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IBAN format of Cyprus: 28 characters, starts with CY

An IBAN of Cyprus is 28 characters long and begins with CY. Here is what each part means, a made-up example, and how to check one.

Made-up example (not a real account)

CY82 1234 5678 9012 3456 7890 1234

  • CYCountry
  • 82Check digits
  • 123Bank code
  • 45678Branch code
  • 9012345678901234Account number
Length
28 characters
Starts with
CY
After the check digits
3 digits, then 5 digits, then 16 letters or digits
Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA)
Yes
Layout code in the registry
CY2!n3!n5!n16!c

Part by part

PositionPartMade ofIn the example
1 to 2Country code2 capital letters: CYCY
3 to 4IBAN check digits2 digits82
5 to 7Bank code3 digits123
8 to 12Branch code5 digits45678
13 to 28Account number16 letters or digits9012345678901234

The parts with a name here are: Bank code, branch code, account number. The bank decides the bank code and the account number; you never have to work them out yourself. The layout code CY2!n3!n5!n16!c is how the registry writes this: a number, then n for digits, a for capital letters or c for letters or digits.

How to check an IBAN of Cyprus

  1. Count the characters without spaces. There must be exactly 28.
  2. The first two must be CY, and the next two must be digits.
  3. After those four, the rest must follow the layout: 3 digits, then 5 digits, then 16 letters or digits.
  4. Run the check-digit test. The IBAN checker does all four steps for you and shows which one fails.

Writing it down

On paper, an IBAN is written in groups of four characters with spaces, as in the example above, so that it is easier to read and compare. In online banking and in files it is entered without spaces. Both forms are the same IBAN. Letters are always capitals.

How it compares

At 28 characters, it sits between the shortest IBAN in the registry (Norway, 15 characters) and the longest (Russia, 33 characters). The same length is used by Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, each with its own layout. It mixes letters and digits after the check digits.

Common questions

How many characters does an IBAN of Cyprus have?

An IBAN of Cyprus always has 28 characters: the letters CY, two check digits and 24 more characters for the bank and the account.

What does an IBAN of Cyprus start with?

It starts with CY, the country code, followed by two check digits.

Is Cyprus in SEPA?

Yes. Cyprus is part of the Single Euro Payments Area, so euro transfers to and from it use the IBAN.

Layout checked in November 2026 against the SWIFT IBAN Registry data. The example is made up. For a payment, use only the IBAN given by the account holder or the bank, and check with the bank if in doubt.

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