BSB Validator
Check the structure of an Australian Bank State Branch number and read what its digits mean, before it goes on a transfer form.
Runs locally in your browser.
What the six digits mean
Two digits for the institution, one for the state, three for the branch. Unlike a routing number or a CLABE there is no check digit at the end, which is worth knowing before you rely on any tool that claims to validate one.
Bank prefixes and states
The first two digits are stable across a bank’s whole network, which makes them the quickest way to sanity-check a number someone has read to you over the phone. These are taken from the BSB directory AusPayNet publishes, which is the register banks themselves are listed in.
Mergers leave traces here. Westpac owns BankSA, St George and Bank of Melbourne, yet each keeps its own prefix: 10, 11 and 19, with a second Bank of Melbourne range at 55 and a further St George one at 33. A prefix that looks like the wrong bank is usually just history.
What sending from Australia costs
Australians pay some of the widest exchange-rate margins in the developed world when they send through a bank. The transfer fee is visible and modest; the margin is neither, and on a few thousand dollars it is usually the larger number by a wide margin.
Compare what it costs to send from Australia on our Australia page, or price your amount with the Wise and OFX calculators. OFX is Sydney-born and built for larger transfers, though Australian senders pay a fee that US and UK senders do not.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a BSB?
The Bank State Branch number: six digits identifying the branch that holds an Australian account. It is always used with an account number, never on its own, and it is written with a hyphen after the third digit by convention rather than by rule.
Does a BSB have a check digit?
No, and that is the important limitation of any BSB validator including this one. There is no arithmetic that can catch a mistyped digit, so a wrong BSB can look entirely correct. Australian banks compensate with confirmation-of-payee checks, which is why you should always read back the account name the bank returns.
What does the third digit tell me?
For the big four it usually does, and the official register shows how reliably: 3 means Victoria 95% of the time, 2 means NSW 93%, 4 means Queensland 91%, 6 means Western Australia 82% and 5 means South Australia or the Northern Territory 73%. The digit 7 once meant Tasmania and no longer does, splitting three ways with no clear winner. Online-only banks often use one national BSB regardless of where you live.
Why does my bank have several BSBs?
Historically one per branch, and the majors accumulated thousands. Consolidation has reduced that, and some products now sit on their own BSB. Take the number from your own statement or app rather than a general one for the bank, since paying a closed branch code can delay the transfer.
Do I need a BSB to receive money from overseas?
Usually you need the SWIFT code as well. The SWIFT code brings the payment into the Australian bank; the BSB and account number direct it internally. Some remittance services ask only for BSB and account number because they settle locally through the New Payments Platform.
Is a PayID an alternative?
For domestic payments, yes. A PayID links a phone number, email or ABN to an account so the sender never handles a BSB, and it displays the registered name before the payment is confirmed. It does not replace the BSB for international transfers, which still route by SWIFT.
Structure only. A BSB has no checksum, so this cannot tell you a mistyped digit from a real branch.