SWIFT/BIC codes in Germany: banks starting with P

Bank SWIFT codes for Germany

On this page you find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 2804 banks in Germany. Every code points to an institution or one of its branches.

Choose a bank below to see its head office code and its other codes. The sections below explain how the codes work, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes before a payment.

Germany and the Euro

Germany uses the Euro, code EUR. When you pay money in a different currency, the amount has to be converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Who converts the payment makes a difference: every bank has its own margin. Often you pay less to send EUR straight away via a provider that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Exchange rates move all the time.

Filter: banks in Germany with :letter

The letter filter narrows the list down to banks from Germany that begin with :letter to make searching quicker. The totals mentioned above always refer to the whole country and not only this selection.

Bank not listed? Its official name might start with a different letter, for example the full legal name rather than a brand name. The full overview for Germany remains one click away when the letter filter does not help.

About our data and how to check a code

The best place to find the correct BIC remains paperwork issued by the bank, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a returned payment or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

We gather bank codes using public sources and update our list regularly. Banks reorganise, change names and retire codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. For any payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Scammers regularly use payment requests with changed bank details that look completely genuine. Always confirm a change of bank details through a separate channel on a number you know.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Germany

When you are waiting for a payment from another country in Germany, send the payer all details at once. That means: your full name as your bank knows it, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and usually your postal address.

Your bank’s code appears in the list on this page, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. Some banks may also want your bank’s address.

The amount you receive can be less than the amount sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. For business payments, state who bears the costs.

Most SWIFT codes in Germany: Deutsche Bank AG

Among the 2804 institutions we list, Deutsche Bank AG has the most SWIFT/BIC codes in Germany. Its main office uses DEUTDE2HXXX.

Many codes usually means that the bank registers branches and departments separately, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. If not the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code DEUTDE2HXXX works for transfers to this bank.

Tracking a payment to Germany

How fast a payment reaches Germany depends on a few things: which currency you send, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday usually go out a business day later.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Each payment carries a unique reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Keep the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms – you will need it if something goes wrong.

SEPA transfers to Germany

Inside SEPA, euro payments to Germany follow the same rules and in most cases need only the IBAN. The BIC field is usually optional in that case.

The BIC still come into play when the currency is not euros and when the money comes from outside SEPA. SEPA transfers usually arrive within one business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Provided the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer tends to be cheap.

The structure of a Germany SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC codes follow one international format: 8 characters. Characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six are the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

No matter which bank, all Germany codes share the same country code in positions five and six, namely the ISO code of Germany. If the country letters do not match Germany, the code belongs to a bank in another country – worth double-checking.

The optional last three characters stand for a branch or department; XXX is used for the head office. For most transfers the head office code is what you need, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Bank or transfer service for Germany?

What you pay for a payment to Germany is made up of more than one component, and the fee on your screen is only one of them. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the largest part of the cost, even though it is not listed as a fee. An easy check: set the offered rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay lists transfer services side by side, showing what actually arrives in Germany before you commit.