How long is a Bahraini IBAN?

A Bahraini IBAN is exactly 22 characters: the country code BH, two check digits, a 4-letter bank code, and a 14-character account number. Any other length is rejected.

Why is the Bahrain bank code letters?

Bahrain uses a 4-letter bank identifier in the IBAN (for example NBOB for the National Bank of Bahrain or BBKU for Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait), unlike many European IBANs that use numeric bank codes.

How does the MOD-97 checksum work?

The first four characters (BH plus the check digits) move to the end, each letter is expanded to a two-digit number (A=10 to Z=35), and the result is divided by 97. The IBAN is valid only when the remainder equals 1.

Does a valid result mean the account is real?

No. Structural validation confirms the format and checksum only. It does not confirm the account exists, is open, or belongs to anyone in particular. Only the bank can confirm that.

Is my IBAN sent to a server?

No. Everything runs in your browser. Your IBAN is never uploaded, stored, or logged, so it is safe to use with confidential account numbers.

Bahrain IBAN Validator

Bahraini IBANs are used across the BENEFIT domestic payment network and the wider Gulf RTGS and SWIFT corridors. At 22 characters they are among the shorter IBANs, but the same ISO 7064 MOD-97-10 checksum applies, so a single wrong character still causes a rejected or bounced transfer. This validator confirms the structure and checksum before you submit anything.

Paste any IBAN starting with BH and the tool verifies each field and the checksum locally in your browser.

How it works

A Bahraini IBAN has four parts:

Country code — the fixed letters BH
Check digits — two digits derived from the MOD-97 algorithm
Bank code — four letters identifying the bank (for example NBOB, BBKU, AUBB)
Account number — 14 alphanumeric characters

The checksum moves the first four characters to the end, expands letters to numbers (A=10 to Z=35), and divides by 97. A valid IBAN leaves a remainder of exactly 1. The tool computes this modulus progressively, one digit at a time, so the large intermediate number never overflows.

Tips and notes

A length other than 22 is the most frequent error and is caught immediately.
The 4-letter bank code is expected — it is not a formatting mistake.
A valid checksum proves format, not account existence. Pair this with the iban-bic-lookup-tool to recover the BIC.