How many digits are in the bank card number

[Father]

Several digital combinations are used on bank cards. Before talking about how many digits there are in the bank card number, you need to figure out what it is.

What is card number​

The credit card number is a unique numerical combination that is used to identify the account holder and is one of his main details. It is used in the following cases:

• payment for purchases via the Internet
• receiving money transfer to the card
• contacting the Bank Consulting Center

To pay for purchases via the Internet, the owner of the credit card must also indicate the expiration date and security code. When receiving a transfer to a card, it is enough to inform the sender of the funds. When contacting the Bank Consulting Center, most of the information on the account can be obtained after entering the last digits of the payment instrument.

The cardholder can find the number on the front. At the same time, the number of digits will differ depending on the type of payment carrier. On all payment instruments, the number is on the side where the expiration date and the name of the owner are indicated.

It can be applied to the surface by printing or engraving. The second option is much more durable, since the printed numbers are quickly erased from the surface.

Bank card size

Number of digits in the number​

You can find out how many digits there are on a bank card by its type. The combination can be from 16 to 19 digits. There are 16 numbers of Visa and Mastercard. Maestro and American Express consist of 18. The number of additional cards (for example, for children, which connects to the main account of one of the parents) can be 17 or 19 digits long. If the additional card is connected to the Visa or Mastercard system, then its number will consist of 17, and the additional Maestro and American Express account will have a number consisting of 19 characters.

An exception to the rule is bank's virtual cards , the number of which consists of 15 digits. The virtual payment instrument can only be used to pay for purchases over the Internet. Upon registration, the client receives only a virtual account, but does not receive the carrier itself.

Decoding digital values​

The card number is not a chaotic set, but contains a lot of useful information. The simplest thing that can be recognized by it is the payment system to which it is connected. Its type is indicated by the first digit. For example, Mastercard cards have the first digit 5, and American Express numbers always start with a three. The first six designations indicate the branch of the financial institution where the card was issued. The rest can contain an account and currency.

Where to see the number​

Bank cardholders can find out the number in several ways:

• look at the payment instrument
• using the services of the "Bank Online" service
• in the documents received at the bank branch during registration
• from a consultant by phone
• at the bank branch (if you have a passport)

It is easiest to look at the card itself, but there are situations when it is not at hand, and you need to find out the number urgently. The above methods will help you quickly get the information you need. If there is a need to find out information by phone, the bank employee will ask the client to answer the secret question specified when the card was issued.

Card and account number​

Some cardholders believe that the number on the card matches a bank account. This opinion is erroneous. The bank account number always consists of 20 digits and never coincides with the card, the numeric designations of which are used to identify the owner's account when performing any transactions and is tied to it.

Other numbers on the card​

In addition to the number, the bank card has the following numerical combinations:

• expiration date in mm / yy format
• Security code

The expiration date consists of four numbers and is in the month / year format of expiration. The security code consists of 3 digits for Visa, Maestro and Mastercard (indicated on the back) and 4 for American Express (indicated on the front). Unlike the number, the above information should not be passed on to strangers even in situations if they are presented by bank employees. The validity period and security code are not needed when making a transfer to a card, but is used exclusively when paying for purchases.