South Africa Bank Branch Code Checker
Find a bank's universal branch code, see where we confirmed it, and check a six-digit code.
Most South African banks have a universal branch code: one six-digit code used for every account at that bank, whichever branch it was opened at. The five biggest are FNB 250655, Absa 632005, Standard Bank 051001, Nedbank 198765 and Capitec 470010. This page lists 13 banks and says for each one where the code was confirmed. It does not list individual branch codes.
Find a bank's branch code
No bank matches. This page lists only banks whose universal code we could confirm. If your bank is not here, find its code in its app or on your statement, or search Bankserv's branch finder (linked below).
Check a six-digit code
Digits only. Spaces and dashes are ignored. The code stays in your browser.
Go Deeper
What a Branch Code Is
A South African branch code is a six-digit number that routes a domestic electronic payment (EFT), debit order or salary payment to the right bank and branch. You enter it with the account number when you add a beneficiary. In Bankserv's layout the first three digits are the bank number and the next three are the branch number, as set out in FNB's published Global Bank Table specification (January 2023).
We found no published check digit for South African branch codes. This tool can check that a code has six digits and whether it is one of the universal codes listed here. It cannot tell you that a branch exists.
Universal Codes and Branch Codes
Banks with many branches once needed you to know the code of the branch where the account was opened. Today most banks publish a universal branch code that works for any of their accounts. Standard Bank, for example, tells senders to use its universal code, 051001, and FNB's own import guide tells users to enter the FNB universal branch code, 250655, when they do not have a specific one.
A specific branch code can still matter for older systems, some municipalities and some smaller institutions. This page does not list branch-level codes, because we have no source for them that we can check. To look one up, use Bankserv Africa's branch search, or ask your bank.
How to Find Your Own Branch Code
- Look in your banking app or online banking, usually under account details.
- Check a bank statement or a letter from the bank.
- Ask the bank, or use the universal code shown above if the bank is listed.
Receiving Money from Abroad
A transfer from another country normally uses your bank's SWIFT/BIC code and your account number. Banks differ on the branch code. Standard Bank and Absa both list their universal code among the details to give the sender: Standard Bank's page lists 051001 as the branch or sort code to give, and Absa's says to give the sender the SWIFT code, your account number and the clearing code, 632005. Follow your own bank's instructions.
Three SWIFT/BIC codes are printed on the banks' own pages: Standard Bank SBZAZAJJ, Absa ABSAZAJJ and Nedbank NEDSZAJJ. Find others with our SWIFT code lookup. South Africa is not in the IBAN registry, so there is no IBAN to give.
How Sure We Are of Each Code
Each bank above carries one of two labels.
- On the bank's own site: we read the code on a page or document published by the bank itself and link to it.
- Confirmed by several lists: the bank's own pages were blocked to us or did not show the code, but at least three independent published lists agree, and we link to them. The lists are from payment providers and accounting firms, and some are dated 2023 or 2024.
We do not publish a code that only one or two lists carry, or on which lists disagree. These banks appear on lists but are left out:
| Bank | Why not |
|---|---|
| Access Bank (South Africa) | Lists disagree: 410105 on some, 410506 on others. |
| Bank Zero | Only two lists carry a code. Bank Zero's own site says its branch code is made of zeros and eights but does not print it in the pages we could read. |
| Albaraka Bank, Finbond Mutual Bank, JP Morgan Chase, State Bank of India | Each appears on only two of the lists we checked. |
| Grindrod Bank, Mercantile Bank, Old Mutual Bank | Each appears on only one list, or the lists disagree. |
Codes can change. We last checked on 19 September 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bank branch code in South Africa?
It is a six-digit number that routes a domestic electronic payment, debit order or salary payment to the right bank and branch. In Bankserv's layout the first three digits are the bank number and the next three are the branch number.
What is a universal branch code?
A universal branch code is one six-digit code that a bank publishes for all of its accounts, whichever branch they were opened at. Most banks now have one, so you rarely need the code of a specific branch.
What are the universal branch codes of the big banks?
FNB is 250655, Absa is 632005, Standard Bank is 051001, Nedbank is 198765 and Capitec is 470010. FNB, Absa, Standard Bank and Nedbank each publish theirs. Capitec's was confirmed by Absa's and Nedbank's documents and by several lists.
Do I need a branch code to pay an Absa account?
Absa's online banking help says payments to Absa accounts do not need a branch code. Forms at other banks may still ask for one, and in that case Absa's universal code is 632005.
How do I find a specific branch code?
Ask your bank, look in its app or on your statement, or search Bankserv Africa's branch search. This page does not list branch-level codes, because we have no source for them that we can check.
Why are some banks missing?
We list a bank only when its code was read on the bank's own site or confirmed by at least three independent lists that agree. Banks that appear on only one or two lists, or where lists disagree, are left out. A wrong code can send a payment to the wrong place.
What does "Confirmed by several lists" mean?
It means we could not read the code on the bank's own pages, but at least three independent published lists agree on it. The lists are from payment providers and accounting firms, and some are dated 2023 or 2024. Use the code your bank gives you if it differs.
Is a branch code the same as a SWIFT code?
No. A branch code is for payments inside South Africa. A SWIFT/BIC code identifies a bank for international payments. Standard Bank's, Absa's and Nedbank's own pages give SBZAZAJJ, ABSAZAJJ and NEDSZAJJ. Find others with our SWIFT code lookup.
Do I give the sender my branch code for an international transfer?
Banks differ. Standard Bank's page lists its universal code among the details to give the sender, and Absa's says to give the SWIFT code, your account number and the clearing code. Follow your own bank's instructions.
Does South Africa use IBANs?
No. South Africa is not in the IBAN registry, so South African accounts do not have an IBAN. You can check IBANs for the countries that use them with our IBAN validator.
Does a branch code have a check digit?
We found no published check digit rule for South African branch codes. This tool checks that a code has six digits and whether it is one of the universal codes listed here. It cannot tell you that a branch or account exists.
Why did my payment fail when I used the universal code?
A universal code does not check the account. The usual causes are a wrong account number, a mistyped digit or a bank that uses a different code for that account type. Check the details with the recipient and ask your bank.
How current is this data?
We last checked on 19 September 2026. Some of the lists we compared are dated 2023 or 2024. Banks can change their codes, so confirm with your bank before a large payment.
Is anything I type stored or sent?
No. The search and the code check run in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or saved by this page.
