<P> Electronic fund transfers (EFT) are the most common method of non-cash payment in Australia . EFT transactions between bank accounts use the Direct Entry system . For transfers using the Direct Entry System, BSB and bank account numbers must be given for the accounts to be debited as well as for the account to which funds are to be transferred . Electronic transactions are processed under the Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS) (also known as CS2) drawn up by APCA . The requirement for two - sided BSBs is eased in transactions involving payment cards, such as credit cards or debit cards, and in BPAY transactions, in which one side of the transfer is an account which includes the BSB electronically linked to the card and BPAY biller . </P> <P> For incoming international transfers, SWIFT codes are used in addition to the Basic Bank Account Number (BBAN), which comprises a BSB and bank account number . There is no public discussion of the adoption of IBAN identifiers for incoming international transactions . Any process towards IBAN would involve considerable changes to bank software and computer systems, and the requirement for financial institutions to adopt defined length account numbers . Outgoing international transfers must use either the SWIFT or IBAN system in use in the destination country, which would incorporate that country's format for BBAN . </P> <P> The BSB is a six - digit code . The format of the BSB code originally was for the first two digits to indicate the "bank" and the other four digits to specify the "branch" of that financial institution, the first digit of which was the state code indicating the state where the branch was located . For example, the Australian BSB code "033088" breaks down to: </P> <Ul> <Li> 03 = Westpac Banking Corporation, historically the trading operation </Li> <Li> 3 = Victoria </Li> <Li> 088 = 383 Chapel Street, Prahran </Li> </Ul>

What does an australian bank account number look like