CLABE validator: check a Mexican bank account number before you pay.

What a CLABE is

A CLABE (Clave Bancaria Estandarizada, standardized bank code) is the 18-digit number that identifies a bank account in Mexico for interbank transfers. Mexican suppliers put it on their invoices so buyers can pay through SPEI, the Banco de México system for electronic transfers in pesos.

How the check works

The control digit catches typos. Multiply each of the first 17 digits by 3, 7 and 1 in turn, keep the last digit of each product, add them up, and take the last digit of the total. The control digit is 10 minus that number (or 0 if the result is 10). A single wrong digit almost always breaks the match, which is why checking before you pay avoids a returned payment.

Paying a Mexican supplier from the US

For peso payments, the supplier's CLABE is all you need on SPEI. For US dollar payments, you send a wire to the supplier's USD account at their Mexican bank using its SWIFT code; many banks ask for the CLABE in the wire details too. Our guide on how to pay suppliers in Mexico covers both, and the Mexico guide explains how Mexican companies receive US dollars.

Bank codes

The first three digits of a CLABE identify the bank.

Questions

What is a CLABE?

A CLABE (Clave Bancaria Estandarizada) is the 18-digit standardized bank account number used in Mexico for interbank transfers, including SPEI payments. Every Mexican bank account that can receive a transfer has one.

How is a CLABE checked?

The last of the 18 digits is a control digit calculated from the first 17. Each digit is multiplied by 3, 7 or 1 in turn, the last digit of each product is added up, and the control digit is ten minus the last digit of that sum. If it does not match, the number has a typo.

Does a valid CLABE prove who owns the account?

No. It only proves the number is well formed and points to a real bank code. Always confirm the beneficiary name with the supplier by a second channel before the first payment.

Is a CLABE the same as a SWIFT code?

No. The CLABE identifies the account inside Mexico. A SWIFT code (BIC) identifies the bank in an international wire. A USD wire from the US to a Mexican bank usually needs both.

What do the first three digits mean?

They are the bank code. For example 002 is Banamex, 012 is BBVA Mexico, 014 is Santander and 072 is Banorte. The full list is below.

Can I pay a CLABE in US dollars?

SPEI moves Mexican pesos. To pay a supplier in USD, send a wire to the supplier's USD account at their Mexican bank, using its SWIFT code and the account details the bank gives, which often include the CLABE.

References

1. CLABE: structure and control digit
2. Open-source CLABE bank code list (MIT license)

This tool checks the format of a CLABE only. It does not confirm the account holder or that the account is open.