UK Bank Sort Code Checker

What Is a Sort Code?

A sort code is a six-digit number — presented in three pairs separated by hyphens, such as 30-00-00 — that identifies a specific bank and branch within the UK banking system. It is used alongside a customer's eight-digit account number to route payments accurately via Faster Payments, Bacs, and CHAPS. Together, the sort code and account number form the basic payment identifier for almost all UK domestic transfers.

Sort codes are assigned and managed through the Industry Sorting Code Directory (ISCD), maintained by Pay.UK — the independent body that governs the UK's Bacs, Faster Payments, and CHAPS payment schemes.

How to Check a Sort Code

There is no single free public-facing lookup tool maintained by Pay.UK for consumers, but several methods exist to verify a sort code:

• ▸Your bank's app or online banking — when you add a new payee, most UK banking apps will display the bank name associated with a sort code in real time as you type it. This is the most reliable check for individual consumers.
• ▸Third-party sort code checkers — sites such as sort-code.co.uk and sortcodes.co.uk query the ISCD data and return the bank and branch associated with a given sort code. These are unofficial but draw on publicly licensed data.
• ▸The Pay.UK ISCD directly — financial institutions can subscribe to the ISCD for full, real-time access. Consumer access is indirect, via bank interfaces.
• ▸Call your bank — if you are unsure whether a sort code is valid or which bank it belongs to, call your bank's customer service number.

Sort Codes by Major UK Bank

Note: sort code ranges are illustrative. Digital banks often use a single sort code for all accounts. The authoritative source for any sort code is the ISCD via Pay.UK or the real-time lookup in your bank's app.

Why Sort Code Checking Matters: Wrong-Account Transfers

Under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (which implement the EU Payment Services Directive in UK law, retained post-Brexit), if you make a payment to a wrong account number and sort code combination, recovering the money can be difficult. The regulations treat the account number and sort code you provide as the definitive payment instruction — not the account name. This is why the Confirmation of Payee (CoP) scheme was introduced.

Confirmation of Payee (CoP): What It Is

Confirmation of Payee is a name-checking service that verifies whether the name you are paying matches the name registered to the account number and sort code you have entered. It was mandated by the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) for the six largest UK banking groups from 2020 and has since been extended. When you add a new payee in online banking, CoP automatically checks whether the name matches. Possible results are:

• ▸Match — the name matches the account; proceed with confidence.
• ▸Close match — the name is similar but not identical; verify with the payee before sending.
• ▸No match — the name does not match; do not proceed without independent verification.
• ▸Unable to check — the receiving bank does not participate in CoP; contact the receiving bank to verify details manually.

Sort Code Validation: What Makes a Sort Code Valid?

Not every six-digit number is a valid sort code. A valid sort code must: be registered in the ISCD; be assigned to an active, FCA-authorised financial institution; and pass the modulus checking algorithm used by UK payment processors. Modulus checking is a mathematical validation that screens for obvious errors (e.g., a number transposition in the account number) before a payment is submitted to the scheme.

If a sort code fails modulus checking, the payment system will reject it before it reaches the receiving bank.

Sort Codes Used in Different Payment Schemes

Case Scenario 1: Avoiding a Wrong-Account Transfer

Scenario: A freelancer is paid by a new client who provides a sort code of 40-47-84 and account number 12345678. Before sending any money, the client uses the Confirmation of Payee feature in their Nationwide app to check whether the payee name matches. CoP returns "close match" — the name the client entered is "Smith Consulting Ltd" but the account is registered to "Smith Consulting Limited." The freelancer confirms by phone that the details are correct before proceeding.

Case Scenario 2: Identifying a Fraudulent Sort Code

Scenario: A consumer receives an invoice claiming to be from a trusted supplier with a sort code of 99-99-99 — a number format not registered in the ISCD. When entered into the consumer's banking app to create a new payee, the system returns an error: "We cannot find this sort code." This is a common flag in invoice fraud. The consumer calls the supplier on a number held independently (not from the invoice) and confirms the supplier's real sort code, which is different. The fraudulent payment is avoided.

Related reading: UK Bank Safety, FSCS & Sort Codes 2026 | UK Bank Sort Code Finder | Sort Codes by Bank UK

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always verify payment details directly with your recipient before transferring funds.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check which bank a sort code belongs to?

Enter the sort code when adding a new payee in your bank's app — it will typically display the bank name associated with the code. Third-party tools such as sort-code.co.uk also provide this information using ISCD-derived data.

Is a sort code the same as a BSB?

No. A BSB (Bank State Branch) code is used in Australia. UK accounts use sort codes. Both serve the same routing function within their respective countries, but the formats and systems are different.

What if I send money to the wrong sort code?

Contact your bank immediately. Under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 and the subsequent Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM) code, your bank is obliged to attempt to recover the funds. However, recovery is not guaranteed — this is why confirming payee details before sending is critical.

Do digital banks like Monzo have sort codes?

Yes. All UK FCA-authorised banks — including Monzo, Starling, and Revolut (where regulated as a bank) — are assigned sort codes through the ISCD and participate in Faster Payments and Bacs alongside traditional banks.

What is the Industry Sorting Code Directory (ISCD)?

The ISCD is the authoritative register of all valid UK sort codes, maintained by Pay.UK. It is updated regularly as banks open or close branches and as new financial institutions are admitted to the payment schemes. Financial institutions subscribe directly; consumers access the data indirectly through banking apps and third-party tools.

Can two different banks have the same sort code?

No. Each sort code in the ISCD is unique and assigned to a single financial institution or branch. Two different banks cannot share the same sort code.

Sources

• ▸wearepay.uk — Industry Sorting Code Directory
• ▸gov.uk — Making a Bank Transfer
• ▸fca.org.uk — Banking and Payments
• ▸legislation.gov.uk — Payment Services Regulations 2017
• ▸financial-ombudsman.org.uk — Fraud and Scams