IFSC Code Finder

Enter the 11-character IFSC from a cheque, passbook or payment screen. The finder returns the bank, branch name, address, MICR code and the transfer systems the branch is enabled for.

How to use the IFSC code finder

Type or paste the IFSC. Lower case is converted to capitals and spaces are removed. The tool first checks the format in your browser:

1. Eleven characters in total.
2. The first four are letters, the bank code.
3. The fifth is the digit zero, reserved for future use.
4. The last six are letters or digits, the branch code.

If the format is right, it looks the code up in a public directory and shows the bank name, branch, address, city, district and state, the MICR code if the branch has one, and whether the branch supports NEFT, RTGS, IMPS and UPI.

What the parts of an IFSC mean

Take SBIN0000300, the IFSC of State Bank of India’s Mumbai main branch:

• SBIN: the bank code, assigned by RBI. Each bank has one, such as HDFC for HDFC Bank, ICIC for ICICI Bank and UTIB for Axis Bank.
• 0: a fixed zero.
• 000300: the branch code. Banks assign these themselves, so the format varies. Some use only digits, others a mix of letters and digits.

IFSC stands for Indian Financial System Code. RBI uses it to route NEFT, RTGS and IMPS payments to the right branch.

Where to find an IFSC

• Printed on your cheque book, usually near the branch address at the top.
• On the first page of your passbook or in your account welcome kit.
• In net banking or your bank’s app, under account details.
• On your bank’s website, which lists IFSCs by branch.
• On a cancelled cheque from the person you are paying.

When someone sends you their bank details, ask for a photo of a cancelled cheque or a screenshot from their banking app. It is more reliable than an IFSC typed into a message.

Why checking the IFSC matters

A wrong IFSC can cause trouble in two ways. Usually the payment is rejected or returned, which delays it by a day or more. Occasionally it is worse: if the IFSC is valid but belongs to a different branch or bank, and the account number happens to exist there, the money can reach the wrong account. Recovering it then depends on the other bank’s cooperation and the recipient’s consent.

Banks now show the account holder’s name before you add a new beneficiary in many apps, and UPI always shows the name. For NEFT and RTGS, look up the IFSC here and confirm the bank and branch match what the payee told you.

Why a code is not found

• A typing error. The most common are the letter O instead of the zero in fifth place, the letter I instead of the digit 1, and a missing character. Check the length first.
• The branch has merged or closed, as described below.
• The code belongs to a cooperative bank or payments bank that is not in the directory, or to a branch opened in the last few weeks.
• Extra characters copied with the code, such as a space or a full stop at the end. The finder removes spaces, but other punctuation will make the format check fail.

If the format check passes but the lookup finds nothing, do not guess. Ask the payee to confirm the code from their cheque book or banking app.

Protecting yourself from payment fraud

Fraudsters often send fake requests to change bank details, posing as a supplier, landlord or employer. A new IFSC that points to a different bank or city from the one you have paid before is a warning sign. Before paying to changed details, call the payee on a number you already have, not one from the message, and confirm the account number and IFSC. The few minutes this takes can save the whole payment.

Bank mergers and changed IFSCs

When banks merge, the IFSCs of the merged bank’s branches change. Since 2019, several public sector banks have merged: Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank into Bank of Baroda, Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India into Punjab National Bank, Syndicate Bank into Canara Bank, Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank into Union Bank of India, and Allahabad Bank into Indian Bank. Old IFSCs from these banks were discontinued, so a cheque book from before the merger may show a code that no longer works. If the finder does not recognise a code from one of these banks, ask the branch for the new IFSC.

Branches also close or move. If an old IFSC fails, ask the payee for a recent cancelled cheque.

NEFT, RTGS, IMPS and UPI

The finder shows which systems the branch supports. In practice almost every branch now supports NEFT, RTGS and IMPS.

System	Typical use	Limits	Speed
NEFT	Most bank transfers	No minimum or maximum set by RBI	Settled in half-hourly batches, 24×7
RTGS	Large transfers	Minimum ₹2 lakh	Real time, 24×7
IMPS	Instant transfers	Up to ₹5 lakh per transaction	Instant, 24×7
UPI	Everyday payments	Usually ₹1 lakh a day, higher for some categories	Instant, 24×7

Banks may set their own lower limits for new beneficiaries or in their apps. NEFT and RTGS need the account number and IFSC. IMPS can use the account number and IFSC or a mobile number and MMID. UPI uses a UPI ID or a QR code, and does not need an IFSC unless you pay to an account number.

MICR codes

The MICR code is a nine-digit number printed at the bottom of a cheque in magnetic ink, used to process cheques. The first three digits identify the city, the next three the bank and the last three the branch. It is used for cheque clearing and sometimes asked for on mutual fund, insurance or ECS forms. Not every branch has one, so a missing MICR in the result is normal. The finder shows it when the directory lists it.

SWIFT codes are different

For money sent from abroad, the sender usually needs your bank’s SWIFT or BIC code as well as your account number, and sometimes an intermediary bank. IFSC is only for transfers within India. Many Indian banks handle foreign inward remittances through specific branches with their own SWIFT codes, so ask your bank for its wire instructions before giving details to an overseas payer.

Where the data comes from

Branch details come from a public IFSC directory that Razorpay publishes, compiled from RBI’s lists. It is updated regularly, but a branch opened or renamed very recently may not appear yet. The format check happens in your browser; the lookup sends only the IFSC you entered to that public directory, and nothing else you do on the page.

If a lookup result looks wrong, for example a branch in a different state from the one the payee named, trust the payee’s bank over the directory and ask them to confirm.

Related tools

The PAN, GSTIN and IFSC validator checks the format of an IFSC alongside a supplier’s PAN and GSTIN, without any network request. For writing a cheque, the amount in words converter writes the amount in rupees and paise, and the GST calculator splits an invoice total before you pay it.

Frequently asked questions

What is an IFSC code?

It is the 11-character Indian Financial System Code that identifies a bank branch for electronic transfers through NEFT, RTGS and IMPS. The first four letters are the bank, the fifth character is always zero and the last six identify the branch.

Is the fifth character of an IFSC a zero or the letter O?

It is always the digit zero. Codes written with the letter O are a typing mistake and will fail. The finder checks this and tells you if the fifth character is wrong.

What happens if I use the wrong IFSC?

Usually the transfer is rejected and the money returns to your account within a few days. If the IFSC belongs to another branch where the same account number exists, the money may be credited to someone else. Contact your bank immediately if that happens and file a written complaint.

Do I need an IFSC for UPI payments?

Not when paying to a UPI ID, phone number or QR code. You need it only if you send money by UPI to a bank account number directly. For NEFT, RTGS and IMPS by account number, the IFSC is always required.

Why does an old IFSC not work any more?

The branch may belong to a bank that has merged into another, or the branch may have closed or moved. After the 2019 and 2020 public sector bank mergers, the old IFSCs of the merged banks were discontinued. Ask the payee or the branch for the current code.

Is the IFSC the same for all branches of a bank?

No. Every branch has its own IFSC. The first four letters are the same for the whole bank, but the last six characters differ by branch. Some banks also give different codes to specialised branches, such as those handling foreign exchange.