BIC/SWIFT Validator
Use this free BIC/SWIFT Validator to quickly get accurate results in seconds, free and instantly offline with no signup required ever, trusted by professionals in Austin, Chicago, Miami, Denver, Seattle, and New York for reliable daily use without accounts, subscriptions, limits, or delays on any device for everyday personal and business workflows daily.
Verify bank identifiers with this BIC/SWIFT Validator, checking the 8 or 11 character SWIFT code format, country, and branch details.
Calculator Inputs
About BIC Check
Use this free BIC/SWIFT Validator to quickly get accurate results in seconds, free and instantly offline with no signup required ever, trusted by professionals in Austin, Chicago, Miami, Denver, Seattle, and New York for reliable daily use without accounts, subscriptions, limits, or delays on any device for everyday personal and business workflows daily.
BIC Structure Decoded: A BIC packs four fields: 4-letter bank code (institution), 2-letter ISO country code, 2-character location code (second char "1" = passive participant), and an optional 3-character branch code (XXX = head office). Eight chars = head office; eleven chars = specific branch. Both are valid.
ISO 9362 Compliance: The validator checks the regex ^[A-Z]{4}[A-Z]{2}[A-Z0-9]{2}([A-Z0-9]{3})?$ — exactly the SWIFT standard. It normalizes input (strips spaces, uppercases), then extracts and labels each component for instant readability.
Passive vs. Active: Location code position 8 (second char) = "1" means the institution is a passive SWIFT participant — reachable only through another bank, not directly connected. This affects routing speed and fees. The tool flags this automatically.
Format ≠ Directory Membership: Structural validity does not guarantee the BIC is live in the SWIFT directory. Closed branches, merged banks, and revoked codes can still pass format checks. Always confirm with your bank or the SWIFT online directory (swift.com) before moving money.
Zero Network, Zero Risk: Validation is pure client-side regex and string parsing. No API calls, no directory lookups, no logging. Safe for air-gapped environments, offshore compliance workflows, and situations where financial identifiers must not traverse networks.
Where it is used
A treasury manager in Austin verifying wire instructions; an AP clerk in Chicago validating vendor SWIFT codes; an importer in Miami confirming overseas supplier details; a fintech dev in Denver testing cross-border payment flows; a compliance officer in Seattle auditing correspondent banking links; a CFO in New York approving international transfers.
How to use the BIC Check
- BIC / SWIFT Code — enter the value (e.g. DEUTDEFF500).
- Calculate — press the Calculate button to see the result instantly above.
Formula
AAAA BB CC [DDD]: bank letters, ISO country, location alnum, optional branch.
Examples
Deutsche Bank Frankfurt
Chase NYC Head Office
Invalid Length
Frequently Asked Questions
- 8 vs 11 characters — which should I use?
- Eight is the head-office form (branch implied XXX). Eleven names a specific branch. Both are valid; most systems accept either. Use 11-char when you have a specific branch code.
- What does a "1" in position 8 mean?
- A passive SWIFT participant — reachable through another institution rather than directly connected. Transfers may route slower and incur extra correspondent fees.
- Does valid mean the transfer will succeed?
- No — it means the code is well-formed per ISO 9362. Closed branches, wrong account numbers, sanctions, and compliance blocks still fail downstream.
- Can I look up the bank name from the BIC?
- This tool decodes the 4-letter bank code only (e.g., DEUT = Deutsche Bank). Full institution names require the SWIFT directory or a paid BIC database — not included here.
- Are lowercase letters accepted?
- Yes — the tool normalizes to uppercase before validation. Input like "deutdeff500" works identically to "DEUTDEFF500".
- Is my BIC logged or transmitted?
- Never. Validation runs entirely in your browser. No network calls, no storage, no analytics. Works offline.