Bank code
Encyclopedia
A Bank Code is a code
assigned by a central bank
, a Bank Supervisory Body or a Bankers Association in a country to all its licensed member bank
s. The rules vary to a great extent between the countries. Also the name of such a code varies. In some countries the bank codes can be viewed over the internet, but mostly in the local language.
Those countries which use International Bank Account Number
s (IBAN) have mostly integrated the bank code into the prefix of specifying IBAN account numbers.
The term "Bank Code" is sometimes (inappropriately) used by merchants to refer to the Card Security Code
printed on a credit card.
has since 1910 used 9-digit routing transit number
s to identify banks in the United States of America, which are used in the automated processing of cheques. The bank company is identified in the 5th to 8th digits (the 4 digits before the last checksum digit). The company number assigned to a bank includes a regional prefix indicating the metropolitan area and/or state.
Canada uses an 8-digit code (with a hyphen after the fifth digit) called a bank transit number. The first 5 digits identify the branch; the last 3 digits identify the financial institution.
Code
A code is a rule for converting a piece of information into another form or representation , not necessarily of the same type....
assigned by a central bank
Central bank
A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is a public institution that usually issues the currency, regulates the money supply, and controls the interest rates in a country. Central banks often also oversee the commercial banking system of their respective countries...
, a Bank Supervisory Body or a Bankers Association in a country to all its licensed member bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
s. The rules vary to a great extent between the countries. Also the name of such a code varies. In some countries the bank codes can be viewed over the internet, but mostly in the local language.
Those countries which use International Bank Account Number
International Bank Account Number
The International Bank Account Number is an international standard for identifying bank accounts across national borders with a minimal risk of propagating transcription errors. It was originally adopted by the European Committee for Banking Standards , and was later adopted as an international...
s (IBAN) have mostly integrated the bank code into the prefix of specifying IBAN account numbers.
The term "Bank Code" is sometimes (inappropriately) used by merchants to refer to the Card Security Code
Card security code
The card security code , sometimes called Card Verification Data , Card Verification Value , Card Verification Value Code , Card Verification Code , Verification Code , or Card Code Verification are different terms for security features for credit or debit card...
printed on a credit card.
Europe
- The UK uses 6-digit sort codeSort CodeA sort code is the name given by both the British and Irish banking industry to the bank codes which are used to route money transfers between banks within their respective countries via their respective clearance organisations. In Ireland it is known as the NSC or National Sort Code and is...
s. For prefixes identifying UK banking companies, see the list of sort codes of the United Kingdom.
- GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
uses 8-digit routing codes. The first 4 digits identify the banking company and the latter 4 digits are assigned to the branch. In the 4-digit bank identifier:- the first digit corresponds to one of 8 clearingClearing (finance)In banking and finance, clearing denotes all activities from the time a commitment is made for a transaction until it is settled. Clearing is necessary because the speed of trades is much faster than the cycle time for completing the underlying transaction....
regions of Germany, - the first 3 digits (clearing region identifier and the next 2 digits after it) identify a "banking location" (Bankplatz),
- the last digit (4th in the whole routing code) denotes a banking company's classification (Bankengruppe).
- the first digit corresponds to one of 8 clearing
- For bank classification values and identifiers for German clearing regions, see Bankleitzahl (in German).
- For a comprehensive list of Germany's "banking location" identifiers, see Bankplätze (in German).
- AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
uses 5-digit bank codes (called Bankleitzahl as in Germany).
- In SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, a bank code (Bankenclearing-Nummer) contains 3 to 5 digits identifying the banking company; the first digit denotes the bank's classification group. Following after the bank code, a 4-digit number contains the branch code identifier. For a list of Swiss bank codes, see BC-Nummer (in German).
- In FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the first 5 digits contain the clearing identifier of the banking company (Code Banque), followed by the 5-digit branch code (Code Guichet). Both numbers are only used as a combined prefix for the nationwide full account number.
- In ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, a similar clearingClearing (finance)In banking and finance, clearing denotes all activities from the time a commitment is made for a transaction until it is settled. Clearing is necessary because the speed of trades is much faster than the cycle time for completing the underlying transaction....
system is used with 5 digits identifying the banking company (Codice ABI), followed by a 5-digit CAB (Codice di Avviamento Bancario) identifying the branch, followed by the account number.
- In SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
again a similar format is used, with the first 4 digits identifying the banking company, the next 4 identifying the branch, the next 2 being the checksum, followed by the 10-digit account number.
- DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
uses 4-digit bank codes (called Registreringsnummer, or Reg. nr.).
North America
The American Bankers AssociationAmerican Bankers Association
The American Bankers Association is an industry trade group and professional association representing the United States' banking industry...
has since 1910 used 9-digit routing transit number
Routing transit number
A routing transit number is a nine digit bank code, used in the United States, which appears on the bottom of negotiable instruments such as checks identifying the financial institution on which it was drawn...
s to identify banks in the United States of America, which are used in the automated processing of cheques. The bank company is identified in the 5th to 8th digits (the 4 digits before the last checksum digit). The company number assigned to a bank includes a regional prefix indicating the metropolitan area and/or state.
Canada uses an 8-digit code (with a hyphen after the fifth digit) called a bank transit number. The first 5 digits identify the branch; the last 3 digits identify the financial institution.
Asia-Pacific
- Australia has a 6-digit prefix to a bank account number which indicates the bank and branch of the account. The prefix is known as the Bank State BranchBank State BranchA Bank State Branch identifying code is a six digit numerical code used within Australia that identifies an individual branch of a financial institution...
or BSB code. The BSB format is XXX-XXX. - The New Zealand bank account prefixNew Zealand bank account prefixEvery New Zealand bank account is prefixed with six digits, two indicating the bank and four which indicate the branch. The table below shows which banks are allocated which bank account prefix....
is similar, containing 2 digits indicating the bank and 4 digits indicating the branch. The overall number of account digits (routing + account number) is nearly equal for Australia and New Zealand. - In IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, a bank code contains 1 to 3 digits identifying the bank branch. - Since 2010, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
uses 7-digit code starting 0 or 2. First three digits, called bank code, is required for interbank wire transfer. Last four digits are branch code, which is rarely used.