Bank Sepah SWIFT/BIC code

Bank Sepah SWIFT code: SEPBFRP1

Whether a recipient gives you SEPBFRP1 or SEPBFRP1XXX, it is the same identifier for Bank Sepah in France. A SWIFT code shows the sending bank exactly which bank is meant to get the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. In practice you mostly come across the code on invoices from abroad, in your banking app and in the bank details of Bank Sepah customers.

On this page you can read what the code is put together, when it matters and which other details a transfer to or from Bank Sepah requires. The SWIFT code on its own does not identify a personal account; that is what the IBAN or account number is for.

Receiving money from abroad at Bank Sepah

When you are waiting for money from abroad, send the payer everything they need in one go. The basics are: your name, account number or IBAN, SEPBFRP1XXX and often your postal address.

Their bank may request the bank address of Bank Sepah, in which case the Paris head office is the usual answer. A mistake in the IBAN can be harder to fix than you might think; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

Expect that the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate comes on top. On invoices, it is common to agree who bears the costs, so that nobody is left short.

Is SEPBFRP1 still correct? How to check

The most reliable place for the correct BIC remains a document from the bank itself like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. When the code you were given does not match SEPBFRP1 or SEPBFRP1XXX, stop and ask.

With a wrong code, the transfer may be delayed, be returned or cost extra, and tracing it can take weeks. Do not forget the IBAN: an error there is harder to undo than a wrong BIC.

A format check by your bank only confirms that the IBAN exists, not that it is the right account. More and more banks compare the payee name against the account before you confirm – do not ignore a mismatch warning. A small test payment can be worth it for large sums, even if it costs an extra fee.

Sending EUR to Bank Sepah

Accounts at Bank Sepah are typically held in EUR, the local currency. Money sent in a different currency will be exchanged into EUR, and whoever converts it chooses the rate. Each conversion eats into the amount.

Where the conversion happens affects how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. In many cases it is cheaper to send EUR straight away through a transfer service with a good rate, so that the receiving bank does not need to convert again.

The EUR rate fluctuates constantly. If you pay regularly, a slightly better rate add up over a year.

Euro transfers to Bank Sepah: is a BIC needed?

France is a member of the SEPA area, the zone for standardised euro payments. For a regular euro transfer within SEPA, you normally only need the IBAN and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

The BIC does matter for payments in other currencies. If your banking app has a field for the BIC anyway, entering SEPBFRP1 does no harm.

Instant euro transfers are increasingly supported within SEPA – whether Bank Sepah offers them for your account is worth checking. Charges on SEPA payments are generally low.

Bank Sepah: head office code versus branch codes

Bank Sepah has 3 different SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code, SEPBFRP1XXX; the rest belong to branches or departments.

Usually you do not need to pick a branch: payments addressed to SEPBFRP1XXX reach Bank Sepah correctly. When you receive a branch code, use it as it is rather than replacing it with the head office code.

Unsure which code applies? Ask the recipient. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired over time, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

International transfers from Bank Sepah: the real cost

An international bank payment can cost more than the listed fee. There is the transfer fee, possibly charges from correspondent banks in between and, above all, the exchange rate markup if the currency changes.

That exchange rate margin is often the largest cost. An easy check: set the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer – mostly thanks to the rate. GoldexPay lists transfer providers side by side so you can see what actually arrives for the same amount sent. Choosing a specialist does not require leaving Bank Sepah – you pay the provider from your own account.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Scammers often use fake invoices with changed bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. That SEPBFRP1 is a real code is no guarantee that the account is legitimate – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Never rely on contact details in the same message that announces the new account. Pressure and secrecy tend to be red flags. Acted too fast? Contact the bank you paid from straight away and ask them to try to recall the payment.

People receiving money can be targeted as well: a classic trick is an overpayment followed by a request to send back the difference to another account. A screenshot of a transfer proves nothing – check your own account.

How up to date is this code?

The codes here are taken from publicly available data that we update regularly. It can happen that information on this page is out of date. The number of codes we show reflect what is in our directory, not official figures from Bank Sepah.

See the information here as a handy check. We are an independent comparison service and not part of Bank Sepah. Spotted an error? Let us know via our contact form.

What the XXX in SEPBFRP1XXX means

Every SWIFT/BIC code starts with the same eight core characters: a four-letter bank code, two letters for the country and two characters for the location. In this case, the 8-character core is SEPBFRP1.

The 11-character version has three more characters that identify a branch or department. If the last three are XXX, the code points to the head office.

As a rule the code is typed in capitals and without spaces. Watch for O versus 0 and the letter I and the digit 1, a common source of typos.

Tracking a transfer to or from Bank Sepah

There is no fixed answer: some land within a day while others need several business days. Weekends and public holidays in either country can add extra days to the journey. Extra checks on larger or unusual payments may also add a delay.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sending bank for the tracking status; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived.

If the money does not arrive after a few business days, the sender needs to contact their own bank rather than Bank Sepah. On the receiving end, it helps to check your statements to see a slightly lower amount.