An IFSC (Indian Financial System Code) is an 11-character alphanumeric code assigned by the Reserve Bank of India to every bank branch that takes part in NEFT, RTGS and IMPS. It tells the payment system which bank and which branch should receive the money.
How to read an IFSC code
Characters 1–4: bank code (SBIN = State Bank of India, HDFC = HDFC Bank).
Character 5: always the digit 0, reserved by the RBI for future use.
Characters 6–11: branch code, unique within the bank (letters or digits).
Where to find your IFSC
Printed on every cheque leaf, near the branch address.
First page of your passbook and on bank statements.
Net banking and the mobile app, under account details.
On this site: search by bank, city or branch name.
Does IFSC change?
An IFSC changes when a branch is merged, shifted or renamed — for example after the 2019–2020 public sector bank mergers, old Vijaya, Dena, Syndicate and Allahabad Bank codes were replaced. Always use the latest code; this site re-syncs with the RBI list automatically.
How to find the IFSC code of a bank branch
1Open the IFSC search and type the bank name.
2Add the city or branch name, e.g. “SBI Shimla Mall Road”.
3Pick the branch from the suggestions.
4Copy the 11-character IFSC shown on the branch page.
FAQ
Questions
Is IFSC the same for all branches of a bank?
No. The first four letters (bank code) are shared, but each branch has its own 6-character branch code, so every branch has a different IFSC.
Is the 5th character of IFSC a zero or the letter O?
It is always the digit zero (0).
Do I need IFSC for UPI?
Not when paying to a UPI ID or phone number. You need it only when paying to an account number + IFSC.
