How long is a Swiss IBAN?

Exactly 21 alphanumeric characters: a 2-letter country code (CH or LI), 2 check digits, a 5-digit bank clearing number (IID), and a 12-character account number.

What is the difference between a regular Swiss IBAN and a QR-IBAN?

A regular IBAN has a standard bank IID (such as 00200–00299 for UBS, 00700 for ZKB, or 09000 for PostFinance) and works for normal SEPA/SIC transfers or QR-bills with SCOR references. A QR-IBAN has an IID between 30000 and 31999 and may only be used on Swiss QR-bills that carry a 27-digit numeric QR reference (QRR).

How do I find which Swiss bank an IBAN belongs to?

Look at characters 5 to 9 of the IBAN (the 5-digit IID). For example, 00700 is Zürcher Kantonalbank, 09000 is PostFinance, 002xx and 04xxx are UBS, and 80xxx–81xxx is Raiffeisen.

Can I send a normal bank transfer to a QR-IBAN without a reference number?

No. Transfers to a QR-IBAN (IID 30000–31999) without a valid 27-digit QR reference are rejected by the Swiss Interbank Clearing (SIC) system.

Swiss IBAN & bank clearing validator

Validate a CH or LI IBAN, identify the Swiss bank name from the 5-digit IID clearing number and detect QR-IBANs.

IBANEnter a 21-character CH or LI IBAN (spaces allowed).

Valid CH IBAN

CH93 0076 2011 6238 5295 7

Bank: UBS Switzerland AG

Clearing / IID

00762

QR-IBAN

No (Standard IBAN)

Check digits

Account

011623852957

Direct answer

A valid Swiss (CH) or Liechtenstein (LI) IBAN is exactly 21 characters long, passes the ISO 13616 Modulo-97 checksum (remainder 1), and encodes the 5-digit SIX bank clearing number (IID) in characters 5–9. If the IID is between 30000 and 31999, the IBAN is a QR-IBAN reserved for Swiss QR-bills.

Key statutory figures & facts

•Format: CHkk BBBB BCCC CCCC CCCC C (21 characters total)
•Positions 5–9: 5-digit bank clearing number (IID) assigned by SIX
•QR-IBAN range: IID 30000 to 31999 (requires a 27-digit QRR reference)
•Checksum algorithm: ISO 13616 / ISO 7064 Modulo 97-10

How it's calculated

Spaces are stripped and letters converted to uppercase.
Country prefix must be CH or LI and total length must be 21 characters.
First 4 characters are moved to the end, letters mapped to numbers (A=10 … Z=35), and Modulo 97 must equal 1.
Characters 5–9 are parsed as the 5-digit SIX Institution ID (IID) to identify the bank and check whether it falls in the QR-IID range (30000–31999).

Assumptions

A valid Modulo-97 checksum confirms mathematical validity, not that the specific bank account is open.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a Swiss IBAN?: Exactly 21 alphanumeric characters: a 2-letter country code (CH or LI), 2 check digits, a 5-digit bank clearing number (IID), and a 12-character account number.
What is the difference between a regular Swiss IBAN and a QR-IBAN?: A regular IBAN has a standard bank IID (such as 00200–00299 for UBS, 00700 for ZKB, or 09000 for PostFinance) and works for normal SEPA/SIC transfers or QR-bills with SCOR references. A QR-IBAN has an IID between 30000 and 31999 and may only be used on Swiss QR-bills that carry a 27-digit numeric QR reference (QRR).
How do I find which Swiss bank an IBAN belongs to?: Look at characters 5 to 9 of the IBAN (the 5-digit IID). For example, 00700 is Zürcher Kantonalbank, 09000 is PostFinance, 002xx and 04xxx are UBS, and 80xxx–81xxx is Raiffeisen.
Can I send a normal bank transfer to a QR-IBAN without a reference number?: No. Transfers to a QR-IBAN (IID 30000–31999) without a valid 27-digit QR reference are rejected by the Swiss Interbank Clearing (SIC) system.