What is the Switzerland IBAN format?

Switzerland IBANs start with CH, followed by 2 check digits, then a 17-character BBAN encoding the bank code, branch code, and account number.

Is Switzerland in SEPA?

Switzerland is a SEPA member. Transfers from other SEPA countries are fast and low-cost.

CH SEPA Member

Switzerland IBAN Format

Q: How long is a Switzerland IBAN?

A Switzerland IBAN is 21 characters long.

21-character IBAN · CHF Swiss Franc · SEPA zone

A Switzerland IBAN is 21 characters long and always begins with the country code CH, followed by two check digits. The next 5 characters are the Bank Code (Clearing Number). The remaining 12 characters identify the individual account number. The Switzerland IBAN uses the CHF (Swiss Franc) and is a <strong>SEPA member</strong>, meaning euro transfers from other SEPA countries are fast and low-cost.

Length

characters

Country Code

ISO 3166-1

Currency

CHF

Swiss Franc

SEPA

Yes

SEPA member

Example IBAN

CH93 0076 2011 6238 5295 7

CH Country

93 Check Digits

00762 Bank Code (Clearing Number)

011623852957 Account Number

IBAN Structure

Position	Length	Field	Type	Example Value
1–2	2	Country Code	a	CH
3–4	2	Check Digits	n	93
5–9	5	Bank Code (Clearing Number)	n	00762
10–21	12	Account Number	n	011623852957

n = numeric only (0–9) a = alphabetic only (A–Z) c = alphanumeric (0–9, A–Z)

Major Banks in Switzerland

Bank Name	Bank Code	BIC / SWIFT	City
Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (BCV)	08080	BCVLCH2L	Lausanne
Credit Suisse	00767	CRESCHZZ80A	Zurich
Julius Bär	00773	BAERCHZZ80A	Zurich
Neon	09000	HYIECH22XXX	Zurich
Pictet & Cie	00778	PICTCHGG	Geneva
PostFinance	08390	POFICHBEXXX	Bern
Raiffeisen Schweiz	08401	RAIFCH22	St. Gallen
UBS Switzerland	00762	UBSWCHZH80A	Zurich
Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB)	07060	ZKBKCHZZ80A	Zurich

Validate a Switzerland IBAN

Paste a Switzerland IBAN below to check it.

Switzerland IBAN Regex Pattern

^CH\d{2}\d{5}\d{12}$

Pattern validates length, country code, check digit positions, and field character types. Does not verify the MOD-97 checksum (use the validator above for full validation).

PHP

$iban = strtoupper(str_replace(' ', '', $input));
if (!preg_match('/^CH\\d{2}\\d{5}\\d{12}$/', $iban)) {
    // Invalid Switzerland IBAN format
}

JavaScript

const iban = input.replace(/\s+/g, '').toUpperCase();
const pattern = /^CH\d{2}\d{5}\d{12}$/;
if (!pattern.test(iban)) {
  // Invalid Switzerland IBAN format
}

Python

import re
iban = input_str.replace(' ', '').upper()
pattern = r'^CH\d{2}\d{5}\d{12}$'
if not re.fullmatch(pattern, iban):
    # Invalid Switzerland IBAN format

These snippets check format only. For full IBAN validation including MOD-97 checksum, use a dedicated IBAN library or the validator on this page.

How to Find Your Switzerland IBAN

Switzerland accounts are traditionally identified using: Bank Code / Bankleitzahl (5n) + Account Number (12c). Your IBAN encodes these same components in the standardised international format.

1
Mobile banking app — Open your bank's app, navigate to account details or "Account Info." Your IBAN is usually displayed alongside your account number. Look for a field labelled "IBAN" or "International Account Number."
2
Bank statement — Your Switzerland IBAN appears in the account header of your printed or PDF bank statement, typically near the top of the first page.
3
Online banking — Log in to your bank's website and go to "Account Details," "Account Summary," or "Profile." Most Switzerland banks display the IBAN prominently in account settings.
4
Bank branch or helpline — Call your bank's customer service or visit a branch with your ID. They can provide your full IBAN instantly.

Once you have your IBAN, use the validator above to confirm it is correctly formatted before sharing it.

Sending Money to Switzerland

Switzerland is a SEPA member. From any other SEPA country, you only need the recipient's IBAN — no BIC/SWIFT required. Transfers settle within 1 business day (or instantly via SEPA Instant Credit Transfer). Fees cannot exceed what your bank charges for a domestic payment.

What to provide

Recipient's full name
IBAN (21 characters, starts with CH)

Typical transfer time

0–1 day

SEPA Credit Transfer (1 day) or SEPA Instant (<10 seconds if both banks support it)

Switzerland is a SEPA participant (not EU). IBAN is used for all Swiss transfers. Switzerland uses CHF (Swiss Franc). Swiss IBANs are compact at 21 characters. PostFinance accounts use bank code 09000. Switzerland participates in SEPA Credit Transfer but not SEPA Direct Debit.

Compare transfer services for Switzerland

Specialist services typically charge significantly less than high-street banks for international transfers.

Wise — Low fees, real exchange rate ↗ Revolut — Fast transfers ↗

Central Bank

Swiss National Bank

https://www.snb.ch ↗

← Sweden São Tomé and Príncipe →

Quick Facts

IBAN Length: 21 chars
Country Code: CH
Currency: CHF
SEPA: Yes
BBAN Format: 17n
IBAN Required: mandatory
Adopted: 2001