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IBAN Structure United Kingdom

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

The United Kingdom's IBAN has 22 characters in the format GBkk BBBB SSSS SSCC CCCC CC. It begins with GB, two check digits, a 4-letter bank code (e.g. BARC for Barclays, HBUK for HSBC), the traditional 6-digit sort code and the 8-digit account number. Even after Brexit the UK takes part in SEPA as a third country, so euro transfers still work. For sterling payments, the available route and required details depend on the banks and payment conditions; check them in advance with your bank. For international payments, required routing details depend on the banks, currency and route; check them in advance with your bank.

Structural fields are based on the official SWIFT IBAN Registry. The editorial method and validation boundary are documented on our German editorial page (German).

Overview

CountryUnited Kingdom (GB)
IBAN length22 characters
FormatGBkk BBBB SSSS SSCC CCCC CC

Visual breakdown

Fictitious format example, not payment data:

GB29NWBK60161331926819
Country codeCheck digitsBank codeSort codeAccount number

Character-by-character explanation

SegmentCharactersLengthExplanation
Country codeGB2GB for the United Kingdom (ISO 3166-1)
Check digits292Two check digits per MOD-97
Bank codeNWBK44-letter bank identifier (e.g. BARC, HBUK)
Sort code60161366-digit sort code (British bank/branch code)
Account number3192681988-digit account number

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Frequently asked questions

How do I check the length of an IBAN from United Kingdom?
Remove spaces and count 22 characters. The first two characters are GB; the remaining positions follow GBkk BBBB SSSS SSCC CCCC CC. A different length is formally invalid for this country format.
What do the check digits in a United Kingdom IBAN mean?
The two check digits are calculated from the complete IBAN using ISO 7064 MOD-97. They help detect format and transcription errors. A passing checksum does not confirm that an account exists or identify its account holder.
What should I do when an IBAN is formally invalid?
Check the country code, character count, letters and digits, and the check digits. Compare the entry with your bank records or ask the bank for the correct IBAN. This checker validates structure and checksum; it does not verify account ownership or payment approval.

IBAN structure for other countries

Germany

22 characters · DEkk BBBB BBBB CCCC CCCC CC

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