A SWIFT code (also called a BIC) is an 8 or 11-character code that identifies a specific bank for international wire transfers. This tool checks whether a code you already have follows the correct structure and explains what each segment means — it is a format checker, not a bank directory lookup, since SWIFT/BIC databases are commercially licensed and not something we redistribute.
Paste or type the SWIFT/BIC code you were given, for example on a bank statement or invoice.
The tool checks the code is 8 or 11 characters, validates each segment against the ISO 9362 structure, and confirms the country segment is a real ISO 3166-1 country code.
Each valid segment is broken out and explained: institution code, country code, location code, and (for 11-character codes) branch code.
A SWIFT/BIC code has four segments: characters 1-4 are the institution (bank) code, always 4 letters; characters 5-6 are the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code; characters 7-8 are the location code (2 letters or digits); characters 9-11, present only in 11-character codes, are an optional branch code (3 letters or digits, with "XXX" meaning the head office).
The checker validates the total length is exactly 8 or 11 characters, that the institution code is 4 letters, that the country code is 2 letters and matches a static list of ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes, and that the location (and branch, if present) segments use only letters and digits.
This is a structural/format check only — it confirms a code is well-formed, not that it belongs to a real, currently-operating bank. No bank directory is embedded or fetched; finding your own bank's code requires checking your bank statement, online banking, or your bank's website.
A code like "DEUTDEFF" breaks down as DEUT (Deutsche Bank, the institution), DE (Germany, the country), FF (Frankfurt, the location) — 8 characters, referring to the head office. Adding a branch suffix like "500" makes it an 11-character code referring to a specific branch rather than the head office.
They are the same thing. "BIC" (Bank Identifier Code) is the formal ISO 9362 name; "SWIFT code" is the popular name, since the SWIFT network administers the standard. Both refer to an 8 or 11-character code identifying a specific bank and branch.
A SWIFT/BIC code is either 8 or 11 characters. An 8-character code identifies the bank's primary/head office. An 11-character code adds a 3-character branch code at the end to identify a specific branch. If the branch code is "XXX," it explicitly refers to the head office.
Check your bank statement (often printed near the account number or routing details), log into your online banking and look under "international transfer" or "account details," search your bank's website (most banks publish SWIFT/BIC codes on a support or FAQ page), or call your bank's customer service line directly.
Bank statements are generally reliable, but typos happen when codes are copied by hand. Use this checker to confirm the code you have follows the correct 8/11-character structure with a valid country segment before you send an international wire — catching a formatting error here is faster than a wire bouncing.
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