SWIFT/BIC codes in France

Finding a SWIFT code in France

On this page you find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 2801 institutions in France, 4924 codes in all. A BIC tells every bank in the chain exactly which bank is meant to get the money.

Search for the recipient’s bank in the list and click through to see all codes we have and what else a transfer requires. Below the list you can read how a code from France is put together, how to send money there without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

Which bank in France has the most codes?

Of the 2801 banks we list for France, Credit Agricole has the most SWIFT codes. Its main office uses AGRIFRPP802 and that code covers most payments.

How many codes a bank has tells you more about how it registers branches and services than about its size. Making a payment to Credit Agricole? Go with AGRIFRPP802 except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

Incoming international payments in France

A sender in another country needs several details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and, often, your address.

The code of your bank appears in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. Some sending banks also want the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

The amount you receive can be lower than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate comes on top. For business payments, state who bears the costs, so nobody is left short.

How reliable is this list?

Have the recipient copy the account details straight from their banking app. When the code you were given differs from our list, stop and ask.

We collect bank codes from public sources and update our list from time to time. Institutions reorganise, change names and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. Treat our data as a starting point; the recipient’s bank details are leading. GoldexPay is not a bank and has no link to the banks in this list.

Scammers regularly send fake invoices carrying changed bank details from what looks like a familiar address. Before paying, verify a change of bank details through a separate channel.

Sending money to France for less

When you transfer money to France with a regular bank, the fee you see is rarely all of what you pay. There is a transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialised transfer providers often use rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. Before you send money to France, take a minute comparing the total cost via GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

What the letters in a France BIC mean

Each SWIFT/BIC code has 8 or 11 characters in a fixed order. The first four letters stand for the bank, characters five and six form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

You can recognise a bank code from France by the fifth and sixth characters – those always form the country code of France. If the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank somewhere else, so check again.

If the last three are XXX, it refers to the head office. Use a branch code only when the recipient’s bank asks for it – otherwise stick with the head office.

France and the SEPA area

France belongs to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the zone for uniform euro payments. For a regular euro transfer from another SEPA country, the IBAN is usually enough.

The BIC does come into play for payments in other currencies. Euro payments within SEPA normally land within one business day or faster with instant payments. As long as no conversion is involved, the transfer is usually cheap.

When does money sent to France arrive?

A SWIFT payment to France usually needs one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Transfers sent late in the day or just before weekends and holidays usually start a business day later.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact the sending bank and ask for the status or the UETR; only the sending side can start an official trace. Keep your transfer receipt – you will need it if something goes wrong.

France and the Euro

France uses the Euro. Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into EUR before it reaches the account, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Who converts the payment matters: every bank has its own margin. Compare how much EUR the recipient gets with different services; the difference between options can be larger than you expect. On larger amounts, even a small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.