BSB Number in New Zealand: What It Is (and When You Actually Need One)

TL;DR

• New Zealand banks don’t use BSB numbers. Instead, NZ account numbers include the bank and branch information in their first six digits, followed by the individual account number and suffix.
• A BSB is an Australian six-digit bank and branch identifier. When you’re paying an Australian bank account from New Zealand, you’ll need the recipient’s BSB and account number, not your own NZ banking details.
• The code you need depends on the type of payment: NZ domestic transfers use the recipient’s NZ account number, payments to Australia use the Australian recipient’s BSB and account number, and international transfers may require a SWIFT/BIC code.
• New Zealand doesn’t use IBAN. For international payments involving an NZ account, a SWIFT/BIC code and account number are used instead.
• The main mistake to avoid is entering your own NZ bank code into an Australian BSB field. When paying an Australian account, get the recipient’s current BSB and account number directly, and make sure your NZ account suffix is included when sharing your own details.
• Before sending money, confirm which banking system the payment uses, check whose details the form is asking for, and verify whether a SWIFT/BIC code is needed for an international transfer.

BSB numbers and New Zealand: the one-sentence truth

A BSB number isn’t used in New Zealand since it’s an Australian bank routing code. In NZ, your bank and branch details are built into the first part of your account number instead. So, if you’re sending money to an Australian account, you’ll still need the recipient’s BSB and account number, since those details belong to their bank, but if you’re receiving money in NZ, you won’t use a BSB. At Remitly, we hear this question a lot from Kiwis paying or receiving money across the Tasman, so we’ve put together a clear guide to how it works.

This article helps you if:

• You’re filling in a payment form that asks for a BSB and you’re not sure what to enter.
• You want to know what New Zealand banks use instead of a BSB number.
• You’re not sure whether a transfer needs a BSB, a branch code, or a SWIFT/BIC code.

What is a BSB number in Australia (and what it does)

BSB stands for Bank-State-Branch, and it’s a six-digit number that banks in Australia use to find out which bank branch an account is with. Every Australian bank account has one, written as three pairs of digits, like “062-000”. The BSB tells a payment system which financial institution and branch the account is with, while a separate account number identifies the individual account itself. Together, the two numbers route a domestic transfer to the right place, in much the same way that Australian bank account numbers are structured to pair a routing detail with an individual account reference.

Does New Zealand have a BSB number?

Banks in New Zealand do not use BSB numbers, because the system comes from Australia, where it helps find banks and branches. Instead of BSB numbers, a New Zealand bank account number carries the bank and branch information within it. The standard format breaks down like this:

BB – BBBB – AAAAAAA – SS

• BB is a two-digit bank code, showing which bank you’re with.
• BBBB is a four-digit branch code, showing which branch or region.
• AAAAAAA is a seven-digit account number.
• SS is a two or three-digit suffix that shows which specific account you hold with that bank, like a savings or everyday account.

The hyphens are there for readability only, but your bank stores the full string as one number, and most forms accept it with or without the hyphens. You can check your bank’s NZ bank code against Payments NZ’s public register of participating banks and branches, which is worth a look if you want to confirm a code before sending money. It also might be worth reading about how many digits make up a New Zealand account number to further your understanding.

Paying Australia from New Zealand: which details you need (and whose details they are)

The details a payment needs depend on who is paying whom, and which country’s banking system is doing the work. The table below covers the three scenarios Kiwis run into most often.

If a form is asking you for banking details, it helps to know exactly what each field means before you fill it in.

• “BSB”: the Australian recipient’s routing number. Never enter your own NZ bank code here.
• “SWIFT” or “BIC”: your NZ bank’s international identifier, used when someone overseas is paying you.
• “IBAN”: New Zealand doesn’t issue these, so choose “not applicable” or leave the field blank if your bank’s form allows it.

A few mistakes come up often enough to be worth naming:

• Entering your own NZ bank code into a BSB field, on the assumption that it’s the same kind of number.
• Leaving out the account suffix when sharing your NZ account number, which can delay a payment finding the right sub-account.
• Trying to use a BSB for a domestic New Zealand transfer, where it has no equivalent function.
• Assuming a BSB works the same way across every bank or state, but each one is specific to a single branch of a single bank, rather than a general area code.

Before you hit send, it’s worth working through a short checklist:

• Confirm whether the payment is domestic, NZ to NZ, or Australia to Australia, or crossing the Tasman.
• For an Australian recipient, ask them for their current BSB and account number rather than reusing an old one.
• For your own NZ account, double-check the full string, suffix included.
• If the payment is international rather than a straightforward NZ-to-Australia transfer, check whether a SWIFT/BIC code is also required.

If you’re the one setting up finances on the Australian side, like, before opening a bank account in Australia, your new bank will issue you a BSB and account number of your own to give to people paying you.

SWIFT/BIC, IBAN, and other codes you might be asked for

A SWIFT code, also called a BIC (Bank Identifier Code), identifies a specific bank for international transfers. It’s usually eight or eleven characters long, made up of letters and numbers, and every New Zealand bank has one. You’ll come across it when someone sends you an international money transfer from overseas, or when you’re sending a payment internationally outside a dedicated transfer service.

New Zealand doesn’t use IBAN (International Bank Account Number), which is a system used mainly across Europe and parts of the Middle East. If an international form asks for an IBAN and you’re dealing with a New Zealand account, you can usually mark it as not applicable and rely on the SWIFT/BIC code and account number instead. If you’re ever unsure of the correct SWIFT/BIC code for your own account, check your bank’s website or app rather than a general search result, in case the data online is outdated or incorrect.

A quick way to work out which code applies:

• If you’re sending money within New Zealand, use the recipient’s NZ account number, since there’s no BSB, SWIFT, or IBAN needed.
• When paying an Australian bank account, ask for their BSB and account number.
• Use the SWIFT/BIC code alongside the account number when sending or receiving money internationally.
• If you’re asked for an IBAN on a New Zealand account, use the SWIFT/BIC code instead and choose not applicable on the form if possible.

BSB number New Zealand FAQs

Do New Zealand banks use BSB numbers?

No, New Zealand banks don’t use BSB numbers. The bank and branch information is built into the first part of your account number instead, so there’s no separate code to look up or share.

What do I put in a BSB field when I’m paying an Australian account?

Enter the recipient’s Australian BSB and account number exactly as they’ve given them to you. These belong to their bank, not yours, so there’s nothing extra for you to work out.

Is a BSB number the same as a New Zealand branch code?

No, you can’t use a BSB number for any bank transfer within New Zealand. The banking system in New Zealand uses a branch number, and this number is part of your account number rather than a separate code.

How do I find my New Zealand bank’s branch code?

It’s the first six digits of your full account number. You can also find it on a bank statement, in your online banking app, or by asking your bank directly.

Do I need a SWIFT/BIC code to receive money from Australia?

Only if the payment is coming as an international transfer rather than a domestic Australian one. In that case, the sender needs your bank’s SWIFT code, also called a BIC code, along with your account number.

Does New Zealand use IBAN numbers?

No, New Zealand doesn’t use IBAN. If an international payment form asks for one, you can usually leave it blank or mark it as not applicable, and give your SWIFT/BIC code and account number instead.

How can I look up a New Zealand bank’s code?

You can find a bank’s branch codes on its own website, on a bank statement, or through Payments NZ’s public register of participating banks and branches.

Key takeaways

• New Zealand banks don’t use BSB numbers, because that system belongs to Australia.
• Your NZ account number already includes your bank and branch details, built into its first six digits.
• Paying an Australian account means using the recipient’s BSB and account number, not your own.
• International transfers use a SWIFT/BIC code alongside the account number. New Zealand doesn’t use IBAN.

The easiest way to avoid BSB confusion

If you take one thing from this guide, it should be that a BSB number belongs to Australia, and your New Zealand bank details already carry the same kind of information in a different format. Next time a form asks for a BSB, check whether it’s asking about your account or someone else’s first before filling in any details.

Last reviewed: November 2026