What is an IFSC code? Your guide to getting it right.

India is where food and culture collide with history and religious monuments. From its growing, bustling cities to its delicious, spicy curries to its tombs, temples and monuments, there’s much to see and experience in India. But India has much more to offer than just a an exotic destination for tourists. Whether you’ve recently moved to India or you’re sending money there from abroad, you still may be wondering just what an IFSC code is.

You’re not alone. You’ll want to know what one is, and how to use it, before you send your money there.

India has a unique system for making electronic funds transfers, and it’ll take some time and research to get the hang of what’s needed to make sure money ends up in the right place when you send it to a bank account in India.

Ready to learn how India’s money transfer system works? Read on to get the know-how you need to successfully send money anywhere in India.

What’s an IFSC code?

An IFSC code is an 11-digit number that you'll see on Indian checks and other bank materials. It’s used to identify individual bank branches that participate in various online money transfer options. You can think of an IFSC code as the bank branch equivalent of a postal code that tells you its exact location. Each bank branch and location has its own unique IFSC code that allows users to make electronic funds transfers and ensures that your money ends up in the right account.

What’s the meaning of IFSC?

IFSC stands for Indian Financial System Code.

IFSC codes were initially assigned by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to identify unique branches participating in national electronic funds transfer (NEFT) system, but IFSC codes are now also used by other electronic payment system applications such as real time gross settlement (RTGS). Really, though, these days any transfer system that’s regulated by the RBI will require the use of an IFSC code. Anytime you want to make an electronic funds transfer to a bank account in India, you'll need the IFSC code for the branch where the recipient account is based.

How many digits are there in an IFSC code?

IFSC codes are 11 characters, comprised like this: XXXX0YYYYYY.

• The first four (XXXX) are alphabetic characters that represent the bank.
• The zero (0) is reserved for future use.
• The last six digits (YYYYYY) are a code of numbers representing the individual branch of the bank.

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Examples of IFSC codes

Example of an IFSC for ICICI Bank

Here’s an example of what an ICICI bank IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code ICICI Bank
Branch name	Delhi - Barakhamba
IFSC Code	ICIC0001359
Address	G-4,19, Arunachal Building, Barakhamba Road
City	New Delhi
State	Delhi

This IFSC code is just an example for one branch of ICICI Bank, and before making any money transfers, you should consult with your bank to ensure you have the correct IFSC code for the recipient. If you don’t have the correct code, your transfer could end up in the wrong place, or fail to go through. You can find your specific branch by using ICICI Bank’s IFSC code finder tool here.

Example of IFSC code of State Bank of India (SBI)

Here’s an example of what a State Bank of India IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code State Bank of India
Branch name	Commercial Branch New Delhi
IFSC Code	SBIN0018173
Address	2ND FLOOR, NEW DELHI MAIN BRANCH 11 PARLIAMENT STREET NEW DELHI
City	New Delhi
State	Delhi

This information is just a single example of an IFSC code for one branch of State Bank of India. So before you send any money, you’ll need to check with your bank or your recipient’s bank to make sure you have the right IFSC code. If the code is wrong, your transfer could end up in the wrong place, or fail to go through. If you know the branch or the address, you can find the correct IFSC code by using an online IFSC code finder like this one here.

Example of IFSC code of HDFC bank

Here is an example of what an HDFC bank IFSC codee looks like:

IFSC Code HDFC Bank
Branch name	K G MARG
IFSC Code	HDFC0000003
Address	209 - 214 KAILASH BUILDING 26 KASTURBA GANDHI MARG NEW DELHI DELHI
City	New Delhi
State	Delhi

This is just a guide showing a single example of an IFSC for one branch of HDFC Bank. Which means, before making your money transfer, you’ll want to consult with the recipient or recipient bank to make sure your details are correct. If you know the state and address where the HDFC bank is located, you can find the correct IFSC code by using their online IFSC code finder here.

Example of IFSC code of Citibank Bangalore

Here is an example of what a Citibank Bangalore IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code Citibank Bangalore
Branch name	M G Road Branch
IFSC Code	CITI0000004
Address	506-507, LEVEL 5, PRESTIGE MERIDIAN 2, # 30 M G ROAD, BANGALORE - 560001
City	BANGALORE
State	KARNATAKA

This is only an example of one branch for Citibank Bangalore. Which means if you’re sending money to a bank account there, you’ll need to double check with the recipient bank what the correct IFSC code for that branch is. There are a list of branches online here for Citibank Bangalore where you may be able to find your IFSC code from.

Example of IFSC code of Citibank Chennai

Here is an example of what a Citibank Chennai IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code Citibank Chennai
Branch name	ANNA SALAI CHENNAI
IFSC Code	CITI0000003
Address	163, ANNA SALAI, CHENNAIi 600 002
City	CHENNAI
State	TAMIL NADU

This is just one branch of Citibank Chennai. So if you’re sending money to a different branch, that will mean you will need to check with your recipient to make sure your IFSC code and other details are correct. There are a list of branches online here for Citibank customers where you may be able to find your IFSC code from.

Example of IFSC code of Citibank Pune

Here is an example of what a Citibank Pune IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code Citibank Punei
Branch name	PUNE
IFSC Code	CITI0000005
Address	GROUND FLOOR, ONYX TWR, 37/3 GHORPADI, NR WESTT N HOTEL, NORTH KOREGAON PARK, MAIN ROAD, PUNE - 411
City	PUNE
State	MAHARASHTRA

This is only an example from one Citibank Pune’s branches. Which means that if you’re sending money to a bank with a different address, you’ll need to check with your recipient to make sure your IFSC code and other details are correct. There are a list of branches online here for Citibank customers where you can find the correct IFSC code.

Example of IFSC code of Andhra Bank

Here is an example of what an Andhra Bank IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code Andhra Bank
Branch name	S R NAGAR
IFSC Code	ANDB0000522
Address	CH SESHAGIRI RAO - 040-2370279
City	HYDERABAD URBAN
State	ANDHRA PRADESH

Andhra Bank has many branches all over. This is only one example from their branches. So if you’re sending money to a bank with a different address, check with your recipient first before you send your money to make sure your IFSC code and other details are correct. If you know the branch name or or address, you may be able to find your IFSC code from an online tool like this one here.

Example of IFSC code of Punjab National Bank

Here is an example of what a Punjab National Bank IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code Punjab National Bank
Branch name	CPPC,LUDHIANA
IFSC Code	PUNB0746700
Address	5,FEROZEPUR ROAD ,LUDHIANA
City	Ludhiana
State	Punjab

This chart is only one example of a specific branch for Punjab National Bank. Which means you’ll want to check, before transferring any money, that your recipient information is correct. If you know the branch address, you may be able to find the correct IFSC code by using an online code finder like this one here.

Example of IFSC code of Axis Bank

Here is an example of what an Axis Bank IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code Axis Bank
Branch name	New Delhi
IFSC Code	UTIB0000007
Address	STATESMAN HOUSE, 148, BARAKHAMBA ROAD
City	New Delhi
State	Delhi

This IFSC code is just an example for one branch of Axis Bank, and before making any money transfers, you should consult with your bank to ensure you have the correct IFSC code for the recipient. If the IFSC code you use is incorrect, it’s possible your money may never reach its recipient. To get the right one, check with your recipient or use an online tool, like this one.

Example of IFSC code of Canara Bank

Here is an example of what a Canara Bank IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code Canara Bank
Branch name	DELHI MADIPUR
IFSC Code	CNRB0005800
Address	CANARA BANK WZ 663 MADIPUR DELHI DELHI DELHI 110063
City	Delhi
State	Delhi

The IFSC code you see in the table is just an example for one branch in Canara Bank. Which means, if you’re looking for the correct IFSC code for your remittance, you’ll need to check with the recipient or recipient bank. If you know the address of the bank where your money is going, you can use an online tool to find your IFSC code like this one here.

Example of IFSC code of Bank of Baroda

Here is an example of what a Bank of Baroda IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code Bank of Baroda
Branch name	CBB BARODA BRANCH
IFSC Code	BARB0CORBAR
Address	CFS Branch 1st Floor Bank of Baroda Bldg Opp Petrol Pump R C Dutt Road Alkapuri Baroda 390007
City	Vadodara
State	Gujarat

Before you use this as your IFSC code for the Bank of Baroda, be aware that this is just one example of an IFSC code for just one branch. Before making any money transfers, consult with your bank to ensure you have the correct IFSC code for the recipient. Otherwise, if you know the address or the branch name where the recipient bank is located, you may be able to find the IFSC code online using a tool like this one.

Example of IFSC code of Bank of India

Here is an example of what a Bank of India IFSC code looks like:

IFSC Code Bank of India
Branch name	NEW DELHI NRI
IFSC Code	BKID0006046
Address	P.T.I.BUILDING4, SANSAD MARG, NEW DELHI,
City	New Delhi
State	Delhi

Bank of India has thousands of branches, which also means it has thousands of IFSC codes. This is just one code for one branch. Which means, before making your money transfer, you’ll need to consult with your bank to ensure you have the correct IFSC code for the recipient. However, if you know the name of the branch or even the address, you may be able to find the IFSC code online by using a tool like this one here.

With this information in hand, India’s electronic money transfer system should seem a lot less daunting. Hopefully, you can now get your money where it needs to go!