# France IBAN Validator & RIB Checker (Banque de France)
> Verify 27-character French IBANs with Banque de France RIB key algorithms and branch code resolution.

- **Canonical URL:** https://stanzaapi.com/tools/iban-validator/country/france-fr
- **Governing Standard:** ISO 13616 / ISO 7064 MOD-97-10 (SWIFT & ISO 13616 IBAN Registry)
- **Latency:** <1ms Edge
- **Privacy:** In-memory execution only (zero data stored or logged)

## Technical Overview & Governing Rules
In France, the International Bank Account Number (IBAN) has a fixed length of 27 alphanumeric characters starting with the two-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code 'FR', followed by two MOD-97 check digits.

The National Basic Bank Account Number (BBAN) follows the official pattern: 10n11c2n. The national bank code is located at BBAN character offset [0:5]. The branch identifier is at offset [5:10].

National IBAN transfers in France (FR) are settled in EUR.

Validation computes the ISO 7064 Modulo-97-10 checksum by transposing the first 4 characters to the end, converting letters to numeric digits (A=10, ..., Z=35), and calculating arithmetic integer modulo 97 (must equal 1).

## Specification Matrix
| Attribute | Value | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country Code | FR | ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 |
| Total IBAN Length | 27 characters | Fixed standard length |
| BBAN Format | 10n11c2n | National structure (n=numeric, a=alpha, c=alphanumeric) |
| SEPA Zone | Yes (Single Euro Payments Area) | SEPA compliance status |
| Currency (ISO 4217) | EUR | National settlement currency |
| Bank Code Position | BBAN Offset 0 (5 chars) | National clearing code |
| Branch Code Position | BBAN Offset 5 (5 chars) | Branch identification |

## Standard JSON Response Model
```json
{
  "valid": true,
  "iban": "FR00...",
  "countryCode": "FR",
  "countryName": "France",
  "length": 27,
  "bban": "10n11c2n",
  "sepa": true,
  "checksumValid": true,
  "bankCode": "XXXX"
}
```

## Frequently Asked Questions & Edge Cases
### Q: How many characters is an IBAN in France?
**A:** An official IBAN in France (FR) is exactly 27 characters in length. Any shorter or longer value fails ISO 13616 validation.

### Q: Is France part of the SEPA payment network?
**A:** France is a member of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), enabling low-cost euro bank transfers.

### Q: What currency are France IBAN transfers settled in?
**A:** IBAN transfers for France (FR) settle in EUR, the national settlement currency. Cross-border SEPA transfers to France may still be denominated in EUR where both banks support the scheme.

### Q: How is the MOD-97 check digit calculated for FR IBANs?
**A:** The first 4 characters are moved to the end, letters are converted to numbers (A=10 to Z=35), and the resulting number is evaluated with modulo 97 arithmetic. A valid IBAN yields a remainder of exactly 1.