Check a Saudi IBAN before you transfer

Why you’d do this

Most failed or misdirected bank transfers start with a single mistyped digit. An IBAN is long, it is usually copied from a WhatsApp message or read off a paper invoice, and one swapped pair of digits is enough to send money somewhere you did not intend. Banks reject many bad numbers, but you would rather find the typo before you press send than discover a returned transfer days later.

An IBAN has a built-in way to catch typing mistakes. Its two check digits are calculated from every other character, so a single wrong digit almost always breaks the check. You can run that check yourself in a few seconds, and you can see which bank the number claims to belong to. If the transfer is a cheque, a contract or an invoice that needs the amount spelled out, you can also write it in Arabic words so the figures and the words agree.

How, with the named tool

A Saudi IBAN is 24 characters: the letters SA, two check digits, a two-digit bank code, and an 18-character account number. The IBAN tools page checks all of that for you.

1. Open the Validate tab. The tool has three tabs: Validate, Generate and Decode. Stay on Validate.
2. Paste the number. Type it or tap Paste. Spaces, an “IBAN:” prefix and Arabic-Indic digits are all accepted, so you can paste exactly what was sent to you. The verdict updates as you type.
3. Read the verdict. A good number shows “Valid IBAN format”. A bad one says why: “Wrong length for this country”, “Contains invalid characters”, “Right length, but the structure is off”, or “Checksum failed”, with the hint that it is likely a typo and the digits should be double-checked.
4. Look at the bank. When the two-digit bank code is in the tool’s table, the bank is named along with its BIC, for example code 80 is Al Rajhi Bank and code 10 is Saudi National Bank. If the checksum passes but the code is not in the table, the tool says “Valid math, unknown bank code”, which can mean a new code or a foreign-branch code.
5. Break it apart if you want to. The Decode tab splits the number into Country, Check digits, Bank and Account number, each with its own copy button.
6. Copy it cleanly. On a valid number, Copy (grouped) gives the number in blocks of four, and QR saves it as a PNG.

For the amount in words, open Tafqit:

1. Type the figure in the Amount field. Arabic-Indic digits and a decimal part both work.
2. Choose the Currency: SAR, AED, KWD, BHD, QAR, OMR, USD or EUR.
3. Tick or untick the «فقط … لا غير» wrapper, the traditional “only … and nothing more” phrasing used on cheques and invoices.
4. Read the Arabic result, switch to the English tab if you need that wording, and tap Copy.

What to watch for

A valid IBAN is not a verified payee. The tool states it plainly: the format is valid, but this does not confirm that the account exists, and only the bank can do that. A checksum cannot tell you whether the account is open, closed, or belongs to the person you think it does. An IBAN also does not contain the owner’s name, the branch or the account status. If someone asks you to move a large amount to a new account, confirm the details through a channel you already trust, such as a phone call to a number you had before the request.

A correct-looking number can still be the wrong number. If a fraudster gives you their own valid IBAN, it will pass every check here. The tool catches typing errors, not deception.

An unknown bank code is a prompt to look closer, not proof of a problem. The bank table is a list of well-sourced domestic banks plus a legacy mapping, and it does not claim to cover every code ever issued. Treat “unknown bank code” as a reason to double-check with your bank.

Generated numbers need confirming. If you use Generate to build an IBAN from a bank and an 18-digit account number, the tool reminds you that it was generated from your inputs and that you should confirm it with your bank before sharing it. The check digits resolve only once all 18 digits are entered.

Deep checks cover the GCC countries. For other countries, only the length and the MOD-97 checksum are tested. The number is checked on your device and is never sent anywhere.

Tafqit has limits too. It does not support amounts of 1,000 trillion or more, and the fractional part is rounded to the currency’s own number of decimals: two, or three for fils and baisa. Your chosen currency is remembered on the device, but amounts never are. Always read the written words against the figures before you rely on them in a formal document.

FAQ

What does the MOD-97 check actually do?

The tool moves the first four characters of the IBAN to the end, turns letters into numbers, and divides the resulting long number by 97. A genuine IBAN leaves a remainder of 1. Because the two check digits were calculated to make that happen, almost any single mistyped digit, or two swapped digits, breaks the result and the tool reports “Checksum failed”.

Can the tool tell me whose account this is?

No. An IBAN carries the country, the check digits, the bank code and the account number, but not the owner’s name, the branch or whether the account is active. Only the bank can confirm those.

Why does it say “unknown bank code” when the checksum passed?

The checksum only proves the digits are internally consistent. The bank table is a separate, limited list, so a new or foreign-branch code can pass the maths and still not be recognised. Confirm it with the bank before sending.