BankCodeKit

IBAN country format

Ireland IBAN Format, Length and Example

An Irish IBAN is 22 characters: IE and 2 international check digits, followed by a 4-letter bank identifier, 6-digit sort code, and 8-digit account number.

Use this guide to understand the IBAN country code for Ireland, its 22-character length, and example formatting. The IE value below is a labeled Irish format sample and must not be treated as a confirmed bank account.

Written and maintained by BankCodeKit. Page copy reviewed: .

AIBK, the Irish sort code, and eight account digits

The IE diagram shows the bank identifier, six-digit sort code, and eight-digit account number inside the international value.

AIBK, the Irish sort code, and eight account digits The IE diagram shows the bank identifier, six-digit sort code, and eight-digit account number inside the international value. Synthetic example not obtained from or verified against a real account. 1 IE 1-2 2 29 3-4 3 AIBK 5-8 4 931152 9-14 5 12345678 15-22
  • 1. Country code 1-2; 2 letters
  • 2. International check digits 3-4; 2 digits
  • 3. Bank identifier 5-8; 4 letters
  • 4. Sort code 9-14; 6 digits
  • 5. Account number 15-22; 8 digits

Synthetic IE example, not verified against a real account. The Ireland blocks explain published character positions; they are not a live institution or account lookup.

Key Ireland IBAN details

Country
Ireland
Country code
IE
IBAN length
22 characters
Print format
IE29 AIBK 9311 5212 3456 78
SEPA status
SEPA country - EU
BBAN structure
Ireland: 18 BBAN characters after the country code and check digits: a four-letter bank identifier, 6-digit branch identifier, and 8-digit account number.
Does not prove
Real account, owner, bank reachability, or payment success

A four-letter bank code and six-digit Irish sort code

The Swift IBAN Registry pattern for this published format is IE2!n4!a6!n8!n. The table for Ireland maps each published segment to the IE29AIBK93115212345678 example/test value.

Ireland IBAN positions and example segments
Part Positions Swift pattern Example segment
Country code 1-2 2 letters IE
International check digits 3-4 2 digits 29
Bank identifier 5-8 4 letters AIBK
Sort code 9-14 6 digits 931152
Account number 15-22 8 digits 12345678

This IE breakdown describes visible positions; it does not turn the embedded bank or routing fields into a live Irish institution lookup.

Reading IE29 as an international account string

The synthetic/test IE value demonstrates the published Irish layout. Preserve its label and never treat the sample as a recipient's real payment instruction.

Example/test IBAN
IE29AIBK93115212345678
Print format example
IE29 AIBK 9311 5212 3456 78
Digital format example
IE29AIBK93115212345678

How Ireland carries bank and sort codes into IBAN

Ireland uses a 22-character IBAN. The Swift IBAN Registry describes the 18-character Irish BBAN as a four-letter bank identifier, a six-digit branch identifier, and an eight-digit account number. The bank letters and branch digits are part of the IBAN itself. They should not be removed or replaced with a separately supplied BIC. A domestic account number shown on an Irish invoice is also not a complete international IBAN unless the full IE value is provided.

When reviewing an Irish IBAN, remove print spaces only and keep all leading zeros in the branch and account blocks. Confirm that the compact value starts with IE and contains 22 characters. Common errors include deleting the four bank letters, entering only domestic details, or joining a payment reference to the end of the IBAN. MOD97-10 evaluates the complete international value. It can catch many altered characters but cannot determine the correct branch or account when the source instruction is incomplete or inconsistent.

The four-letter and six-digit positions provide national structure context, not current directory or routing status. BankCodeKit does not query an Irish bank, account service, or payment scheme, and it does not establish whether a separate BIC is required by a provider. Review the beneficiary name, amount, currency, and reference independently. If invoice details differ from a known supplier record, confirm the change through an established channel. Passing the Irish format check does not prove account ownership, network reachability, fraud status, or successful settlement.

Letters and domestic routing inside the Irish BBAN

  • The value starts with IE, the IBAN country code for Ireland.
  • The next two characters are international check digits.
  • For Ireland, the remaining 18 characters form the country-specific BBAN section: 18 BBAN characters after the country code and check digits: a four-letter bank identifier, 6-digit branch identifier, and 8-digit account number.
  • Irish IBANs can include a four-letter bank identifier in the BBAN section.
  • The AIBK letters in the example remain part of the IBAN and should not be removed during normalization.

Normalizing IE29 without removing AIBK

Compare the grouped invoice-style value used for Ireland with the compact IE input produced after presentation spaces are removed.

Input shown on page
IE29 AIBK 9311 5212 3456 78
Normalized digital value
IE29AIBK93115212345678
Expected length
22 characters
Result interpretation
A passing IE result means the visible value matched supported Irish structure and MOD97 rules, not that the account or payee was verified.

The Irish positions covered by format checking

  • Whether the IBAN starts with the IE 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.

Stripped bank letters and domestic-only details

  • Deleting the four-letter bank identifier because it looks like a separate code.
  • Using only domestic account details where an international IE IBAN is required.

When the IE structure clarifies a payment form

  • Checking Irish payment details where both letters and digits appear in the IBAN.
  • Comparing an IE IBAN with a separate BIC/SWIFT code review.
  • Use the IBAN Checker after this country reference for Ireland when you need a local MOD97 result for one IE value.

Ireland in the country-level SEPA reference

For Ireland, the local SEPA country reference is: SEPA country - EU. The IE entry provides geographical scope only; participation by a particular Irish bank or account must be confirmed separately.

Questions about IE letters and sort codes

How long is an Irish IBAN?

An Irish IBAN has 22 characters.

What country code does an Irish IBAN use?

Irish IBANs use the country code IE.

Can an Irish IBAN include letters?

Yes. The BBAN part can include a four-letter bank identifier after the country code and check digits.

Does an Irish IBAN format check confirm the payee?

No. Format and checksum checks do not confirm the payee, account owner, or payment destination.

Ireland sources and update note

Public references for Irish IBAN structure and national fields are linked below; detailed standard scope, review methods, and licensing boundaries are documented on the Sources and Updates page.

Scope and limitations.

IBAN lengths, 15 national patterns and examples. Reference data reviewed: 2026-10-01. Next scheduled data review: 2027-01-01. BIC visible-format references. Reference data reviewed: 2026-07-17. Next scheduled data review: 2026-10-17. SEPA geographical scope and currency reference. Reference data reviewed: 2026-10-01. Next scheduled data review: 2027-01-01. Additional source links verified: 2026-08-15. Sources: Swift IBAN Registry, European Payments Council SEPA scheme countries list, Banking & Payments Federation Ireland - BIC and IBAN information Reference data is reviewed periodically. BankCodeKit does not perform live bank, account, sanctions, or payment-network confirmation.