State Bank of India (SBI) IFSC Code — Complete Guide
State Bank of India is India's largest public sector bank and the country's largest bank overall by assets, branches, and customers. Established in 1955 by an Act of Parliament, SBI serves over 50 crore customers through 22,000+ branches and 65,000+ ATMs across every state and union territory. As a Maharatna PSU, SBI handles a significant share of India's total banking transactions and is a key vehicle for government schemes including Jan Dhan Yojana, Mudra Loans, and PM Kisan.
How to Find SBI IFSC Code
- Use the search tool above — select state, district and branch
- Check your SBI cheque book — IFSC printed at top of every leaf
- Open your SBI passbook — front page shows IFSC code
- Log in to SBI net banking → Account Details
Using SBI IFSC for Transfers
- NEFT: Enter IFSC when adding beneficiary. Settled in 30 minutes.
- RTGS: For transfers above ₹2 lakh. Settled in real time.
- IMPS: 24×7 instant transfers up to ₹5 lakh.
- International: Use SWIFT code SBININBB (not IFSC) for overseas transfers.
NEFT, RTGS and IMPS Timings
- NEFT: Available 24×7 including weekends and holidays. Funds transferred in 30-minute settlement batches.
- RTGS: Available 24×7. Minimum transfer ₹2 lakh. Settlement is real-time and immediate.
- IMPS: Available 24×7 all 365 days. Maximum ₹5 lakh per transaction. Instant credit.
How IFSC Code Works in a Bank Transfer
When you initiate a fund transfer, you provide the beneficiary's account number and IFSC code. The payment system uses the IFSC to route the transaction to the correct bank branch. The first 4 characters identify the bank; the last 6 identify the branch. RBI's National Clearing Cell processes the transaction and credits the beneficiary's account.
IFSC Code vs Account Number
Your account number uniquely identifies your individual bank account. The IFSC code identifies the specific branch where that account is held. Both are needed together for online fund transfers — the account number tells where to credit, the IFSC tells which branch to route to.