Home SWIFT/BIC code Ireland
Ireland SWIFT/BIC code validator
How the SWIFT/BIC code format works
- Format
- 8 or 11-character bank identifier code, country code IE in positions 5-6
- Example
- BOFIIE2D
Things to watch for
- Structure: 4-letter bank code + IE (country) + 2-character location code, plus an optional 3-character branch code
- An 8-character code (or one ending XXX) refers to the bank's head office, usually in Dublin
- No checksum digit — this is a format check only; it confirms positions 5-6 read IE, not that the bank or branch actually exists
^[A-Z]{4}IE[A-Z0-9]{2}([A-Z0-9]{3})?$An Irish SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank on an international transfer, working alongside — not instead of — the Irish IBAN that identifies the account. Every Irish BIC has IE fixed at positions 5-6, right after the 4-letter bank code, so the country is confirmed by the format itself. Ireland’s retail banking sector consolidated sharply after the 2008-2011 financial crisis, leaving two dominant “pillar” banks that between them hold the bulk of the country’s retail deposits, both headquartered in Dublin.
Major Irish bank BIC prefixes
| Bank | BIC | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of Ireland | BOFIIE2D | Dublin |
| AIB (Allied Irish Banks) | AIBKIE2D | Dublin |
| Permanent TSB | IPBSIE2D | Dublin |
How this validator works
This tool checks that the code is 8 or 11 characters, the first 4 are letters, positions 5-6 read IE, and the location and optional branch segments contain only letters and digits — entirely client-side, with nothing sent to a server.
What a pass doesn’t tell you
A pass confirms the code matches the Irish BIC shape, not that BOFI, AIBK, or IPBS still names an operating bank, or that a location/branch suffix is current. There’s no checksum in a BIC, so a plausible but invented code passes the same as a genuine one.
Scope: format validation only. Irish bank details for international payments also need the 22-character Irish IBAN, checked separately with its own mod-97 arithmetic.
SWIFT/BIC code FAQ
What's the SWIFT code format for an Irish bank?
An Irish BIC is 8 or 11 characters: a 4-letter bank code, IE fixed at positions 5-6, a 2-character location code, and an optional 3-character branch code — for example BOFIIE2D for Bank of Ireland's Dublin head office.
How do I read an Irish BIC?
In AIBKIE2D, AIBK identifies Allied Irish Banks, IE is the country, and 2D is the Dublin location code shared by Ireland's largest retail banks.
Does an 8-character code work for an Irish bank?
Yes — the 8-character BIC and its 11-character form ending XXX are equivalent and both accepted for SEPA and SWIFT payments.