Germany IBAN Format, Length and German Example

The 18-digit German BBAN after DE89

• The value starts with DE, the IBAN country code for Germany.
• The next two characters are international check digits.
• The remaining 18 characters are the country-specific BBAN section: 18 digits after the country code and check digits.
• German IBANs are short enough to scan in invoice text, but the 18-digit BBAN part should not be split or retyped from memory.
• The example shows a DE country code, two check digits, and a numeric BBAN that remains the same in print and digital formats once spaces are removed.

BLZ and fixed-width account fields in Germany

Germany uses a 22-character IBAN. After the DE country code and two international check digits, the Swift IBAN Registry describes an 18-digit BBAN made from the eight-digit German bank sort code, the Bankleitzahl (BLZ), followed by a ten-digit account number. That fixed numeric pattern is useful when reading a German invoice: letters inside the BBAN are not expected, and the BLZ remains part of the IBAN rather than being removed as a separate field. Spaces in the print version are presentation only and do not change those positions.

A practical review should compare the complete print value with the compact digital value before checking MOD97-10. For Germany, the compact value must still contain all 22 characters, including any leading zero in the account section. Copying from a PDF can lose a digit at a line break, while manual retyping can transpose two neighboring digits. The checksum catches many such changes, but a passing result only shows that the visible value is consistent with the German format and checksum rules.

Keep the German IBAN separate from a BIC, invoice number, customer number, and payment reference. Those items can appear beside one another on payment instructions but serve different purposes. If an invoice was unexpected, the beneficiary name changed, or the account details were sent through a new channel, confirm them independently with the issuer or recipient. BankCodeKit does not query a German bank or account directory, so it cannot establish that the bank is reachable, the account exists, or the named payee controls it.

Removing spaces without dropping a leading zero

For Germany, compare the grouped invoice-style value with the compact DE input produced after presentation spaces are removed.

Input shown on page

DE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00

Normalized digital value

DE89370400440532013000

Expected length

22 characters

Result interpretation

A passing DE result means the visible value matched supported Germany structure and MOD97 rules, not that the account or payee was verified.

What MOD97 can test in the DE value

• Whether the IBAN starts with the DE country code.
• Whether the IBAN has 22 characters after normalization.
• Whether the value uses allowed letters and digits.
• Whether the MOD97-10 checksum is valid.

Leading zeros and German invoice-copy errors

• Dropping one digit from the long numeric BBAN when copying from an invoice.
• Treating a passed checksum as proof that the German account belongs to the named payee.

Continue the German payment-code review

• Check this DE IBAN locally for country, length, characters, and MOD97 result only.
• Review Germany's SEPA country entry as reference context, not bank or account readiness.
• Compare the IBAN with a separate BIC/SWIFT code when a Germany invoice supplies both values.

When a DE structure reference helps

• Checking whether a German invoice IBAN has the expected 22-character structure before using the IBAN Checker.
• Comparing a spaced invoice value with the compact digital value required by many payment forms.
• Use the IBAN Checker after this Germany reference when you need a local MOD97 result for one DE value.

Germany in the SEPA country reference

For Germany, the local SEPA country reference is: SEPA country - EU. This Germany country-level entry does not establish scheme support for a particular bank or account.

Questions about DE length, spacing, and scope

Last reviewed: 2026-07-17 Sources: Swift IBAN Registry, European Payments Council SEPA scheme countries list Reference data is reviewed periodically. BankCodeKit does not perform live bank, account, sanctions, or payment-network confirmation.