CUSIP Checker
Paste a CUSIP to check its format and check digit. A valid CUSIP is split into the issuer number, the issue number and the check digit, and the tool shows the matching US and CA ISINs.
This is a format check. The tool has no copy of the CUSIP directory, so it cannot say which security a CUSIP belongs to; the security lookup on zagtrader.com can. The check runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded, stored or logged.
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How a CUSIP is built
A CUSIP identifies a security issued in the United States or Canada. It has 9 characters:
| Characters | Example (037833100) | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 6 | 037833 | Issuer number |
| 7 and 8 | 10 | Issue number, which tells apart the securities of one issuer. Private placement numbers may use *, @ or # in characters 6 to 8 |
| 9 | 0 | Check digit |
How the check digit is calculated
- Give each of the first 8 characters a value: digits keep their value, A = 10 to Z = 35,
*= 36,@= 37 and#= 38. - Double the value of every second character (positions 2, 4, 6 and 8).
- Add the digits of every value (16 counts as 1 + 6). The check digit is the amount needed to reach the next multiple of 10.
From CUSIP to ISIN
The ISIN of a US or Canadian security is the country code, the full CUSIP and one more check digit: CUSIP 037833100 becomes US0378331005. A CUSIP whose first character is a letter is usually a CINS number, the CUSIP form used for securities of issuers outside the US and Canada.
In MT securities messages the security is normally identified by ISIN in field 35B; a CUSIP can follow as a national code in the description lines. See the ISIN checker.
Questions
- How many characters does a CUSIP have?
- Nine: six for the issuer, two for the issue and one check digit. An 8-character code is a CUSIP without its check digit.
- How do I convert a CUSIP to an ISIN?
- Put US (or CA for Canada) in front of the 9-character CUSIP and add the ISIN check digit. The tool shows the result for both prefixes.
- Can I look up which security a CUSIP belongs to?
- Not in this checker. The security lookup on zagtrader.com finds the name, ticker and exchange of many CUSIPs.
- Why does my CUSIP fail the check?
- Either a character is mistyped, or the code is not a CUSIP: an ISIN, a SEDOL or a ticker has a different length and check digit.
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Format checks only. A valid result does not confirm that a security exists. CUSIP is a registered trademark of the American Bankers Association; ZagTrader is not affiliated with it.