SEPA Creditor Identifier (Creditor ID)
Compute check digits or validate a full identifier per the EPC rules.
The common layout is: ISO country code, 2 check digits, 3-character business code (often ZZZ), then the national part. Check digits use ISO 7064 Mod 97-10 on national part + country + 00, excluding the CBC.
Iceland has no CI under the current EPC overview. For the UK and other variable-length schemes, paste the full CI to validate it.
Validate a Creditor Identifier
Paste the full identifier (spaces allowed). We check country-specific length, check digits and global MOD-97.
Generate Creditor Identifier
Pick a country, fill in only the national-part fields you need, and optionally change the Creditor Business Code (default ZZZ). Check digits are computed without the CBC.
What is the SEPA Creditor Identifier (CI)?
The Creditor Identifier — also known as ICS in France or Gläubiger-ID in Germany — is the unique code that identifies whoever issues SEPA Direct Debits to the European banking system. It is mandatory on every mandate and inside the pain.008 file used for the batch.
Unlike the IBAN (which identifies a bank account), the CI identifies the creditor (a person or company) regardless of which bank they use. If you switch banks, your CI stays the same.
Creditor Identifier structure
A CI is made of four parts: ISO country code (2 letters), check digits (2 digits), Creditor Business Code (3 characters, normally ZZZ) and the national part assigned by each country's authority (variable length — for example 9 characters in Spain or 11 digits in Germany).
How the check digits are computed (ISO 7064 Mod 97-10)
The two check digits are not assigned: they are computed with the ISO 7064 Mod 97-10 algorithm published by the EPC (EPC262-08 document). The calculation is run on the string national part + country code + 00, ignoring the CBC. That is why changing the business code (for example from ZZZ to 001) does not change the check digits.
Supported countries and national format
The overall layout is common across the SEPA area, but the national part varies: Spain uses the 9-character NIF/CIF; Germany the 11-digit Bundesbank number; France the 6-character ICS; and so on. This tool covers 30 countries and applies the right formula from the national details you provide.
Frequently asked questions about the SEPA Creditor Identifier
What exactly is the SEPA Creditor Identifier?
It is the unique identifier that each country's authority assigns to entities that issue SEPA Direct Debits. It lets banks check that whoever initiates a collection is authorised and registered. It is mandatory on every SEPA mandate and on every pain.008 batch.
How does it differ from an IBAN or a BIC?
The IBAN identifies a bank account and the BIC identifies a bank. The Creditor Identifier identifies the creditor (the person or company collecting) regardless of which bank they use. That is why your CI stays the same if you change banks.
Does the tool work for my country?
We cover the 30 most relevant SEPA-area countries (Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, etc.). Iceland has no CI scheme yet under the current EPC overview. For the UK and other schemes with highly variable national parts, validate the full CI by pasting the identifier.
Does my CI change if I update the business code (CBC)?
No. The CBC distinguishes different business lines of the same creditor but is not part of the check-digit calculation. You can switch ZZZ for 001, 002, etc. without changing the two central digits of your CI.
Does the Creditor Identifier contain information about my bank account?
No. The CI encodes the country, the check digits, the business code and a national identifier (NIF, ICS, etc.). It does not contain an account number, an IBAN or a BIC. It is an identifier of the creditor, not of the bank.
How is a full CI validated?
The ISO 7064 Mod 97-10 algorithm is run on the string national part + country + 00; the result must match the check digits in positions 3 and 4. This utility also enforces the country-specific lengths defined by the EPC.
Other SEPA utilities
- SEPA mandate generator — Create CORE and B2B mandates in PDF to accompany your batches.
- pain.008 XML validator — Check whether your direct debit file conforms to the official schema before uploading to the bank.
- IBAN validator — Verify the format and check digits of any IBAN.
- Bank from IBAN — Identify which bank an IBAN belongs to.