IFSC Code Checker
Validate any Indian bank IFSC code, decode the 11-character structure, find full branch details, and get SWIFT codes for international transfers. Covers all RBI-registered banks.
11 characters: AAAA0XXXXXX (bank code + 0 + branch code)
0 / 11
Sending money to India? Compare who delivers the most Rupees:
Major Indian Banks: IFSC Prefix + SWIFT Code
The first 4 characters of an IFSC identify the bank. SWIFT codes are for international wire transfers only.
| IFSC Prefix | Bank |
|---|
India Payment Systems: NEFT vs RTGS vs IMPS vs UPI
NEFT
National Electronic Funds Transfer. Batch processing, settled in half-hourly cycles. No minimum, no maximum. Needs IFSC + account number.
RTGS
Real Time Gross Settlement. Instant, individual settlement. Minimum Rs 2 lakh. For large-value transfers. Needs IFSC + account number.
IMPS
Immediate Payment Service. Instant 24/7 including holidays. Up to Rs 5 lakh per transaction. Needs IFSC + account number or MMID.
UPI
Unified Payments Interface. Instant transfers using just a UPI ID (phone@upi). No IFSC needed. Per-transaction limit typically Rs 1 lakh. Best for small amounts.
All four systems require the sender and receiver to be Indian bank accounts. For international transfers into India, the sender uses SWIFT, not any of these systems.
What Is an IFSC Code?
IFSC stands for Indian Financial System Code. It is an 11-character alphanumeric code assigned by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to uniquely identify every bank branch participating in India's electronic payment networks. IFSC codes are used for NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer), RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement), and IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) transactions. Without an IFSC code, an electronic fund transfer in India cannot be routed to the correct branch.
The structure is always the same: the first four characters are letters identifying the bank (SBIN for State Bank of India, HDFC for HDFC Bank, ICIC for ICICI Bank), the fifth character is always the digit zero (reserved by RBI for future use), and the final six characters identify the specific branch. So SBIN0006527 is the State Bank of India (SBIN), placeholder zero (0), branch code 006527. Every branch of every bank has a unique IFSC.
India has over 160,000 active IFSC codes covering more than 100,000 bank branches. The RBI maintains the master list. When a branch closes or merges, its IFSC is retired. This tool covers the top branches by search volume inline, with the broader dataset searchable through the search tab.
IFSC vs SWIFT: Domestic vs International Transfers
This is the question that confuses most people dealing with cross-border payments involving India. IFSC and SWIFT serve completely different purposes. IFSC is used within India's domestic banking system for transfers that originate and terminate inside India. SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) codes are used for international wire transfers crossing national borders.
If someone in the US, UK, UAE, or Australia is sending money to your Indian bank account by wire transfer, they need your bank's SWIFT code and your account number. They do not need the IFSC. SBI's SWIFT code is SBININBB. HDFC Bank's is HDFCINBB. ICICI Bank's is ICICINBB. Axis Bank's is AXISINBB. Kotak's is KKBKINBB.
For most diaspora remittances from abroad, using a dedicated money transfer service (Wise, Remitly, Xoom) is significantly cheaper and faster than a traditional SWIFT wire. These services typically accept your Indian account number and bank name without needing the SWIFT code at all, since they maintain their own local accounts in India and disburse domestically via NEFT or IMPS.
How to Find Your IFSC Code
Your IFSC code appears in several places. The easiest is your bank's mobile app under account details. It is also printed on your passbook (usually on the first page) and on your cheque book (printed at the bottom left of each cheque, near the MICR number). You can also find it via the RBI's official website or NPCI's IFSC portal. The search tool on this page covers the most searched branches inline.
MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) code and IFSC are different. MICR is the 9-digit code printed in magnetic ink at the bottom of paper cheques, used by the cheque clearing system. IFSC is the 11-character code used for electronic transfers. When setting up NEFT, RTGS, or IMPS payments, always use the IFSC, not the MICR code.
Validate European IBANs with our IBAN Validator. Check US routing numbers with our ABA Routing Number Checker. Compare transfer fees on our Send Money to India comparison page.
IFSC data sourced from RBI (Reserve Bank of India) and NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) public registries. Data last updated: January 2025.