What the CLABE guarantees
The CLABE is a unique number assigned to each bank account. It guarantees that a deposit or an interbank transfer is applied exactly to the account named, and not to another one.
It's also used to set up recurring payments, like electricity, water or phone: you give the company your CLABE once, and it charges your account directly every month, without you having to make a manual transfer.
NoteThe CLABE doesn't replace your checking account number or your debit card: they're different details, for different uses.
The CLABE's 18 digits
The 18 digits are split into four blocks, each with a purpose. The first six identify the bank and the branch region; the next eleven, your account; the last one confirms the previous details are correct. If a single digit is mistyped, the check digit catches it before the money moves.
| Digits | What they identify |
|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | The bank |
| 4 to 6 | The branch region |
| 7 to 17 | The account number |
| Digit 18 | Check digit, to verify the 17 before it |
Which bank it belongs to
The first digits of a CLABE say which bank it belongs to. For a payment between different banks you're asked for the full CLABE; for a transfer within the same bank, the 10-digit account number is enough. Several loan or payroll platforms also ask for the CLABE, even when the deposit stays at your own bank.
The portal's bank directory lists the full codes and which institution each one belongs to, drawn from the SPEI participant catalog.
With VerikoWith Veriko the CLABE is read straight from the photo of the receipt, and we work out which bank it belongs to without you copying it by hand.
How Veriko does it
Veriko looks up the CEP with Banxico using the details from the photo you upload or type in, and gives you a verdict in about 10 seconds. The CLABE the CEP shows confirms which account and which bank the payment reached, without you having to compare it by hand.
The difference is the effort per transfer. On the Banxico site you type in six exact details, including the CLABE, and solve a security image, one lookup at a time. With Veriko the system reads the details, and if Banxico doesn't respond, the lookup can retry on its own.
| What you need | By hand on the Banxico site | With Veriko |
|---|---|---|
| Data | Six exact details, including the CLABE | The photo of the receipt, or the typed details |
| Hours | 9:30 to 23:00 | Any time, with automatic retries if Banxico doesn't respond |
| Volume | One transfer per lookup | Hundreds of payments in a file, or by API |
| Result | The CEP's PDF or XML | The verdict with date, amount and banks, and the CEP saved |
| Record | None: you keep it yourself | History, reports and alerts in your panel |
If you send or receive transfers often, every manual lookup is time and a chance for error. There's a free plan that never expires to try it, and the pricing page compares the paid plans.
Frequently asked questions
How many digits does the CLABE have?
Eighteen. The first six identify the bank and the branch region, the next eleven your account, and the last is a check digit that verifies the rest.
What's the CLABE for?
It identifies your account so a deposit or an interbank transfer lands exactly there. It's also used to set up recurring payments, like electricity, water or phone, and several loan platforms ask for it to deposit a loan.
What's the difference between the CLABE and the account number?
The CLABE, with 18 digits, is for transfers between different banks. The account number, with 10 digits, is for operations within the same bank.
Is it safe to share my CLABE?
The CLABE identifies your account so you can be paid: neither Condusef nor the ABM, which administers the standard, say it alone allows a withdrawal. Still, only share it with whoever is going to pay you, and never alongside passwords or one-time codes.
Does the CLABE have anything to do with the CEP?
Yes: the beneficiary account's CLABE is one of the details Banxico asks for to generate a transfer's CEP. The CEP guide explains the rest of the process, and it's also used to confirm who received the payment when you track a transfer.
How do I know which bank a CLABE belongs to?
The first digits identify the bank. The portal's bank directory lists the full codes and which institution each one belongs to, so you don't have to memorize them.