What are “bank” and “branch” codes?
In Singapore, many forms still ask for a Bank Code (a 4-digit clearing code that identifies a bank) and a Branch Code (a 3-digit code that identifies a specific branch or a routing pattern). These are mainly used for IBG and legacy file formats. Modern rails like FAST and PayNow are based on the bank’s BIC, but some banks still require a branch code when you format account numbers for IBG or bulk files.
Tip: For most online retail transfers, selecting the bank name and entering the account number is enough. If a form explicitly asks for bank/branch codes, use the guidance below.
How to find the branch code (by bank)
- DBS / POSB — Bank code 7171. For DBS 10-digit accounts, the branch code is the first three digits of the account number. For POSB 9-digit accounts, use branch code 081. DBS: Bank & Branch Codes and POSB: Bank & Branch Codes.
- OCBC — Bank code 7339. Use the first three digits of your account number as the branch code, and drop those three digits in the “Account No.” field when IBG files require it. OCBC ACH guide.
- UOB — Bank code 7375. Take the first three digits of the account number and look up the official mapping to the IBG branch code (the first three digits are not always the branch code itself). See UOB ACH & branch code guide (Appendix A).
- Standard Chartered (Singapore) Limited — Bank code 9496. Branch code is “0” + first two digits of your 10-digit account number. SCB official notice and confirmation of bank code.
- HSBC — Two entities are used in practice. For HSBC Corporate (The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd) bank code 7232; for HSBC Personal bank code 9548. In each case, use the first three digits of the account as the branch code and drop those three digits in the “Account No.” field for IBG files. See UOB ACH guide (table & Appendix C).
- State Bank of India (SBI) — Bank code 7791. Use first three digits of the account as branch code, then drop those digits from the account field for IBG file formats. See UOB ACH guide.
FAST/PayNow note: The latest bank guides specify that FAST/GIRO services use BIC in place of ACH bank/branch codes; some banks still need a branch code when appending inside the account number string for certain formats (noted above). See the “FAST/GIRO user note” in UOB’s guide.
Bank Codes in Singapore (Complete List — commonly used)
The table below lists the 4-digit clearing Bank Codes most residents and businesses encounter. Where branch-code rules are special, a short note and an official reference are included.
| Bank / Entity | Bank Code | Branch Code Rule (summary) | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| DBS Bank Ltd | 7171 | First 3 digits of 10-digit acct. | DBS guide |
| POSB (DBS) | 7171 | Use branch code 081 for 9-digit POSB accts. | POSB guide |
| Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) | 7339 | Branch code = first 3 digits; drop them in acct field for IBG. | OCBC ACH guide |
| United Overseas Bank (UOB) | 7375 | Map first 3 acct digits to IBG branch code via official list. | UOB ACH & branches (App. A) |
| Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore) Limited | 9496 | Branch code = “0” + first two acct digits. | SCB notice (BIC & bank code) |
| Citibank Singapore Limited | 9201 | Use bank’s BIC for FAST; IBG formats per bank. | Citibank BIC FAQ • OCBC notice (codes) |
| Citibank N.A., Singapore Branch | 7214 | Legacy entity; see notice for correct selection. | OCBC notice (codes) |
| Maybank Singapore Limited | 7302 | Retail/payments under local subsidiary. | Maybank incorporation page |
| Malayan Banking Berhad, Singapore Branch | 9636 | Global Banking business. | Maybank incorporation page |
| HSBC (Corporate) | 7232 | Branch code = first 3 acct digits; drop them in IBG acct field. | UOB ACH guide |
| HSBC (Personal Banking) | 9548 | Branch code = first 3 acct digits; drop them in IBG acct field. | UOB ACH guide |
| Bank of China Limited | 7083 | Use BIC for FAST; IBG branch per bank list. | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) | 8712 | IBG branch codes listed in App. B. | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| CIMB Bank Berhad | 7986 | Branch list per App. B (IBG). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| RHB Bank Berhad | 7366 | Branch list per App. B (IBG). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| State Bank of India (SBI) | 7791 | Branch code = first 3 acct digits; drop those in IBG acct field. | UOB ACH guide |
| Bank of America, N.A. | 7065 | Singapore branch (IBG branch codes in App. B). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| The Bank of East Asia | 7092 | Singapore branch (IBG branch codes in App. B). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | 7153 | Singapore branch (IBG branch codes in App. B). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| BNP Paribas | 7418 | Singapore branch (IBG branch codes in App. B). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| Deutsche Bank AG | 7463 | Singapore branch (IBG branch codes in App. B). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| Mizuho Bank | 7621 | Singapore branch (IBG branch codes in App. B). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| UBS AG | 7685 | Singapore branch (IBG branch codes in App. B). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| ICICI Bank Limited | 9186 | Singapore branch (IBG branch codes in App. B). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
| CTBC Bank Co., Ltd | 9353 | Singapore branch (IBG branch codes in App. B). | UOB ACH guide (App. B) |
Need a specific UOB branch code?
UOB maps the first three digits of your account number to an IBG branch code. For example, account numbers beginning with 130 map to branch code 030 (Clementi), and 138 map to branch code 038 (Tampines). See the official UOB Appendix A for the full mapping.
Worked examples
- DBS account
005-1234567→ Bank code 7171, Branch code 005, Account number0051234567. (Branch code is the first three digits.) - POSB account
123456789→ Bank code 7171, Branch code 081, Account number123456789. - OCBC account
5501089550→ Bank code 7339, Branch code 550, IBG “Account No.” field should be1089550(drop the first three digits). - Standard Chartered account
18xxxxxxxx→ Bank code 9496, Branch code 018 (0+ first two digits), Account number is the full 10 digits. - HSBC Corporate account
146XXXXXXX→ Bank code 7232, Branch code 146, “Account No.” field excludes those first three digits in IBG files.
FAQ
Do I still need bank/branch codes for FAST or PayNow? Most retail portals don’t ask for them—your bank selection and account number are sufficient, and the transfer routes via BIC. Some banks still specify a branch code when you build IBG files or certain bulk formats. Follow the bank’s official guide linked above.
What if my bank isn’t listed here? Use the bank’s official help page or the consolidated ACH/BIC guides. If in doubt, contact the bank to confirm the code used for your account type.
Important accuracy note
For salary crediting, vendor payouts, or any payment where accuracy is critical, always confirm the bank/branch code on the bank’s official website or with the bank directly. Some banks operate multiple entities in Singapore (e.g., local subsidiaries and branches) with different codes, and formats are periodically updated.
Official references
- DBS — Singapore bank, branch and transaction codes.
- POSB — Bank & Branch Codes.
- UOB — ACH Bank & Branch Code Guides (includes FAST/GIRO note and full UOB branch mapping).
- OCBC — ACH Bank and Branch Code Guide.
- Standard Chartered — Important Notice: New BIC and Bank Code (Bank code 9496).
- Citibank — OCBC notice summarising Citibank (N.A. & Singapore Ltd) bank codes and Citibank BIC change FAQ.
- Maybank — Local incorporation (contains bank codes 7302 & 9636).
