Hungarian IBAN format (HU) — length, structure, example

CountryHungary (HU)
IBAN length28 characters
SEPA memberyes
Domestic check digit validatedyes

Check a Hungary IBAN

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Hungary’s IBAN is 28 characters with a fully numeric BBAN, pattern ^[0-9]{24}$. Underneath sits the pénzforgalmi jelzőszám, the domestic GIRO account number, one of the more intricately self-checking formats in the SEPA area.

Structure

The official registry example is HU42 1177 3016 1111 1018 0000 0000, a SWIFT registry test value, not a real account:

The 9-7-3-1 weighting

Both domestic check digits use the same method: multiply the digits by the repeating weights 9, 7, 3, 1, sum the products, and the check digit is what brings the total to a multiple of 10. Because the two checks cover disjoint parts of the number, a Hungarian IBAN carries three independent integrity tests once the ISO MOD-97 wrapper is included. Validators implementing the Hungarian rules can detect fabricated numbers that generic IBAN checkers accept.

16-digit and 24-digit domestic forms

Domestically, many Hungarian accounts are still printed as 16 digits (two groups of 8), the short GIRO form used by some banks; others use the full 24 digits (three groups of 8). For IBAN purposes the 16-digit form is extended to 24 by appending eight zeros, which is why so many HU IBANs end in a long run of zeros, as the registry example does.

Hungary is an EU and SEPA member while keeping the forint, so the same IBAN serves domestic HUF transfers over GIRO’s instant payment system and euro SEPA payments. A structurally valid HU IBAN, even with both domestic checks passing, does not prove the account exists or identify its holder. That assurance comes from Verification of Payee name matching, not from any checksum.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a Hungarian IBAN?

A Hungarian IBAN is 28 characters, among the longest in Europe. It wraps the 24-digit domestic GIRO account number: a 3-digit bank code, a 4-digit branch code, one check digit, a 15-digit account number and a final check digit.

What is the GIRO number in Hungary?

The pénzforgalmi jelzőszám, commonly called the GIRO number, is Hungary's domestic account identifier, written as either 16 or 24 digits in groups of 8. Its first 3 digits identify the bank and the next 4 the branch within the GIRO clearing system. The Hungarian IBAN is this number, zero-extended to 24 digits, behind HU and two check digits.

Why does a Hungarian account number have two check digits inside it?

The domestic format self-checks twice: digit 8 is a control digit over the 7-digit bank and branch prefix, and digit 24 is a control digit over the 15-digit account number, both using a repeating 9-7-3-1 weight pattern. These are separate from, and additional to, the IBAN's own MOD-97 check digits.

Related: test IBAN for Hungary · all country formats ·what is an IBAN

Data source: ISO 13616 IBAN Registry Release 102 (June 2026). Last verified: 2026-07-05.