29 | EG38 0019 0005 0000 0000 2631 8000 2 |
| Finland | FI | 18 | FI21 1234 5600 0007 85 |
| France | FR | 27 | FR14 2004 1010 0505 0001 3M02 606 |
| Germany | DE | 22 | DE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00 |
| Ireland | IE | 22 | IE29 AIBK 9311 5212 3456 78 |
| Italy | IT | 27 | IT60 X054 2811 1010 0000 0123 456 |
| Jordan | JO | 30 | JO94 CBJO 0010 0000 0000 0131 0003 02 |
| Kuwait | KW | 30 | KW81 CBKU 0000 0000 0000 1234 5601 01 |
| Luxembourg | LU | 20 | LU28 0019 4006 4475 0000 |
| Malta | MT | 31 | MT84 MALT 0110 0001 2345 MTLC AST0 01S |
| Netherlands | NL | 18 | NL91 ABNA 0417 1643 00 |
| Norway | NO | 15 | NO93 8601 1117 947 |
| Pakistan | PK | 24 | PK36 SCBL 0000 0011 2345 6702 |
| Poland | PL | 28 | PL61 1090 1014 0000 0712 1981 2874 |
| Portugal | PT | 25 | PT50 0002 0123 1234 5678 9015 4 |
| Qatar | QA | 29 | QA58 DOHB 0000 1234 5678 90AB CDEF G |
| Saudi Arabia | SA | 24 | SA03 8000 0000 6080 1016 7519 |
| Spain | ES | 24 | ES91 2100 0418 4502 0005 1332 |
| Sweden | SE | 24 | SE45 5000 0000 0583 9825 7466 |
| Switzerland | CH | 21 | CH93 0076 2011 6238 5295 7 |
| Turkey | TR | 26 | TR33 0006 1005 1978 6457 8413 26 |
| United Arab Emirates | AE | 23 | AE07 0331 2345 6789 0123 456 |
| United Kingdom | GB | 22 | GB29 NWBK 6016 1331 9268 19 |
What is inside the national part (BBAN)
After the country code and check digits comes the BBAN, the domestic account number in a fixed layout. Knowing the layout helps you spot problems the check digits cannot, such as an IBAN that belongs to a different bank than the one on the invoice.
- United Kingdom (22): 4-letter bank code, 6-digit sort code, 8-digit account number. GB29 NWBK 6016 1331 9268 19 is a NatWest example.
- Germany (22): 8-digit bank code (Bankleitzahl) followed by a 10-digit account number.
- United Arab Emirates (23): 3-digit bank code followed by a 16-digit account number.
- Saudi Arabia (24): 2-digit bank code followed by an 18-character account number.
- Pakistan (24): 4-letter bank code (for example SCBL) followed by a 16-digit account number.
- France and Italy (27): include bank, branch and account numbers plus a national check key, so they may contain letters.
Letters or digits?
Some countries allow letters in the account part (Italy, Malta, Qatar, the Netherlands' bank code), while others are digits only. If an IBAN for a digits-only country contains the letter O, it is almost certainly a typed zero.
Countries that do not use IBANs
Many large economies identify accounts with their own domestic systems instead. To pay an account in these countries you need the local details plus the bank's SWIFT/BIC code:
| Country | What you need instead |
|---|---|
| United States | Account number + 9-digit ABA routing number |
| Canada | Account number + institution and transit numbers |
| Australia | Account number + 6-digit BSB code |
| India | Account number + 11-character IFSC code |
| China | Account number + bank name and branch (CNAPS code for domestic transfers) |
If someone in one of these countries gives you an "IBAN", it is usually their SWIFT/BIC or a domestic number with a different name. Our SWIFT/BIC guide explains how to recognise each.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum length of an IBAN?
The ISO 13616 standard allows up to 34 characters. Each country chooses a fixed length within that limit.
Which country has the shortest IBAN?
Norway, at 15 characters. Belgium follows at 16.
Do I type the spaces in an IBAN?
No. The spaces only make the printed number easier to read. Most banking forms accept the IBAN with or without spaces.
How do I know which country an IBAN is from?
The first two letters are the ISO country code, for example AE for the United Arab Emirates or PK for Pakistan. Our country codes page lists them all.
Sources
This guide is general educational information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures were checked on the date shown and can change. Read how we research and review content in our editorial standards. Source: https://www.floatforex.com/guides/iban-format-by-country