Home SWIFT/BIC code Qatar
Qatar SWIFT/BIC code validator
How the SWIFT/BIC code format works
- Format
- 8 or 11-character bank identifier code, country code QA in positions 5-6
- Example
- QNBAQAQA
Things to watch for
- Structure: 4-letter bank code + QA (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 in Doha — Qatar's major banks happen to repeat QA as the location code too, so the letters QA can appear twice in the same BIC
- No checksum digit — this is a format check only; it confirms positions 5-6 read QA, not that the bank or branch actually exists
^[A-Z]{4}QA[A-Z0-9]{2}([A-Z0-9]{3})?$A Qatari SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank on an international wire transfer into or out of Qatar. Every Qatari BIC has QA fixed at positions 5-6, right after the 4-letter bank code, and the country’s major banks all register their SWIFT head office in Doha, the capital and financial centre — using QA again as the location code, so the pattern QAQA appears at the end of several banks’ 8-character codes.
Major Qatari bank BIC prefixes
| Bank | BIC | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Qatar National Bank (QNB) | QNBAQAQA | Doha |
| Commercial Bank of Qatar | CBQAQAQA | Doha |
| Doha Bank | DOHBQAQA | Doha |
How this validator works
This tool checks that the code is 8 or 11 characters, the first 4 characters are letters, positions 5-6 read QA, and the location and optional branch segments use 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 fits the Qatari BIC pattern, not that QNBA, CBQA, or DOHB still names an operating bank, or that the branch suffix is current. A BIC has no checksum digit, so a fabricated code that matches the shape still passes.
Scope: format validation only, and only for the SWIFT/BIC used on cross-border transfers — it does not check a domestic Qatari account or IBAN entered alongside it.
SWIFT/BIC code FAQ
What's the SWIFT code format for a Qatari bank?
A Qatari BIC is 8 or 11 characters: a 4-letter bank code, QA fixed at positions 5-6, a 2-character location code, and an optional 3-character branch code — for example QNBAQAQA for Qatar National Bank's Doha head office.
Why does QA appear twice in a Qatari BIC?
The country code (positions 5-6) and the location code (positions 7-8) are assigned independently, and for Qatar's major banks both happen to read QA — one for the country, one for Doha as the registered financial centre — so the letters repeat by coincidence, not by rule.
Does an 8-character code work for a Qatari bank?
Yes — the 8-character BIC and its 11-character form ending XXX both identify the same head office and are accepted interchangeably on international wire instructions.