IBAN Validator

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germany iban validator

Germany IBAN Validator

German IBANs always start with DE and are exactly 22 characters long. Paste yours below to check the checksum instantly.

The German IBAN format

Germany's IBAN is always 22 characters: DE, then 2 check digits, then an 18-digit BBAN, the first 8 digits are the Bankleitzahl (bank code, the "BLZ") and the remaining 10 are the account number (Kontonummer). Unlike Portugal or Spain, the German BBAN is purely numeric, no letters.
The Bundesbank (German central bank) has long maintained a public table of every Bankleitzahl in the country; today that role of identifying the bank from its code is also covered by the IBAN itself, since the BLZ is embedded in the first 8 digits of the BBAN.
The 2 check digits (positions 3 and 4) come from ISO 7064's mod 97-10 algorithm: the provisional IBAN has its first 4 characters moved to the end, each letter is converted into two digits (A=10 through Z=35), and the resulting number is divided by 97; the IBAN only passes if the remainder is exactly 1. Since 1 February 2014, EU Regulation No 260/2012 made IBAN mandatory for euro transfers within the eurozone, including Germany, and most German banks stopped accepting a separately quoted Bankleitzahl and Kontonummer on domestic transfer forms. With a purely numeric 18-digit BBAN, Germany has, in theory, up to 10^18 possible account combinations even before the IBAN's own check digit comes into play.

Examples

Valid German IBAN

Input: DE75512108001245126199
Expected output: Valid

Classic example cited in banking documentation, 22 characters, correct mod-97 checksum.

Wrong length

Input: DE7551210800124512619
Expected output: Wrong length

Only 21 characters, one digit short, DE always expects 22.

Check digit changed

Input: DE75512108001245126198
Expected output: Checksum failed

Same example IBAN with the final digit swapped from 9 to 8: all 22 characters are still correct, but the remainder of the division by 97 is no longer 1.

Full tool FAQ

What does it mean when an IBAN is 'valid'?

It means the IBAN has the correct length for its country and its check digits satisfy the ISO 7064 MOD97-10 checksum defined by ISO 13616. It confirms the number is well-formed and free of typos, it does not confirm that the underlying bank account actually exists or is open, only the account-holding bank can verify that.

Why did my IBAN come back as 'wrong length'?

Why did it say the country code is unknown?

Can two different IBANs have the same check digits?

Does a valid checksum guarantee the account exists?

Why does the BBAN show as one long string instead of bank code and account number?

Is this the same as a SWIFT/BIC code?

Why do some countries not use IBAN at all?

Frequently asked questions

How many characters does a German IBAN have?

Always 22: DE, 2 check digits, and 18 BBAN digits (8 for the bank, 10 for the account).

Can the German BBAN contain letters?

No. Germany's BBAN is always numeric, unlike countries like Italy, which use a control letter at the start of the BBAN.

Who defines the German IBAN format?

The Bundesbank and the German banking standards committee define the national BBAN; the overall IBAN format itself is registered with SWIFT as the ISO 13616 registration authority.

Since when has IBAN been mandatory for transfers in Germany?

Since 1 February 2014, under EU Regulation No 260/2012, which unified euro payments across SEPA and made IBAN the standard identifier for domestic German transfers as well.

Next steps

The German IBAN format

Germany's IBAN is always 22 characters: DE, then 2 check digits, then an 18-digit BBAN, the first 8 digits are the Bankleitzahl (bank code, the "BLZ") and the remaining 10 are the account number (Kontonummer). Unlike Portugal or Spain, the German BBAN is purely numeric, no letters.

The Bundesbank (German central bank) has long maintained a public table of every Bankleitzahl in the country; today that role of identifying the bank from its code is also covered by the IBAN itself, since the BLZ is embedded in the first 8 digits of the BBAN.

The 2 check digits (positions 3 and 4) come from ISO 7064's mod 97-10 algorithm: the provisional IBAN has its first 4 characters moved to the end, each letter is converted into two digits (A=10 through Z=35), and the resulting number is divided by 97; the IBAN only passes if the remainder is exactly 1. Since 1 February 2014, EU Regulation No 260/2012 made IBAN mandatory for euro transfers within the eurozone, including Germany, and most German banks stopped accepting a separately quoted Bankleitzahl and Kontonummer on domestic transfer forms. With a purely numeric 18-digit BBAN, Germany has, in theory, up to 10^18 possible account combinations even before the IBAN's own check digit comes into play.

Examples

Valid German IBAN

Input: DE75512108001245126199
Expected output: Valid

Classic example cited in banking documentation, 22 characters, correct mod-97 checksum.

Wrong length

Input: DE7551210800124512619
Expected output: Wrong length

Only 21 characters, one digit short, DE always expects 22.

Check digit changed

Input: DE75512108001245126198
Expected output: Checksum failed

Same example IBAN with the final digit swapped from 9 to 8: all 22 characters are still correct, but the remainder of the division by 97 is no longer 1.

Full tool FAQ

What does it mean when an IBAN is 'valid'?

Why did my IBAN come back as 'wrong length'?

Why did it say the country code is unknown?

Can two different IBANs have the same check digits?

Does a valid checksum guarantee the account exists?

Why does the BBAN show as one long string instead of bank code and account number?

Is this the same as a SWIFT/BIC code?

Why do some countries not use IBAN at all?

Frequently asked questions

How many characters does a German IBAN have?

Always 22: DE, 2 check digits, and 18 BBAN digits (8 for the bank, 10 for the account).

Can the German BBAN contain letters?

No. Germany's BBAN is always numeric, unlike countries like Italy, which use a control letter at the start of the BBAN.

Who defines the German IBAN format?

The Bundesbank and the German banking standards committee define the national BBAN; the overall IBAN format itself is registered with SWIFT as the ISO 13616 registration authority.

Since when has IBAN been mandatory for transfers in Germany?

Since 1 February 2014, under EU Regulation No 260/2012, which unified euro payments across SEPA and made IBAN the standard identifier for domestic German transfers as well.