SWIFT/BIC codes in Czechia

Czechia: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

On this page you find codes for 133 institutions in Czechia, 148 codes in all. Every code points to an institution or one of its branches and tells other banks where an international payment should go.

Search for the recipient’s bank in the list and click through to see all codes we have. The rest of this page explain the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing before you send money.

Which bank in Czechia has the most codes?

Of the 133 banks we list for Czechia, Payment Execution S.r.o. has the most codes. Its head office code is PAERCZP1XXX – the code most transfers need.

How many codes a bank has says more about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Paying someone at Payment Execution S.r.o.? Use PAERCZP1XXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

What a sender needs to pay you in Czechia

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs several details from you. That means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and, often, your postal address.

The code of your bank appears in the list on this page, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. Some sending banks may also want your bank’s address; it does no harm to include it.

Expect that the incoming amount is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. Agree with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

Tracking a payment to Czechia

There is no single answer for transfers to Czechia: many arrive the same day or the next, others take several business days. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday often go out a business day later.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms – you will need it if something goes wrong.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Czechia

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. Characters one to four stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and the next two mark the location.

You can spot a bank code from Czechia by letters five and six. If those two letters do not match Czechia, the code belongs to a bank somewhere else – worth double-checking.

An 11-character code adds a branch code. Use a branch code just if the recipient’s bank asks for it; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Bank or transfer service for Czechia?

A bank transfer to Czechia can cost more than you think. You pay the transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. An easy check: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives in Czechia with different services, so you can pick the cheapest route.

How reliable is this list?

The best place to find the correct BIC remains a document from the bank itself. When the code you were given differs from the code listed here, stop and ask: check with the recipient or the bank.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is compiled from publicly available sources that we update periodically. Institutions merge, change names and retire codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Before a payment that matters, confirm the code with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site, not a bank.

Fraudsters often send fake invoices carrying new bank details. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Czechia and the SEPA area

Since Czechia is in the SEPA zone, a euro transfer to a bank in Czechia normally requires just the IBAN. Many banks no longer ask for the BIC in that case.

The BIC still come into play when the currency is not euros. SEPA transfers usually arrive by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Costs stay low provided no currency is converted.

Czechia and the Czech Koruna

Bank accounts in Czechia are typically held in CZK, the local currency. Money sent in a different currency will be converted into CZK – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Who does the conversion has an effect on how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. Check how much CZK arrives with different services; the difference between options can be larger than you expect. Exchange rates change all the time.