SWIFT/BIC Validator
Validate a SWIFT/BIC bank identifier code (ISO 9362). Checks the 8- or 11-character format — institution code, country code, location code and optional branch code — and breaks the code down into its parts, including the participant status decoded from the location code.
Input
Spaces and hyphens are ignored. Validation runs entirely in your browser.
Output
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Guides
The SWIFT/BIC Validator checks whether a bank identifier code is correctly formatted according to ISO 9362 and breaks it down into its parts. Paste a SWIFT/BIC code and it instantly tells you whether the format is valid, what institution and country it points to, and whether the code refers to a head office or a specific branch. Everything runs directly in your browser — no code you enter is ever sent to a server.
What is a SWIFT/BIC code?
A BIC (Business Identifier Code), commonly called a SWIFT code, uniquely identifies a bank or financial institution in international wire transfers. It is either 8 or 11 characters long and is made up of four parts:
- Institution code (4 letters) — identifies the bank, e.g.
DEUTfor Deutsche Bank. - Country code (2 letters) — the ISO 3166 country the institution is registered in, e.g.
DEfor Germany. - Location code (2 letters or digits) — pinpoints the head office within the country.
- Branch code (3 letters or digits, optional) — identifies a specific branch.
XXX(or an omitted branch code) refers to the primary/head office.
An 8-character code refers to the institution's head office; an 11-character code adds a branch code.
How to use it
- Type or paste a SWIFT/BIC code into the input field. Spaces and hyphens are ignored, so any grouping works.
- The result table updates automatically as you type.
- Read off the status and the decoded parts — institution, country, location, branch and code type.
What the validator checks
This tool validates the format shape defined by ISO 9362:
- The overall length is exactly 8 or 11 characters.
- The character pattern matches
AAAA(letters) +CC(country letters) +LL(alphanumeric location) + optionalBBB(alphanumeric branch).
It also decodes the participant status from the second character of the location code, a widely used convention:
0— passive participant (often a test or reverse-billing code)1— passive participant2— reverse billing- any other character — active, connected to the live SWIFT network
Does a valid format mean the account exists?
No. A correctly formatted BIC is not a guarantee that the code is registered or that the bank is reachable — only SWIFT's official directory can confirm that. This tool checks the structure, not registration. Likewise, the country code is only checked for the correct shape (two letters), not verified against the official ISO 3166 country list.
Why is my code flagged invalid?
The most common reasons are a length other than 8 or 11 characters, or a digit appearing in the institution or country portion, where only letters are allowed. Copy the code again without any stray characters and re-check.
Privacy
The SWIFT/BIC Validator is fully client-side. Codes you paste are analysed in your browser and never uploaded, which makes it safe to use with real banking details.