BIC / SWIFT Code Validator
Validate ISO 9362 structure, bank code, ISO 3166 country code, and branch location for BIC/SWIFT codes.
How does validation work?
The Business Identifier Code (BIC), standardized by ISO 9362 and maintained by SWIFT, is the universal identifier for financial and non-financial institutions worldwide.
Structured with 8 or 11 alphanumeric characters: 4-letter bank code + 2-letter ISO 3166 country code + 2 location characters + optional 3-character branch code (e.g. XXX).
Anatomy & Structure of BIC / SWIFT Code (ISO 9362)
The Business Identifier Code (BIC) standardized by ISO 9362 contains 8 or 11 structured characters:
| Position | Field | Length | Meaning & Specification | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | Institution | 4 letters | Unique code identifying the financial institution or banking corporation. | DEUT |
| 5 & 6 | Country | 2 letters | ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code of the financial institution's location. | DE |
| 7 & 8 | Location | 2 chars | City or regional financial center (second character '2' or '3' designates active live connection). | FF |
| 9 to 11 | Branch Code | 3 chars | Specific branch identifier. 'XXX' denotes primary Head Office. | XXX |
Structural and Semantic Validation of BIC / SWIFT
Validation follows syntactic rules and cataloging guidelines established by SWIFT:
BIC = Bank(4 letters) + Country(2 letters) + Location(2 alphanumeric) + [Branch(3)]
- 1. Length Verification: the code must contain exactly 8 characters (primary format) or 11 characters (branch format).
- 2. Institution Code: positions 1 through 4 must strictly contain uppercase letters (A-Z).
- 3. ISO Country Code: positions 5 and 6 must match a valid ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code.
- 4. Location and Branch: positions 7 and 8 are alphanumeric. Suffix positions 9-11 represent a branch or 'XXX' for head office.