Air Waybill Validator: Check an 11-Digit AWB Number
An air waybill validator checks the structure of an 11-digit IATA air waybill number and verifies that its final digit equals the seven-digit serial number modulo 7.
Validate the airline prefix, serial, and Mod-7 check digit of an IATA air waybill number.
Validate an air waybill number
Enter a value and run the check. Everything runs locally in this page.
Run up to 10,000 validations/mo at <5ms edge latency with zero data retention and 99.9% availability.
curl -X POST https://api.stanzaapi.com/iata-validator/api/v1/iata/validate \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"awb": "020-12345675"}'Runs entirely in your browser. The value you type is never sent to a server.
How to validate an air waybill number
- Enter the 11-digit number — Type the AWB number with or without the hyphen after the airline prefix.
- Split the prefix and serial — The first three digits are the airline accounting prefix; the next seven digits are the serial number.
- Verify the Mod-7 check digit — The last digit must equal the serial number modulo 7 under IATA Resolution 600a.
What the check verifies
The check verifies that an 11-digit air waybill number has a valid structure and that its last digit equals the seven-digit serial modulo 7. This is the check digit defined by IATA Resolution 600a; it detects single-digit typos but does not confirm that the shipment exists.
The validator splits the number into its three-digit airline accounting prefix and seven-digit serial, then divides the serial by 7 and compares the remainder with the final digit. IATA Resolution 600a defines this Mod-7 check digit.
A valid number confirms the format only. Airline prefix ownership and live shipment status are separate lookups, and the Stanza IATA Validator API resolves the airline behind a prefix.
Air waybill format
| Field | Digits |
|---|---|
| Airline accounting prefix | 3 |
| Serial number | 7 |
| Mod-7 check digit | 1 |
Worked example: 020-12345675. The serial 1234567 modulo 7 is 5, which matches the final digit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Divide the seven-digit serial number by 7 and keep the remainder. The last digit of the AWB must equal that remainder, from 0 to 6.
An AWB number is 11 digits: a three-digit airline accounting prefix, a seven-digit serial number, and a one-digit Mod-7 check digit, usually written as 020-12345675.
The AWB number identifies the air waybill document issued for a shipment. Carriers use it as the shipment reference for tracking, but the tracking status is not part of the number itself.
This tool validates air waybill numbers only. Stanza also documents the 13-digit IATA e-ticket format and its Mod-7 check digit, and the IATA Validator API covers e-tickets and baggage tags.
The free tool checks one number at a time. The Stanza IATA Validator API is the server-side option for integrations with API-key authentication and higher payload limits.
Free browser tool vs Stanza API
| Capability | Free browser tool | Stanza API |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Your browser | Cloudflare edge |
| Authentication | None | Bearer API key |
| Rate limit | None | Published per-tier limits |
| Data handling | Never leaves your device | In-memory, zero retention |
| E-ticket and baggage tag validation through the IATA Validator API | No | Yes |
| Airline prefix resolution with carrier name and country | No | Yes |