BLZ Code, Bankleitzahl, Sort Code is an 8 digit code used for money transfers with domestic banks in Germany. The code is used to identify an individual branch of a financial organization in Germany. For international monetary transfers, a SWIFT Code is used with Bankleitzahl and Account Number.
Some countries have a direct equivalent to sort code's in their countries with a distinctive format for the country concerned. Germany and Austria use Bankleitzahl, which is equivalent to sort code. However, in the beginning of 2014 Bankleitzahl was replaced by IBAN as a part of EURO standardization.
The BLZ Code comprises of 8 Digits. For example, ABBCDDDD
The following is the clearing area code which represents the first digit of Bankleitzahl.
| Area Code | Area |
| 1 | Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
| 2 | Bremen, Hamburg, Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein |
| 3 | Nordrhein-Westfalen, Landesteil Rheinland (Regierungsbezirke Düsseldorf, Köln) |
| 4 | Nordrhein-Westfalen, Landesteile Westfalen und Lippe |
| 5 | Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland |
| 6 | Baden-Württemberg |
| 7 | Bayern |
| 8 | Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen |
The following is the banking group code which represents the fourth digit of Bankleitzahl.
| Banking Group Code | Area |
| 0 | German Federal Bank branches |
| 1 | Credit institutions, if not included in another group, and German Postbank AG |
| 2 | Banks, not included in another group recorded (formerly regional, local, specialty, home and banking industry for example, HypoVereinsbank) |
| 3 | Credit institutions, if not included in another group (formerly private bankers ) - eg as HypoVereinsbank |
| 4 | Commerzbank and subsidiary institutions (eg comdirect ) |
| 5 | Savings banks and Landesbanken |
| 6 | Cooperatives and cooperative banks (or credit unions ) |
| 7 | German bank and subsidiary institutions |
| 8 | Commerzbank (formerly Dresdner Bank) |
| 9 | People banks (or credit unions ) |