What is the United Kingdom IBAN format?

United Kingdom IBANs start with GB, followed by 2 check digits, then a 18-character BBAN encoding the bank code, branch code, and account number.

Is United Kingdom in SEPA?

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

GB SEPA Member

United Kingdom IBAN Format

Q: How long is a United Kingdom IBAN?

A United Kingdom IBAN is 22 characters long.

22-character IBAN · GBP Pound Sterling · SEPA zone

A United Kingdom IBAN is 22 characters long and always begins with the country code GB, followed by two check digits. The next 4 characters are the Bank Identifier (BIC prefix). This is followed by the Sort Code (6 characters). The remaining 8 characters identify the individual account number. The United Kingdom IBAN uses the GBP (Pound Sterling) 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

GBP

Pound Sterling

SEPA

Yes

SEPA member

Example IBAN

GB29 NWBK 6016 1331 9268 19

GB Country

29 Check Digits

NWBK Bank Identifier (BIC prefix)

601613 Sort Code

31926819 Account Number

IBAN Structure

Position	Length	Field	Type	Example Value
1–2	2	Country Code	a	GB
3–4	2	Check Digits	n	29
5–8	4	Bank Identifier (BIC prefix)	a	NWBK
9–14	6	Sort Code	n	601613
15–22	8	Account Number	n	31926819

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

The 4-character bank code corresponds to the first 4 characters of the bank's BIC. The 6-digit sort code identifies the branch.

Major Banks in United Kingdom

Bank Name	Bank Code	BIC / SWIFT	City
Barclays	BARC	BARCGB22	London
Co-operative Bank	CPBK	CPBKGB22	Manchester
HSBC UK	HSBC	MIDLGB22	London
Halifax / Bank of Scotland	HBOS	HBOSgb2L	Edinburgh
Lloyds Bank	LLOY	LOYDGB2L	London
Monzo	MONZ	MONZGB2L	London
NatWest	NWBK	NWBKGB2L	London
Nationwide Building Society	MONK	NAIAGB21	Swindon
Revolut	REVO	REVOGB21	London
Royal Bank of Scotland	RYAL	RBOSGB2L	Edinburgh
Santander UK	SRLG	ABBYGB2L	London
Starling Bank	STAR	SRLGGB3L	London
TSB Bank	TSBS	TSBSGB2A	Edinburgh
Wise	TRWI	TRWIGB22	London

Validate a United Kingdom IBAN

Paste a United Kingdom IBAN below to check it.

United Kingdom IBAN Regex Pattern

^GB\d{2}[A-Z]{4}\d{6}\d{8}$

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(' ', '', $input));
if (!preg_match('/^GB\\d{2}[A-Z]{4}\\d{6}\\d{8}$/', $iban)) {
    // Invalid United Kingdom IBAN format
}

JavaScript

const iban = input.replace(/\s+/g, '').toUpperCase();
const pattern = /^GB\d{2}[A-Z]{4}\d{6}\d{8}$/;
if (!pattern.test(iban)) {
  // Invalid United Kingdom IBAN format
}

Python

import re
iban = input_str.replace(' ', '').upper()
pattern = r'^GB\d{2}[A-Z]{4}\d{6}\d{8}$'
if not re.fullmatch(pattern, iban):
    # Invalid United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom IBAN

United Kingdom accounts are traditionally identified using: Sort Code (6n) + Account Number (8n). Banks display these separately — e.g., Sort Code 20-00-00, Account 12345678.. 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom

United Kingdom 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 (22 characters, starts with GB)

Typical transfer time

0–1 day

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

UK is a SEPA participant (following Brexit arrangements). UK domestic transfers still use Sort Code + Account Number, not IBAN. For international transfers, provide IBAN + BIC. UK IBANs always encode a 6-digit sort code followed by an 8-digit account number. The 4-letter bank code (positions 5–8) is the first 4 characters of the bank's BIC.

Compare transfer services for United Kingdom

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

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