Sample IBAN Number: What Format Does Each Country Use?

A client in Germany asks an Indian business for its IBAN before paying an invoice.

The problem: Indian bank accounts do not use IBANs.

The client is not wrong to ask. IBAN is standard across many European, Middle Eastern, and other markets. But the format, length, and domestic bank structure vary by country, so a sample IBAN number is useful only when it is matched to the correct country.

What is an IBAN number?

An IBAN is a standardised bank-account identifier used by participating countries. SWIFT maintains the official ISO 13616 IBAN Registry for national formats.

A valid IBAN identifies an account structure; it does not prove who owns the account.

What does a sample IBAN number look like?

A standard UK example is:

GB29NWBK60161331926819
Every IBAN begins country code → check digits → country-specific BBAN (Basic Bank Account Number).

Sample IBAN numbers by country

The current SWIFT registry is Release 102, June 2026. The table below covers common markets rather than every IBAN jurisdiction.

Countries that do not use IBAN

The IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is used mainly across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Many of the world’s largest economies, however, have never adopted it. In these countries, banks rely on their own domestic routing codes along with a standard account number, and international payments are routed using the bank’s SWIFT/BIC code instead.

These are format examples, not payment instructions. Check SWIFT's latest registry before building payment or validation logic.

Valid vs Invalid IBAN Example

An IBAN can look correct at a glance and still be rejected by the bank. Every IBAN follows a fixed structure: a two-letter country code, two check digits, and a country-specific bank account number (BBAN), with a length that’s fixed for each country. The check digits are calculated from the rest of the number, so even a single wrong character makes the whole IBAN invalid.

| Country | Valid IBAN | Length |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | GB82 WEST 1234 5698 7654 32 | 22 characters |
| Germany | DE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00 | 22 characters |
| France | FR14 2004 1010 0505 0001 3M02 606 | 27 characters |
| Netherlands | NL91 ABNA 0417 1643 00 | 18 characters |
| United Arab Emirates | AE07 0331 2345 6789 0123 456 | 23 characters |

How IBAN Validation Works

Banks check every IBAN using the MOD-97 algorithm. The first four characters are moved to the end, each letter is converted into a number (A = 10, B = 11, and so on up to Z = 35), and the resulting long number is divided by 97. If the remainder is exactly 1, the IBAN is valid. This catches nearly all single-character mistakes and swapped digits, which is why a mistyped IBAN is usually rejected before the payment is even sent.

Keep in mind that a valid IBAN only means the number is correctly formed. It doesn’t confirm the account exists or belongs to the person you’re paying, so always double-check the account holder’s name with the recipient before sending money.

Does India have an IBAN number?

No. India does not use the IBAN system for domestic bank accounts.

For a conventional international transfer into India, the sender may need the beneficiary name, account number, bank/branch details, SWIFT/BIC, and any other routing information requested by the bank.

An Indian bank's IFSC is primarily a domestic routing code. Do not assume a foreign bank needs it unless the transfer instructions specifically ask for it.

How do you validate an IBAN?

1. Check the country

The first two letters must correspond to a registered IBAN country.

2. Check the length

Each country has one fixed IBAN length. A UK or German IBAN, for example, has 22 characters.

3. Check the characters

The electronic IBAN is an alphanumeric string. Spaces are normally used only when displaying an IBAN for readability.

4. Run the checksum

The two digits after the country code are validated using the IBAN's modulo-97 checksum.

A structurally valid IBAN fits the registered format and checksum. It does not prove that the account is open, belongs to the intended beneficiary, or is safe from fraud.

Common IBAN mistakes

Common mistakes include wrong country length, copying display spaces into electronic fields, confusing 0/O or 1/I, using a sample IBAN, and assuming a valid checksum verifies the payee.

For new or changed bank details, verify the beneficiary independently.

IBAN vs SWIFT/BIC

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