Faroe Islands IBAN Format (FO) — Structure, Length & Example

The Faroe Islands IBAN is 18 characters long and uses the country code FO. The Faroe Islands is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark with its own currency — the Faroese króna (FOK), pegged 1:1 to the Danish krone (DKK). The Faroe Islands is not a SEPA member and is not part of the EU; international transfers to Faroese accounts use the SWIFT correspondent banking network.

Faroe Islands IBAN at a Glance

• Country code: FO
• Total length: 18 characters (always)
• Format: FOkk bbbb cccccccc r
• BBAN length: 14 characters
• Character types: 4-digit bank code + 9-digit account number + 1-digit check digit
• SEPA member: No
• Currency: Faroese króna (FOK), pegged to Danish krone (DKK)

Faroe Islands IBAN Structure Explained

1. Country Code — FO (2 characters)

The ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code for the Faroe Islands. Every Faroese IBAN begins with FO.

2. Check Digits — kk (2 digits)

Two decimal digits computed using the MOD-97 algorithm (ISO 7064). They catch transcription and transposition errors before the payment is transmitted.

3. Bank Code — bbbb (4 digits)

A 4-digit numeric code identifying the Faroese bank. Major banks and their codes:

• 6460 — Føroya Banki (Bank of the Faroe Islands) — the largest domestically incorporated bank in the islands, offering retail and corporate banking.
• 6400 — Betri Banki — the second-largest domestic bank, focusing on retail banking for Faroese residents and businesses.
• 6420 — Norðoya Sparikassi — a savings bank serving the northern islands.
• 6200 — Suðuroyar Sparikassi — a savings bank serving the southern island of Suðuroy.
• 9420 — Jyske Bank (Faroe branch) — the Danish bank with branches on the islands.

4. Account Number — ccccccccc (9 digits)

A 9-digit numeric account number. The Faroese account number field is entirely numeric — no alphabetic characters appear in this position.

5. Check Digit — r (1 digit)

A single decimal check digit at the end of the BBAN, derived from the bank code and account number using the Danish/Faroese domestic modulo algorithm. This domestic check digit provides an additional error-detection layer beyond the two IBAN check digits.

Faroe Islands IBAN Example Explained

FO62 6460 0001 6316 34

This is an example IBAN for illustrative purposes only. Do not use for real transfers.

• Country: FO (Faroe Islands)
• Check digits: 62
• Bank code: 6460 (Føroya Banki)
• Account number: 000163163 (9 digits)
• Check digit: 4

Validate any Faroese IBAN at the ibanchecker.cash IBAN validator, or see the full format specification at /iban-format/fo.

How Faroe Islands IBAN Validation Works

1. Country code check: The first two characters must be exactly FO.
2. Length check: The IBAN must be exactly 18 characters after removing all spaces.
3. Character type check: The entire 14-character BBAN must consist only of decimal digits — no letters.
4. MOD-97 check: Move the first four characters to the end, replace each letter with its numeric value (F=15, O=24), and divide by 97. A valid IBAN always produces a remainder of 1.

The Faroe Islands Is Not a SEPA Country

Although the Faroe Islands is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, it chose to stay outside the European Union when Denmark joined in 1973. As a result, the islands are also outside SEPA. Practical implications for international payments:

• Transfers to Faroese IBANs are processed via the SWIFT network, not SEPA rails.
• Processing times are typically 1–3 business days for DKK/FOK-denominated transfers and up to 5 days for other currencies.
• Correspondent bank fees may apply in addition to the sending bank's charges.
• The BIC/SWIFT code of the Faroese bank must be provided alongside the IBAN for international transfers.
• SEPA Direct Debit is not available for Faroese accounts — recurring mandates must use alternative collection methods.

Look up Faroese bank BIC codes using the ibanchecker.cash SWIFT directory.

Faroe Islands vs. Denmark: IBAN Differences

Denmark and the Faroe Islands share similar IBAN structures — both are 18 characters and use the same bank-code format — but use different country codes:

• Danish IBANs: DK + 2 check digits + 14-digit BBAN
• Faroese IBANs: FO + 2 check digits + 14-digit BBAN

A Danish IBAN will not route to a Faroese bank. The country code is the critical differentiator. Greenland, another territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, uses the country code GL and also has an 18-character IBAN.

Greenland IBAN: A Related Format

Greenland (GL) shares the same IBAN length and BBAN structure as the Faroe Islands (FO), because both use the Danish interbank clearing infrastructure domestically, with separate IBAN country codes for international use. If you are sending payments to Greenland, note that the country code must be GL, not FO or DK.

Common Faroe Islands IBAN Mistakes

Using DK Instead of FO

The most frequent error when sending to the Faroe Islands is entering country code DK (Denmark) instead of FO. This can produce a structurally valid Danish IBAN that routes to a Danish bank rather than the intended Faroese account — a misdirected payment.

Wrong Length — 16 or 20 Characters

Faroese IBANs are always 18 characters. A 16-character IBAN would be invalid for any country. A 20-character IBAN belongs to Kosovo or Norway. Always count to 18 after removing all spaces.

Missing BIC for SWIFT Transfers

Because the Faroe Islands is outside SEPA, the BIC is required for every international transfer. Sending just the IBAN without a BIC may result in the payment being delayed, returned, or held at the correspondent bank.

Confusing FOK and DKK

The Faroese króna (FOK) is pegged 1:1 to the Danish krone (DKK) and circulates interchangeably within Denmark, but internationally they are treated as different currencies by some financial systems. Specify the currency carefully in payment instructions.

Validating Faroe Islands IBANs in Bulk

Businesses with suppliers or employees in the North Atlantic territories can validate Faroese IBANs alongside Danish, Norwegian, and Greenlandic IBANs using the ibanchecker.cash bulk checker. Upload a CSV of up to 100 IBANs for instant per-row validation, bank code extraction, and error reporting.

Last updated: June 2026