which bsb number for bank?

We’ll cover everything else you need to know about BSB banking codes below.

Plus, we’ll show you an alternative way to make international transfers from the US to Australia and New Zealand with Wise, which offers low, transparent fees¹.

BSB means Bank State Branch, a term used by Australian banks to designate a particular state and branch.

A banking BSB code is a six-digit number used to identify the individual branch of an Australian financial institution. The BSB code is used in addition to the bank account number to identify the recipient of a transfer.

The format of the BSB code is XXY-ZZZ. Here’s a breakdown of what the numbers mean²:

Here is an example of a BSB code from NAB Bank: 082902. In this case:

BSB numbers can be found in a variety of ways.

If you need to transfer money to a bank in Australia, the quickest way to find a BSB number is to look on the bank’s website. All of its BSB codes should be included along with a branch locator.

If you’re ever unsure of a bank’s BSB, call the branch before you make a transfer, to ensure you’ve got the correct number.

Here’s how you can find BSB numbers for some of Australia’s top banks²:

If you bank in Australia and someone from the US wants to send you money, it’s super simple to find your BSB code. You should be able to just sign in to your online banking portal to find the BSB code of your branch.

If you’re sending money from the US to Australia or New Zealand, it could be worth checking out alternatives before using your banks. Banks can be expensive, charging high fees and even adding a mark-up to the exchange rate. This means less of your money makes it Down Under.

Send money with Wise instead, and you could save a bundle. Wise charges low, transparent fees¹ and there are never any hidden costs to worry about. Even better, you’ll get the mid-market exchange rate. This is the same one you’ll see on Google, with no mark-up added on top.

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In Australia, you’ll need both the BSB number and a bank account number to identify an individual bank account and send money to it.

If you’re sending money to New Zealand, though, you should be aware that BSB numbers aren’t used. Instead, New Zealand has a set format for its 16-digit account numbers that looks like this: XXXXXX YYYYYYY ZZZ.

Here’s a breakdown of what it means:

If you’re sending money to Australia from the US, it’s very important to double-check that you’ve got the correct BSB code. Otherwise, your money could potentially go astray. If in doubt, always check with the bank.

And remember that banks aren’t the only option out there for making international transfers. It can pay to compare alternatives such as Wise, which could save you money.

No, an International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is used to identify a specific bank account - although they aren’t used in Australia. A BSB code identifies a specific branch of the bank.

No, but they are similar. Indian Financial System Codes (IFSCs) are used to identify bank branches in India, whereas BSB codes do the same job for banks in Australia.

BSB numbers are commonly used for domestic transactions (within Australia). For international transfers, such as from the US to Australia, you’ll need a SWIFT code. This is used to identify a particular bank within the international SWIFT network.

In some cases, you’ll need both the BSB and the SWIFT code to make an international transfer.

Bank codes are used to identify a particular bank, while BSB codes narrow it down to a specific branch of that bank.

A Bank State Branch (often referred to as "BSB") is the name used in Australia for a bank code, which is a branch identifier. The BSB is normally used in association with the account number system used by each financial institution. The structure of the BSB + account number does not permit for account numbers to be transferable between financial institutions. While similar in structure, the New Zealand and Australian systems are only used in domestic transactions and are incompatible with each other. For international transfers, a SWIFT code is used in addition to the BSB and account number.

The BSB identifier consists of six numerals, the first two or three of which is a bank identifier. Many banks only have one BSB for all branches and accounts. The BSB is used for processing of paper and electronic transactions, but not in payment card numbering.

In Australia, the Australian Payments Network (AusPayNet) is now the regulatory body of cheque clearances and of the BSB codes in Australia. AusPayNet assigns the bank code to a financial institution and the financial institution allocates the other digits to its branches, in line with guidelines set by AusPayNet. Some financial institutions have more than one bank identifier, arising from mergers of financial institutions or consolidating by banks of their trading and savings banks operations. As of March 2012, almost 14,300 unique BSB code values were in use.

In Australia, BSB codes are allocated by the Australian Payments Network (AusPayNet). BSB codes are used in a number of payment systems in Australia. To access the various clearance systems a financial institution must have its own BSB or use an intermediary with a BSB.

Cheques are the least used form of non-cash payment in Australia, but the most by value. Financial institutions are required to include BSB and bank account numbers on cheques, at the bottom of the cheque in MICR form, which identify the specific bank account number to be debited. BSB codes are also used on pre-printed deposit and other vouchers. Paper transactions are processed under the Australian Paper Clearing System (APCS) (also known as CS1) drawn up by AusPayNet. Account instructions which do not have a BSB code are processed manually.

Electronic fund transfers (EFT) are the most common method of non-cash payment in Australia. EFT transactions between bank accounts use the Direct Entry system or the New Payments Platform (NPP). For transfers using the Direct Entry system, BSB and bank account numbers must be given for the accounts to be debited as well as for the account to which funds are to be transferred. For transfers using the NPP, BSB and account numbers or a payee's PayID must be given for the payee account to be credited. Electronic direct entry transactions are processed under the Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS) (also known as CS2) drawn up by AusPayNet. NPP transactions are processed under the NPP Regulations administered by NPP Australia Limited. The requirement for two-sided BSBs is eased in transactions involving payment cards, such as credit cards or debit cards, and in BPAY transactions, in which one side of the transfer is an account which includes the BSB electronically linked to the card and BPAY biller.

For incoming international transfers, SWIFT codes are used in addition to the Basic Bank Account Number (BBAN), which comprises a BSB and bank account number. There is no public discussion of the adoption of IBAN identifiers for incoming international transactions. Any process towards IBAN would involve considerable changes to bank software and computer systems, and the requirement for financial institutions to adopt defined length account numbers. Outgoing international transfers must use either the SWIFT or IBAN system in use in the destination country, which would incorporate that country's format for BBAN.

The BSB is a six-digit code, usually presented as nnn-nnn. Originally, the format of the BSB code was for the first two digits to indicate the "bank" and the other four digits specified the "branch" of that financial institution, the first digit of which was the state code indicating the state where the branch was located. Some banks may use only one BSB for all branches.

For example, the Australian BSB code "033088" breaks down to:

Some of the larger banks had two bank codes, with separate codes for their trading (cheque) and savings bank entities. The first digit of the bank code was either 0 (for trading bank accounts) or 1 (for savings bank accounts), with a common second digit. For example, 03 was for Westpac's trading accounts, while 73 was for Westpac's savings accounts. Some banks continue to use two bank codes, which today are of only historic and legacy significance.

Following the introduction in the United Kingdom in the 1960s of a "sort code", a comparable BSB identifier system was introduced in Australia in the early 1970s to streamline cheque clearance through the banking system in Australia. At the time the clearance systems were open only to financial institutions registered as banks. The BSB and account number was printed on cheques in MICR format to streamline the process of data capture as well as for mechanical sorting and bundling of the physical cheques for forwarding to the payer bank branch for final cheque clearance. Other financial institutions had to use banks as intermediaries to access the clearance of their "payment orders", which were the non-banking equivalents of cheques.

Since then, the use of BSBs has been extended to electronic transactions, but not in payment card numbering.

With the restructuring of the financial system in Australia, other financial institutions were given direct access to the clearing systems, and the structure of the BSB has had to be modified. While banks generally still follow the traditional state branch structure, building societies and credit unions often do not. This is because many of these institutions use an intermediary; for example, BSBs such as 80xxxx are administered by Cuscal, 579xxx are administered by Australian Settlements Limited, whereas 704xxx is administered by Indue. In these situations, the building society or credit union is identified by the 'state' and 'branch' components of the BSB whereas the 'bank' refers to the intermediary. Depending on the intermediary used, building societies (both current and former) BSBs generally start with 63xxxx and most credit unions BSBs will use either 704xxx or 80xxxx. The state code structure is not always used in these situations. For example, Bendigo Bank started as a building society in Victoria but now uses a single BSB nationally (633-000) while the Queensland-based Heritage Bank, also a former building society, uses 638xxx. Suncorp Bank uses 484-799 for all deposit accounts regardless of which branch or state the account was opened in.

Furthermore, recent changes in Australia's financial system have allowed larger building societies and credit unions to establish their own BSBs, even if they are using an intermediary. Having their own BSB allows a financial institution to create new products and offer additional services.

Historically, the major banks structured their BSB codes by states. This is largely historic and have only limited significance in electronic banking. For those that still maintain state codes, the state code is the first of the four digit branch field, as follows:

Learn more about BSB codes and the role they play in sending and receiving money here.

A Bank State Branch number, or BSB number, is a 6-digit code that represents your bank, state, and branch location. Some banks, like Beyond Bank, use one BSB code for all branches while some banks, like CommBank, have different BSB codes for different branches. If you are sending money to Australia, pay careful attention to these codes to make sure the funds are directed to the right place.

BSB numbers are supplied by the Australian Payments Network, a network that oversees all BSB numbers in Australia. This unified system ensures that all Australian banks and branches have an organized system of identification.

To stay organized, BSB codes use a standardized format to communicate the details that banks need.

Let use this 6-digit BSB number as an example: 112-333

Wondering what the difference between BSB numbers and account numbers is? The main difference is that an account number is unique to that specific account. Meanwhile, a BSB number directs the payment to the correct branch. The two numbers give banks the information needed to transfer your funds correctly.

Similarly, you may be wondering if BSB numbers and SWIFT/BIC codes are the same. Both BSB numbers and SWIFT/BIC codes achieve the same goal: to identify where you are sending money to, but they are not the same. The biggest difference between the two is that BSB numbers are used for domestic purposes, whereas SWIFT/BIC codes are an international network. For international money transfers, both a BSB code and a SWIFT/BIC code are used.

To send money to Australia, your recipient should be able to provide you with their BSB number. In addition to the resources above, there are a few easy ways your receiver can identify their BSB code to prepare for a money transfer.

Searching for a BSB number? Here is a list of BSB numbers for some of the most popular banks in Australia:

New Zealand uses a different numbering system and does not use BSB codes. Instead, New Zealand uses a 16-digit format that includes the same information, formatted in a different way.

Here is an example of an account number in New Zealand: XXXXXX YYYYYYY ZZZ

While Australia is the only country that uses BSB codes, you can see that similar information is conveyed in a different format in countries like New Zealand.

A BSB (Bank-State-Branch) is a six-digit number that identifies banks and branches across Australia. Use our locator tool to find the BSB of a specific branch. Just type in the branch location then click on the branch you need the BSB for. Got the BSB but need the branch details?