BIC Checker (Swift Code Format)
Paste a BIC, also called a Swift code or Swift BIC, to check its format and see what each part means. The tool recognises test and training BICs and passive participants from the location code.
This is a format check only. It does not look the code up in a directory, so it cannot tell you which bank a BIC belongs to or whether the BIC is active. For that you need the bank's own documents or a licensed BIC directory. The check runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded, stored or logged.
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How a BIC is built
A BIC (Business Identifier Code, ISO 9362) has 8 or 11 characters. An 8-character BIC identifies the main office; the 11-character form adds a branch code, and XXX as the branch code also means the main office.
| Part | Characters | Example (ZAGTAEADXXX) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Party prefix | 1 to 4, letters | ZAGT | Identifies the institution (often an abbreviation of its name) |
| Country code | 5 and 6, letters | AE | ISO 3166 country code (Swift also uses XK for Kosovo) |
| Location code | 7 and 8, letters or digits | AD | Location of the office; the second character has special meanings (below) |
| Branch code | 9 to 11, letters or digits, optional | XXX | A branch or department; XXX or none means the main office |
What the location code tells you
- Second character
0: a test and training BIC, used for testing and not for live payments. - Second character
1: a passive participant, an institution that is not connected to the Swift network itself and is reached through another institution. - Second character
2: usually a reverse billing BIC, where the receiver pays for the message. - Any other value: a normal live BIC.
Where BICs appear in messages
In MT messages, BICs identify the sender and receiver in the header blocks (as part of a 12-character logical terminal address) and the banks in option A party fields such as 52A, 56A, 57A or :95P:: in securities messages. In ISO 20022 they sit in elements such as BICFI and AnyBIC, for example CdtrAgt/FinInstnId/BICFI in a pacs.008.
A BIC that is well formed but wrong for the beneficiary is a common reason for a payment reject with code RC01.
Questions
- Is a Swift code the same as a BIC?
- Yes. Swift code, Swift BIC and BIC all mean the Business Identifier Code defined by ISO 9362. Swift is the registration authority that issues them.
- Can this tool tell me which bank a BIC belongs to?
- No. It checks the format and explains the parts. The register of BICs is licensed data, so it is not included. Ask the beneficiary or their bank for the correct BIC.
- What is the difference between an 8 and an 11 character BIC?
- The 8-character BIC identifies the institution's main office. The 11-character BIC adds a branch code; XXX as the branch code is the same as the 8-character form.
- What is a test BIC?
- A BIC whose location code has 0 as the second character, for example ZAGTAE20. It is used on test and training systems, not for live payments.
- What is a passive participant BIC?
- A BIC whose location code has 1 as the second character. It belongs to an institution that is not connected to Swift itself; messages for it go through another institution.
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Format checks only. A valid result does not confirm that an account, institution or payment exists. Swift is a trademark of S.W.I.F.T. SC; ZagTrader is not affiliated with or endorsed by Swift.