SWIFT/BIC codes in France: banks starting with K

SWIFT/BIC codes in France

In France we have 4924 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 2801 institutions. You need such a code mainly when making payments across borders, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Select the bank below to view the head office code and any branch codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. The rest of this page covers how the codes work, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing.

When does money sent to France arrive?

A SWIFT payment to France usually needs one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Bank holidays in either country add extra days, because banks do not process payments on those days.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Specialist transfer services often show a status in their app.

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Bank accounts in France are usually held in EUR – the Euro. A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into EUR before it reaches the account – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Which bank converts the payment makes a difference: every bank has its own margin. Compare how much EUR the recipient gets with several providers before choosing one. Exchange rates change during the day, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.

The structure of a France SWIFT/BIC code

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. The first four letters stand for the bank, characters five and six form the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

You can spot a code from France by the fifth and sixth characters. A code with other letters in that position belong to another country.

An 11-character code ends in a branch code – XXX stands for the head office. For most transfers the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Paying in euros to France

Because France is part of SEPA, a euro transfer to an account in France usually only needs an IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC in that case.

You still need a SWIFT code for non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. Instant euro transfers are widely available across SEPA. Provided the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer is usually cheap.

Which bank in France has the most codes?

Of the 2801 banks in France, Credit Agricole has the most codes. Its head office code is AGRIFRPP802 – the code most transfers need.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes. If not a branch code is given, AGRIFRPP802 is fine for a payment to Credit Agricole.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in France

If you expect a payment from another country on an account in France, give the sender all details at once. Share the account holder’s name, the IBAN or account number, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

The code of your bank is in our list, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. Certain banks also ask for your bank’s address.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments differ per bank; check the price list of your bank. On invoices, state who bears the costs, so nobody is left short.

The cheapest way to send money to France

The price of a payment to France is made up of more than one component. You pay the transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate if the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate. A simple test: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Money transfer services often use rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. On GoldexPay you can compare what recipients in France receive across providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot.

Verifying a SWIFT code from France

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. A wrong code can cause a delay, a returned payment or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using publicly available data and check them from time to time. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes. Use our data as a starting point rather than the last word; the recipient’s bank details are leading. We are a comparison site for money transfers, not a bank.

Be wary of payment requests with changed bank details, especially when they come by email. Always verify a change of bank details through a separate channel on a number you know.

Banks in France beginning with the letter :letter

This list only shows the banks in France beginning with :letter, sorted alphabetically. The counts in the introduction still cover the whole country, not just this letter.

If a bank is missing under :letter, try another letter: banks are often registered under their full legal name. The complete list remains one click away if the letter filter does not help.