IBAN and Sort Code

[AFPAACORAD2a]

I would like a simple explanation or an information reference upon on the IBAN and sort code. That is the make up of both and how they relate to international and UK BANKS. Am I right in my assumption that IBAN only currently relates to banks in Europe?

[stevie21]

Yes, IBAN is a European idea.
All the info you need is on the web if you search for it:
http://www.apacs.org.uk/IBAN/iban/default.html

The IBAN is a set of characters appended to the sort code and account number to identify the country and bank that the money is being sent to.

UK IBAN numbers are composed of:
Country code, check digits, bank code, sort code, account number.
e.g.
GB 99 NWBK 123456 12345678
or
GB 12 CPBK 089299 12345678


Sort codes are 6 digits long and always numberical.
As a rule of thumb, the first 2 digits tend to indicate the bank, the remaining 4 often narrow it down to a particular branch.