SWIFT/BIC codes in Germany: banks starting with D

Bank SWIFT codes for Germany

For Germany we have 8518 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 2804 banks. Every code identifies an institution or one of its branches, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Search for the recipient’s bank in the list and click through for the full list of codes and the details a transfer needs. The rest of this page covers the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes.

How SWIFT codes from Germany are built

Each SWIFT/BIC code has 8 or 11 characters. Characters one to four identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

No matter which bank, every code from Germany share the same country code in positions five and six. If those two letters do not match Germany, you are looking at a bank somewhere else – worth double-checking.

When a code ends in XXX, it means the head office and the short version works just as well. Choose a branch code just if the recipient explicitly gives you one.

Sending EUR to Germany

Germany uses the Euro, with the currency code EUR. A payment in a foreign currency is exchanged into EUR on its way to the recipient.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives. Often you pay less to send EUR straight away through a provider that converts near the mid-market rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. On larger amounts, a seemingly small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Filter: banks in Germany with :letter

The letter filter narrows the list to banks in Germany starting with :letter, so you can find a bank faster. The counts in the introduction still refer to the whole country, not just this letter.

Some banks appear under their legal name, which may start with words like Bank or Banco. Use the full list for Germany if you are not sure how the name is spelled.

About our data and how to check a code

The most reliable place for the right code is paperwork issued by the bank, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. When the code you were given differs from our list, do not guess – contact the recipient or their bank.

This list is based on publicly available sources and is updated regularly. Institutions merge, change names and change codes. Use this list as a reference rather than the last word: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is a comparison service for money transfers.

Be wary of payment requests with changed bank details. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Germany

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for several details from you, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. In practice 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 sometimes your postal address.

Look up your bank in the list on this page. You can include the name and city of your bank.

What lands in your account can be lower than the amount sent. Fees for incoming transfers differ per bank. On invoices, state who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

Transfer times to Germany

An international transfer to Germany typically needs anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Public holidays in either country can add a day or more, because banks do not process payments on those days.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer carries a unique reference, the UETR. Keep your transfer receipt.

The cheapest way to send money to Germany

When you transfer money to Germany through your bank, the stated fee is rarely all of the cost. On top of the fee, correspondent banks can take a cut and, if currencies are converted, the bank often applies a rate below the real market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate. A simple test: put the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For many routes, a specialist provider turns out to be cheaper than a bank – mostly thanks to the exchange rate. GoldexPay compares what recipients in Germany receive across providers.

Germany and the SEPA area

Within the SEPA zone, euro transfers to Germany follow the same rules and in most cases need only the IBAN. The BIC field is often optional in that case.

The BIC still come into play for payments in other currencies and for transfers from outside SEPA. SEPA transfers normally land by the next business day or faster with instant payments. Fees are generally low provided everything stays in euros.

The largest SWIFT network in Germany: Deutsche Bank AG

Of all banks in Germany, Deutsche Bank AG has the most SWIFT codes. The head office uses DEUTDE2HXXX.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes. If not a branch code is given, the head office code DEUTDE2HXXX works for transfers to this bank.