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India / Banking

How to find and verify a bank's IFSC code

The IFSC is an 11 character code that identifies one bank branch for NEFT, RTGS and other transfers. The first 4 letters stand for the bank, the 5th character is always 0 (zero) and the last 6 characters stand for the branch. You can read it off a cheque leaf, passbook or account statement, and verify it free on the Reserve Bank of India's own IFSC search page or its bank-wise list.

Fee
Free
Time
A minute or two
How
Online on the RBI website, or from your cheque book or passbook

Checked against official sources on . See the 8 sources.

Quick answer

  • Your own IFSC: look at any cheque leaf, your passbook or your account statement. RBI requires banks to print the IFSC on cheques and to give it in the passbook or statement as well.
  • Someone else's IFSC: ask them to read it from their cheque or passbook. Do not guess it from the branch name.
  • To verify any IFSC: open RBI's "IFSC / MICR Codes" page at rbi.org.in, choose the bank, type the branch name and press Get Bank Details. RBI also publishes a bank-wise list of every NEFT enabled branch with its IFSC.

What a valid IFSC looks like, in RBI's words: 11 characters, "the first 4 alpha characters representing the bank, and the last 6 characters representing the branch. The 5th character is 0 (zero)". Example taken from the RBI search results: SBIN0001292.

Who can apply

Anyone. The RBI search and list are public and need no login. You need an IFSC when you:

  • add a beneficiary for NEFT or RTGS in net banking or the mobile app, or fill the NEFT or RTGS form at a branch;
  • send money by account number and IFSC in a UPI app;
  • give your bank details to an employer, a government department, a mutual fund, an insurer or the income tax department for refunds and credits.

Documents you need

None. To look up a code you only need the bank's name and the branch name or locality. To send money you need, as RBI lists for NEFT: the beneficiary's name, the name of the beneficiary's branch, the account type, the account number and the beneficiary branch IFSC.

Steps

Find it on your own papers

  1. Cheque leaf: the IFSC is printed on each leaf. The MICR code is printed there too.
  2. Passbook: look at the page with the account and branch details. RBI's directions require the MICR code and the IFSC to be given in the passbook or statement of account, along with the full address and telephone number of the branch.
  3. Account statement: if you get a statement instead of a passbook, the same codes have to be given there.
  4. At the branch: RBI says the bank-wise list of IFSCs is available with all bank branches participating in NEFT.

Verify on the RBI website

  1. Go to the RBI site, rbi.org.in, and open "IFSC/MICR Codes" (it is under More Links on the site, direct address rbi.org.in/Scripts/IFSCMICRDetails.aspx).
  2. Stay on the "IFSC Codes" tab.
  3. Under "Bank Name", choose the bank from the "Select Bank" list.
  4. Type the branch name or locality in the "Branch Name" box. It cannot be left empty.
  5. Press "Get Bank Details". The page lists matching branches with their IFSCs.
  6. Many localities share a name. Searching State Bank of India with "Srinagar" returns branches in Srinagar and also branches in other cities whose names contain the word. Match the full branch name, not just the first result.
  7. For a MICR code, use the "MICR Codes" tab, which works the same way.

Download the full list

  1. Open RBI's "List of NEFT enabled bank Branches (Bank-wise Indian Financial System Code)". On 12 October 2026 the page showed the list as updated as on 30 September 2026.
  2. Click the bank's name to download its spreadsheet of branches and IFSCs.
  3. Search the sheet for the branch.

Fees

Free. Looking up or verifying an IFSC on the RBI site costs nothing, and you should not pay anyone for it.

How long it takes

Reading it from a cheque takes seconds. The RBI search takes a minute or two.

For the transfer itself, RBI's NEFT FAQ says NEFT runs round the clock on all days in half-hourly batches, and the beneficiary should be credited within two hours of the batch settlement.

How to check status

Use the transaction reference or UTR number in your bank's app or net banking, or ask the branch. RBI lists positive confirmation to the remitter by SMS or email, once the beneficiary is credited, as a feature of NEFT. A returned NEFT appears in the passbook or statement as "NEFT-Return".

Common problems

  • Zero or letter O. The 5th character is the digit 0. Typing the letter O makes the code invalid.
  • Wrong branch with the same locality name. Check the full branch name in the RBI result and ask the receiver to confirm from their cheque.
  • Old cheque book. After bank mergers or branch changes, the code on an old cheque may not be current. Verify on the RBI search before using it.
  • Branch not found. Try a shorter spelling of the branch name, or download the bank's list from RBI. If it is still missing, ask the branch.
  • Bank not in the list. The RBI list covers NEFT enabled branches. If a bank or branch is missing, ask that branch which IFSC to give.
  • Websites that are not RBI or your bank. Cross-check any code taken from a third party site on rbi.org.in before sending money.

Fraud warning: a person who is sending you money needs only your name, account number and IFSC. Nobody needs your OTP, UPI PIN, card number or CVV to "verify" an IFSC or to send you money. Do not call helpline numbers that appear in search results. Use the number in your passbook or on the bank's own site.

IFSC and MICR: the difference

IFSCMICR
Full formIndian Financial System CodeMagnetic Ink Character Recognition code
Used forNEFT and RTGS, where RBI calls it a pre-requisite. Also used when you pay by account number and IFSC in UPINecessary for Electronic Clearing Service (ECS) credit and debit transactions, according to RBI's directions
Format11 characters: 4 letters for the bank, then 0, then 6 characters for the branchNot stated on the RBI pages opened for this guide
Where to findCheque leaf, passbook, statement, RBI searchCheque leaf, passbook, statement, RBI search (MICR Codes tab)

For an online transfer you are normally asked only for the IFSC.

What happens if the IFSC is wrong

RBI's FAQs say three things that matter here:

  1. The IFSC routes the payment. The NEFT system uses it to identify the destination bank and branch and to send the message there.
  2. Credit is given on the account number alone. "Credit to beneficiary account is released solely based on account number. It is the responsibility of remitting customer to write correct account number."
  3. If the money cannot be credited, it comes back. For NEFT, the destination bank has to return the transaction within two hours of the batch in which it was processed. For RTGS, the funds go back to the sending bank within one hour of receipt, or before the end of the RTGS business day, whichever is earlier, and your bank must reverse the debit. If a NEFT credit or return is delayed beyond two hours, the bank owes you penal interest at the RBI repo rate plus two per cent for the period of delay, without your having to claim it.

Put together: a wrong IFSC sends the payment message to another branch or bank. If no such account can be credited there, it should be returned and will show in your statement as "NEFT-Return". The dangerous mistake is a wrong account number, because the money is credited to whoever holds that number.

If money has gone to the wrong place:

  1. Tell your own bank immediately, in writing or through its app, with the UTR or transaction reference number, date, amount and both IFSCs. RBI says these details speed up tracing.
  2. Ask the bank to take it up with the receiving bank, and get a complaint number.
  3. If your bank does not resolve it within 30 days, complain free of cost to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in. You have 90 days from then. RBI's contact centre is 14448.

FAQ

What is an IFSC code?

The Indian Financial System Code is an 11 character alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies a bank branch taking part in NEFT. The first 4 letters are the bank, the 5th character is 0 and the last 6 characters are the branch.

Where is the IFSC code written on a cheque?

RBI has advised all NEFT member banks to print the branch IFSC on the cheques they issue, and its directions say the MICR code and IFSC are available on the cheque leaf. The exact position varies by bank's cheque design.

Can I find an IFSC code with only the account number?

Not from the RBI site. The RBI search works by bank and branch name. Ask the account holder, or the bank.

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

No. It identifies a single branch. The first 4 letters are common to the bank and the last 6 characters differ by branch.

What happens if I enter a wrong IFSC but the right account number?

The payment is routed to the branch or bank of the IFSC you entered. RBI says credit is given solely on the account number, and if the money cannot be credited the receiving bank must return it, within two hours of the batch for NEFT. Report it to your bank at once in any case.

Is the IFSC needed for UPI?

Only when you pay to a bank account number instead of a UPI ID. NPCI lists account number with IFSC as one of the payment addresses in UPI.

Is it safe to share my IFSC and account number?

They are what a sender needs to pay you, and the IFSC is printed on every cheque. Never share an OTP, PIN, CVV or password along with them.

What is the difference between IFSC and MICR?

IFSC is the branch code for NEFT and RTGS. The MICR code is the one RBI's directions call necessary for ECS credit and debit transactions. Both are printed on your cheque and given in your passbook or statement.

How often does RBI update the IFSC list?

RBI's bank-wise list page showed "updated as on September 30, 2026" when checked on 12 October 2026. RBI does not state a fixed schedule on that page.

Sources

Every fee, time limit, form and address above was read on these official pages on 12 October 2026.

  1. RBI, IFSC / MICR Codes search Supports Official search tool with separate IFSC Codes and MICR Codes tabs, a Bank Name list, a Branch Name box and a Get Bank Details button; a test search for State Bank of India with branch name Srinagar returned branch names with their IFSCs
  2. RBI, List of NEFT enabled bank branches (bank-wise IFSC) Supports Bank-wise downloadable lists of branches and IFSCs, stated on the page as updated as on 30 September 2026
  3. RBI, FAQs on NEFT (updated as on 2 September 2024) Supports Definition and structure of IFSC; where to find it (bank branch, RBI website, cheque); details needed for a transfer; NEFT works 24x7 in half-hourly batches; credit within two hours of batch settlement; return within two hours if credit is not possible; penal interest at repo rate plus two per cent for delay; credit is given solely on the account number; complaint to the bank, then the RBI Ombudsman after 30 days; NEFT help desk email
  4. RBI, FAQs on RTGS (updated as on 31 October 2022) Supports IFSC of the receiving branch is required for RTGS; it can be got from the branch or the beneficiary's cheque leaf or the RBI list; funds are returned to the sending bank within one hour, or before the end of the RTGS business day, if they cannot be credited
  5. RBI, Commercial Banks Responsible Business Conduct Directions, 2025 (PDF, updated as on 1 October 2026) Supports Paragraph 165, MICR code is necessary for ECS credit and debit transactions and IFSC is a pre-requisite for NEFT and RTGS; both are on the cheque leaf and must also be given in the passbook or statement of account; paragraph 164, branch address and telephone number on passbook and statement
  6. NPCI, About UPI Supports Account number and IFSC is one of the payment addresses usable for a UPI payment
  7. RBI, FAQs on the Reserve Bank Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 Supports 30 day and 90 day time limits for approaching the Ombudsman; cms.rbi.org.in; contact centre 14448
  8. RBI, Complaint Management System portal Supports Portal for complaints under the Reserve Bank Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026; contact centre 14448

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