IBAN format
Understanding IBANs
IBAN stands for International Bank Account Number. It's a standardised way of identifying a bank account.
An IBAN is always used along with a Bank Identifier Code (BIC) - a sequence of characters that identify a bank and branch.
Not a bank account number
An IBAN isn't a new bank account number. An IBAN can include your account number and sort code, but also includes extra characters.
Never try to create or guess an IBAN. The format differs from country to country. Always ask the person you are paying what their IBAN is. Your own IBAN is shown on your bank statement.
Printed and electronic IBANS
An IBAN will be up to 28 characters in length, depending on the country where the account is held. In the UK, IBANs are 22 characters long.
An IBAN looks slightly different in printed form than it does when it's used electronically - such as in an online banking transaction.
In printed form, the number is often split into groups of four characters. This makes it easier to read. When used electronically, it shouldn't contain blank spaces or the word IBAN.
A printed IBAN would look like this:
GB99 RBOS 1234 5612 3456 78
While the electronic version would look like this:
GB99RBOS12345612345678