How Long is a Credit Card Number?

Credit card numbers can range in length from 12 to 19 digits. The number of digits in a credit card number can give you some clues about the card issuer and the type of card it is.

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The Length of a Credit Card Number

A credit card number is typically 16 digits long. The first digit is the Major Industry Identifier (MII), which indicates the industry of the card issuer. The next six digits are the Issuer Identification Number (IIN), which identify the specific card issuer. The remaining digits are the individual account number.

Visa

Credit card numbers are generated according to a certain algorithm. The first six digits of a Visa credit card number are the issuer identification number (IIN), which is also called the bank identification number (BIN). These identify the institution that issued the card. The next nine digits are individual account identifiers. The final digit is a check digit, which can be used to verify the accuracy of the preceding digits.

MasterCard

MasterCard credit card numbers always have 16 digits. The first digit is the Major Industry Identifier (MII), which indicates the industry where the card will be used most. The next six digits are the Issuer Identification Number (IIN), which identify the issuer of the card. The remainder of the number is the individual account identifier.

American Express

American Express credit card numbers are 15 digits long and start with 3. American Express cards also have a 4-digit card security code (CSC) located on the front of the card, above the right-hand side of the credit card number.

Discover

The standard credit card number is between 13 and 16 digits long. The number is generated by a mathematical formula that produces a unique number for each card. The first six digits of the number are known as the Issuer Identification Number (IIN), and they identify the issuing bank. The remaining digits are the account number, and they identify the individual cardholder account.

The Significance of the Credit Card Number

The credit card number is the most important part of a credit card. It is the main identifier of the card and is used to track all transactions made with the card. The credit card number is also used to verify the cardholder’s identity and to prevent fraud.

The IIN

The Credit Card number is divided into several parts. The first part is the Issuer Identification Number (IIN). The IIN makes up the first six digits of credit card numbers generated by Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and JCB. These IINs identify the card-issuing institution that issued the card. The next nine digits are individual account numbers. And the last digit is a check digit.

The IIN is also commonly referred to as the Bank Identification Number (BIN). A BIN can be used to identify:
-The type of card: debit, credit, or prepaid;
-The issuing institution;
-The card brand: Visa, Mastercard, etc.;
-The level or tier of service; and
-Some cards may even indicate what country the card was issued in.

The Account Number

The account number is typically 16 digits long. The first digit is the Major Industry Identifier (MII), which indicates the issuing institution. The next six digits are the issuer identification number (IIN), sometimes referred to as the bank identification number (BIN). The IIN uniquely identifies the card issuer within an industry, and the first digit of the IIN is used to identify the industry.
The following table shows how the first digit of the IIN corresponds to an industry:

0 – Banking and financial institutions
1 – Airlines
2 – Airlines and travel-related services
3 – Entertainment and gaming
4 – Banking and financial institutions
5 – Banking and financial institutions
6 – Merchandising and banking/financial institutions
7 – Petroleum and other industries
8 – Telecommunications and other industries
9 – National assignment

The Check Digit

The Check Digit is the last digit of the credit card number. It is used to verify the credit card number. The check digit is calculated using the Luhn algorithm.