SWIFT Code Checker (BIC Format Validator)
Check whether a SWIFT/BIC code follows the ISO 9362 structure (bank code, country code, location code, branch code) for free. This checker validates format only, and everything runs in your browser.
What Is a SWIFT/BIC Code Format Checker?
A SWIFT/BIC code format checker verifies whether a code used for international wire transfers matches the ISO 9362 structure: a 4-character bank code, a 2-character country code, a 2-character location code, and an optional 3-character branch code. It checks that the total length is either 8 or 11 characters and breaks the code down into each of its parts.
When copying a SWIFT/BIC code into a wire transfer form, a single mistyped character or a miscounted digit is a common source of errors. Running the code through this checker first lets you catch obvious mistakes before you submit the transfer. Everything runs locally in your browser, and the code you enter is never sent anywhere.
How to Use
- Enter the SWIFT/BIC code You can paste it with spaces or hyphens, or as one continuous string.
- Check the result The format validity and a breakdown into bank code, country code, location code, and branch code appear automatically.
- Review any error If the code is invalid, the specific reason (character type, length, or structure) is shown.
- Try another code Use the Clear button to reset the input and check a different code.
Tips for getting more out of it
- You can paste a code with spaces or hyphens as-is — they are stripped automatically before validation.
- A "valid" result only means the code matches the ISO 9362 structural rules (length and character types); it does not confirm that the bank code actually exists. Always verify through an official channel before sending money.
- An 8-character code with the branch code omitted refers to the bank's primary office, and the same applies to an 11-character code ending in "XXX".
- International wire transfers usually require both an IBAN (which identifies the account) and a SWIFT/BIC code (which identifies the bank). Use our IBAN Validator to check the account number separately.
- By convention, a location code whose 2nd character is "0" is reserved for SWIFT's test environment and is never used for live transfers.
Use Cases
Checking before submitting a wire transfer form
Verify a SWIFT/BIC code you received from a business partner or overseas bank before typing it into a payment form.
Reviewing codes on invoices and contracts
Confirm that a SWIFT/BIC code printed on an invoice or contract has a structurally valid format before processing payment.
Reference for building input validation logic
Check the expected behavior of SWIFT/BIC validation rules when implementing similar logic in your own web form or system.
Confirming primary office vs. branch
Determine whether an 8- or 11-character code refers to a bank's primary office or a specific branch.
Glossary
- SWIFT code / BIC
- An identifier that uniquely names a bank for international transfers. Both terms refer to the same ISO 9362 standard.
- ISO 9362
- The international standard that defines the structure and length of BIC codes.
- Bank code
- The first 4 letters of the code, representing the bank itself.
- Country code
- Characters 5–6 of the code, a 2-letter country identifier based on ISO 3166-1.
- Location code
- Characters 7–8 of the code, representing a city or region. By convention, the 2nd character can indicate a test BIC or a passive participant.
- Branch code
- The optional final 3 characters of the code. When omitted, or when set to "XXX", it refers to the bank's primary office.
- IBAN
- A number that uniquely identifies a specific bank account internationally. While a SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank, an IBAN identifies the exact account within it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Side Note — SWIFT Code and BIC Are the Same Thing
You may have seen both "SWIFT code" and "BIC" used to describe the same identifier, and that is because they are. SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) is the name of the organization that operates the messaging network banks use to send international transfer instructions to each other. The identifier that uniquely names each bank on that network is officially called a BIC (Business Identifier Code), but because SWIFT is the body that administers the standard, "SWIFT code" became the common everyday name.
The structure of a BIC is defined by the ISO 9362 standard and consists of either 8 or 11 letters and digits. The first 4 characters form the bank code, the next 2 are a country code based on ISO 3166-1, the following 2 form a location code representing a city or region, and an optional final 3 characters form a branch code. This layout means a single code can pinpoint exactly which country, which bank, and which branch a payment is headed to.
One lesser-known detail concerns the second character of the location code. By a widely followed (though not formally mandated) convention, a "0" in that position marks the code as reserved for SWIFT's test environment, never used for real transfers, while a "1" marks what is called a passive participant — a bank registered on the network for identification purposes only, without an active connection for exchanging live messages. Developers and back-office staff who work with BIC codes regularly find these small conventions useful when tracking down unexpected validation errors.