How to Identify a Bank from an IBAN

Every Polish bank account has a standardized number called an IBAN. If you received one in an invoice, contract, or transfer confirmation, you can identify which bank issued it by reading a specific segment of that number ^[1]. The tool above does this automatically. Paste the IBAN or 26-digit account number. The IBAN bank identifier extracts the sort code, runs a lookup against the NBP clearing directory, and returns the bank name, branch, and BIC/SWIFT code ^[2].

You can also decode an IBAN number manually. Positions 3 through 10 of a Polish IBAN contain the 8-digit bank sort code (numer rozliczeniowy). The first four digits of that code identify the bank. The next three identify the branch. The eighth digit is a check digit calculated using a modulo 10 formula ^[1]. The tool automates this IBAN bank code lookup and adds the BIC/SWIFT code from the same registry.

Whether you need to find bank name from IBAN, find BIC SWIFT from IBAN, or just confirm who owns an account, this IBAN decoder handles it in one step. The IBAN identifier works for all Polish banks, cooperative banks (banki spółdzielcze), credit unions (SKOK), and non-bank payment service providers ^{[4] [5]}.

Polish IBAN Format

Polish IBANs follow the ISO 13616 standard ^[7]. The Poland bank account number format is 28 characters long: the country code "PL", two check digits, and a 26-digit domestic account number called the NRB (Numer Rachunku Bankowego) ^{[1] [9]}.

Here is how to read an IBAN number from Poland:

Positions 5 through 14 together form the 8-digit sort code. This is the segment the tool reads to identify bank by IBAN. The IBAN format Poland uses is fixed at 28 characters. Any Polish IBAN that is shorter or longer is malformed.

Poland IBAN Example

A Polish IBAN looks like this: PL61 1090 1014 0000 0712 1981 2874.

"PL" is the country code. "61" is the IBAN check digit pair. The sort code is 10901014: bank identifier 1090 (Santander Bank Polska), branch 1014. The remaining 16 digits are the individual account serial number.

If someone gives you a 26-digit number without the "PL" prefix, that is the NRB. Add "PL" to the front to get the full IBAN ^[9]. Your bank's online portal will typically show both formats.

What Is a Bank Sort Code?

A bank sort code (numer rozliczeniowy) is an 8-digit identifier ^{[1] [4]}. The National Bank of Poland (NBP) issues one to every bank, credit union, and payment institution in its clearing system. Think of it as the Polish equivalent of a UK sort code or a US routing number.

The sort code sits inside every Polish account number. When you send a domestic transfer through ELIXIR or Express ELIXIR, the clearing system reads the sort code to route the payment ^[3]. It directs the funds to the correct bank and branch.

NBP maintains the full directory of active sort codes in a public registry called EWIB 2.0 ^[2]. The tool on this page queries that directory. It converts any IBAN to bank name, branch, and BIC/SWIFT code by matching the extracted sort code against EWIB.

The sort code itself has internal structure. The first three or four digits identify the institution. The next three or four identify the organizational unit (usually a branch). The eighth digit is a check digit ^[1]. For example, sort codes starting with 1020 belong to PKO Bank Polski. Sort codes starting with 1140 belong to mBank.

Find BIC/SWIFT Code from an IBAN

Every institution in the NBP registry also has a BIC/SWIFT code. BIC (Bank Identifier Code) is an international standard defined by ISO 9362 ^[8]. You need it when receiving an international wire transfer or setting up a SEPA payment from outside Poland.

A standard BIC is 8 characters: four letters for the bank, two for the country (PL for Poland), and two for the location. An 11-character version adds a three-letter branch suffix ^[8]. For example, mBank's BIC is BREXPLPW and PKO BP's is BPKOPLPW.

This tool works as a BIC finder from IBAN. Paste any Polish account number and it returns the matching BIC/SWIFT code from the NBP registry alongside the bank name ^[2]. You can use it to find BIC/SWIFT from IBAN or as an IBAN to BIC converter when preparing transfer details for someone sending money from abroad.

Since February 2016, BIC is no longer required for SEPA credit transfers within the EU ^[6]. IBAN alone is enough for euro payments across the Single Euro Payments Area. Banks and payment providers outside the SEPA zone still require it. Need to find SWIFT code from IBAN for a non-SEPA transfer? Paste the account number above.

For a bank SWIFT code lookup by name rather than account number, you can also search the NBP's EWIB 2.0 registry directly at ewib.nbp.pl ^[2].

Receiving an International Transfer to a Polish Account

If someone abroad needs to send money to your Polish bank account, they will ask for your IBAN and the bank's BIC/SWIFT code. Give them the full 28-character IBAN with the "PL" prefix and the BIC ^{[6] [9]}.

Some banks also ask for the bank's name and address. Paste your own account number into the tool above to get all of these details in one place.

For transfers in currencies other than EUR (for example, USD or GBP), the sending bank may route the payment through a correspondent bank. Your bank's customer service or online banking portal will list the correspondent bank details for each currency. The tool on this page returns the direct BIC for the account-holding bank, not the correspondent.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1. NBP Regulation on Bank and Account Numbering — Consolidated Text (2025) — nbp.pl
2. EWIB 2.0 — NBP Register of Financial Institutions — ewib.nbp.pl
3. NBP Analytical Publication on Bank Numbering (2014) — nbp.pl
4. Payment Services Act — Consolidated Text — isap.sejm.gov.pl
5. Regulation on Sort Codes for Payment Service Providers (2017) — isap.sejm.gov.pl
6. EU SEPA Regulation 260/2012 — eur-lex.europa.eu
7. ISO 13616 — IBAN Standard — swift.com
8. ISO 9362 — BIC/SWIFT Code Standard — swift.com
9. European Consumer Centre — IBAN and BIC Explainer — konsument.gov.pl