IBAN Format by Country: Length and Example for All 92 Countries

A Norwegian IBAN is 15 characters. A Russian IBAN is 33. A Maltese IBAN is 31. If you've ever wondered why the same international standard produces account numbers of such different lengths, the answer lies in how IBANs were designed, and in the very different domestic banking systems they encode. This guide explains the logic behind IBAN length variation and includes a full reference table for all 92 IBAN countries.

Why Do IBANs Have Different Lengths in Different Countries?

The IBAN standard (ISO 13616) didn't replace national account numbers, it wrapped them. Every IBAN is built from two parts: a fixed 4-character header (country code + check digits) and a variable-length domestic account number called the BBAN (Basic Bank Account Number).

Because every country had its own account numbering system before IBANs were introduced, the BBAN length varies from country to country. Norway's domestic account numbers are 11 digits, so Norwegian IBANs are 4 + 11 = 15 characters. Russia's domestic format is 29 characters, giving 4 + 29 = 33.

The ISO standard fixes the length per country: once a country joins the IBAN scheme, all its IBANs are always exactly the same number of characters. This fixed length is itself a validation rule. A German IBAN that is 23 characters long is invalid by definition, regardless of its check digits.

What Is the Shortest IBAN?

Norway (NO) holds the record for the shortest IBAN at 15 characters. Norwegian IBANs look like this:

NO93 8601 1117 947

The BBAN is 11 digits, the standard Norwegian account number format, which includes a check digit of its own at the end.

What Is the Longest IBAN?

Russia (RU) has the longest IBAN at 33 characters, since Russia adopted the IBAN standard with a 29-character domestic account structure:

RU02 0445 2560 0407 0281 0412 3456 7890 1

Among Western European countries, Malta (MT) has the longest format at 31 characters: MT84 MALT 0110 0001 2345 MTLC AST0 01S. The Maltese BBAN is 27 characters and includes a 4-character bank code, a 5-character branch code, and an 18-character account number. The presence of letters inside the BBAN, unlike most European countries that use only digits, also contributes to Malta's unusually long format.

IBAN Length and Format for All 92 Countries

The table below lists every country that uses the IBAN standard, sorted from shortest to longest, with its 2-letter code, total IBAN length, SEPA membership, and an example IBAN. Every example is generated from our own format data and passes the validator. Click any country to open its dedicated format page.

Of the 92 IBAN countries, 36 are part of the SEPA zone (where IBAN-only euro transfers are possible) and the rest require a full international wire with both the IBAN and the BIC/SWIFT code.

Does the Format Matter if the IBAN Passes Validation?

Yes, length and format are part of validation. An IBAN that passes the MOD-97 check digit test but has the wrong number of characters for its country is still invalid. Banks will reject it. This is why country-specific format checking is a critical layer on top of the mathematical check.

The ibanchecker.cash validator checks both: it verifies the MOD-97 check digits andconfirms that the length and BBAN structure match the country's defined format. For a character-by-character explanation of what each part means, see How to Read an IBAN.

Where Can I See the Full IBAN Format for Every Country?

The IBAN Format page lists all 92countries that use the IBAN standard in a searchable table, with each country's IBAN length, BBAN structure, and an example IBAN. Country-specific deep dives are also available, for example:

• German IBAN format (DE)
• UK IBAN format (GB)
• French IBAN format (FR)
• UAE IBAN format (AE)

You can also use the IBAN Format Checker to paste any IBAN and immediately see its country, expected length, BBAN breakdown, and whether it passes all validation rules.

Sources & References

• SWIFT IBAN Registry — Official IBAN country format specifications
• ISO 13616-1:2020 — International Bank Account Number (IBAN) standard
• EPC SEPA Scheme Participants Register — Participating institutions and country coverage

Last updated: June 2026