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IBAN Structure Germany

Last reviewed: · Source: ISO 13616 / SWIFT IBAN Registry

Germany's IBAN is exactly 22 characters long and follows the pattern DEkk BBBB BBBB CCCC CCCC CC. After the country code DE and two check digits come the 8-digit bank code (Bankleitzahl) and the 10-digit account number, left-padded with zeros where shorter. Germany made the IBAN mandatory for domestic payments in 2014, replacing the old bank-code-plus-account-number pairing. The check digits are computed with the MOD-97 algorithm (ISO 7064), which catches almost every typo. Germany is part of the euro area and SEPA, so a euro transfer within SEPA needs only the IBAN — no BIC, and at the same cost as a domestic payment.

Overview

CountryGermany (DE)
IBAN length22 characters
FormatDEkk BBBB BBBB CCCC CCCC CC
Example IBANDE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00

Visual breakdown

Example IBAN:

DE89370400440532013000
Country codeCheck digitsBank codeAccount number

Character-by-character explanation

SegmentCharactersLengthExplanation
Country codeDE2DE for Germany (ISO 3166-1)
Check digits892Two check digits, calculated with MOD-97 (ISO 7064)
Bank code3704004488-digit bank code (Bankleitzahl/BLZ) identifying the bank
Account number05320130001010-digit account number, left-padded with zeros

Example IBAN for Germany

The IBAN below illustrates the format for Germany. It is fictitious and shown for illustration only.

DE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00

22 characters · Format DEkk BBBB BBBB CCCC CCCC CC

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Frequently asked questions

How many characters does an IBAN in Germany have?
An IBAN in Germany has exactly 22 characters. It consists of the country code DE, two check digits and the national account number (BBAN) with 18 characters.
How is a Germany IBAN structured?
The IBAN in Germany follows the format DEkk BBBB BBBB CCCC CCCC CC. DE is the country code, the following two digits are the check digits, and the remaining characters encode the bank and account details. Example: DE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00.
What happens if I enter a wrong IBAN for Germany?
Thanks to the built-in check digits (MOD-97, ISO 7064), most typos in an IBAN are detected automatically. The bank rejects a malformed IBAN and the transfer is not executed. Always check an IBAN carefully against your records before you send a payment.

IBAN structure for other countries

Austria

20 characters · ATkk BBBB BCCC CCCC CCCC

Switzerland

21 characters · CHkk BBBB BCCC CCCC CCCC C

Liechtenstein

21 characters · LIkk BBBB BCCC CCCC CCCC C

France

27 characters · FRkk BBBB BGGG GGCC CCCC CCCC CKK

Spain

24 characters · ESkk BBBB GGGG KKCC CCCC CCCC

Italy

27 characters · ITkk XBBB BBGG GGGC CCCC CCCC CCC

Portugal

25 characters · PTkk BBBB SSSS CCCC CCCC CCCK K

Netherlands

18 characters · NLkk BBBB CCCC CCCC CC