An IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is your bank account number in the standard format used for transfers. Paste it in the field and the Saudi IBAN checker confirms it has 24 characters starting with SA, tests the check digits with the mod-97 method from ISO 13616, then reads the bank code and shows the bank's name. The check catches typing and copying errors without contacting any bank, so it cannot tell you whether the account exists or who holds it.
How the IBAN checker validates a number
The checker strips spaces and dashes, converts lower case to capitals and Arabic-Indic digits to Western ones, then runs five checks. The one that matters most is the check digits: the first four characters move to the end, every letter becomes a number (A = 10 up to Z = 35, so S = 28 and A = 10), and the long number that results is divided by 97. A correct IBAN leaves a remainder of 1.
BBAN + "SA" + kk → 2810 · mod 97 = 1
What makes up a Saudi IBAN
| Positions | Part | In the example |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Country code | SA |
| 3–4 | Check digits | 03 |
| 5–6 | Bank code | 80 |
| 7–24 | Account number, padded with leading zeros if shorter | 000000608010167519 |
Find the bank from an IBAN: bank code table
Positions 5 and 6 are the bank code. Our table was compiled from widely used lists and the names checked against the licensed banks list published by the central bank (SAMA); confirm the bank with the account holder before a large first transfer. Codes 40 and 50 belong to banks that have since merged and can still turn up on older accounts.
| Code | Bank |
|---|---|
| 01 | Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) |
| 05 | Alinma Bank |
| 10 | Saudi National Bank (SNB) |
| 15 | Bank AlBilad |
| 20 | Riyad Bank |
| 30 | Arab National Bank |
| 40 | Samba (merged into SNB) |
| 45 | Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB) |
| 50 | Alawwal Bank (merged into SAB) |
| 55 | Banque Saudi Fransi |
| 60 | Bank AlJazira |
| 65 | Saudi Investment Bank |
| 71 | National Bank of Bahrain |
| 75 | National Bank of Kuwait |
| 76 | Bank Muscat |
| 80 | Al Rajhi Bank |
| 81 | Deutsche Bank |
| 82 | National Bank of Pakistan |
| 83 | State Bank of India |
| 84 | T.C. Ziraat Bankasi |
| 86 | J.P. Morgan Chase |
| 87 | Industrial and Commercial Bank of China |
| 90 | Gulf International Bank |
| 95 | Emirates NBD |
| 98 | BNP Paribas |
When to validate an IBAN
Before adding a new hire to the payroll file, before saving or editing a supplier's bank details, and before the first transfer to any beneficiary. A wrong IBAN in a payroll file bounces or delays the salary, and a supplier IBAN that changes after an unexpected email is one of the most common frauds aimed at finance teams. To screen a whole payroll file, switch on "Check a list of IBANs", paste the entire column, and download the results in Excel so you can fix the rejected rows before uploading the file to the bank.
Common mistakes
- Swapping two neighbouring digits while copying. The length still looks fine; only the check digits expose it.
- Entering the local account number instead of the IBAN. It is shorter and does not start with SA.
- Storing the IBAN in Excel without SA or as a number rather than text, so the leading zeros disappear.
- Confusing the letter O with the digit 0 when typing from a photo.
- Treating a valid IBAN as proof of the account holder's name. Confirm the name from a bank letter or IBAN certificate.
What to do after the check
If the IBAN is valid, copy it with the "Copy cleaned IBAN" button and paste it into your banking portal or the supplier record. If it fails, ask the holder for an IBAN certificate from their bank, which shows the number and the account name together. And if a supplier's IBAN suddenly changes, phone them on a number you already hold before sending any money.
When IBANs sit in several payroll and supplier files
A business with dozens of employees and suppliers keeps IBANs in more than one spreadsheet, and every copy is another chance for a typo. At Microtec we offer accounting software (ERP) where finance and HR share the same employee and supplier records, so each bank account is held once. Try it on next month's payroll.