SWIFT code vs BIC: same code, format and where to find it

They are the same thing

The official name is Business Identifier Code, BIC for short, defined by the international standard ISO 9362. According to ISO, SWIFT is the registration authority for this standard. That is why people say "SWIFT code" and mean the BIC. You may also see "SWIFT-BIC" or "SWIFT address"; all refer to the same identifier.

How a BIC is built

A BIC has eight or eleven characters. The eight-character form has a bank code, a country code and a location code. The optional three-character branch code makes it eleven. German institutions often pad an eight-character BIC with XXX to eleven characters, as in the invented pattern TESTDEFFXXX.

A character-by-character breakdown and a format checker are on the German page BIC und SWIFT-Code: Aufbau, Beispiel und Prüfung.

Where to find your bank's code

• On your account statements and in your online banking.
• In the documents and on the website of your bank.
• For German banks, in the Bundesbank directory. Positions five to twelve of a German IBAN are the bank sort code (Bankleitzahl), which you can look up there; the directory also lists the BIC.

Do I still need a BIC?

For transfers and direct debits within the SEPA area, the IBAN is enough. The Bundesbank describes that customers have been exempt from giving the BIC since 1 February 2016, and for domestic payments in Germany since 1 February 2014. Some forms still ask for it. For payments outside the SEPA area, follow what your bank or the recipient asks for. The structure of a German IBAN is explained on IBAN validator.

Does a correctly formatted BIC prove the bank exists?

No. A checker can only verify the format. Whether a BIC has been issued and which institution it belongs to is shown by the registry of the registration authority and by the banks themselves. Use invented values such as TESTDEFFXXX for tests, and never rely on a format check to confirm a real payee.