SWIFT/BIC codes in Guernsey

Finding a SWIFT code in Guernsey

This directory lists 62 banks and other institutions in Guernsey and 80 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. A BIC tells the banks handling a transfer which institution is meant to get an international payment.

Look for the recipient’s bank below and click through for all codes we have and the details a transfer needs. The rest of this page covers the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

How reliable is this list?

Ask the recipient to send you their bank details directly from their online banking. An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or extra fees – compare it with the code in our list.

The directory on GoldexPay is based on publicly available sources that we update periodically. Still, banks merge or change codes, so information can be out of date. Before any payment that matters, confirm the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Watch out for invoices with a new account. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about who owns the account.

Which bank in Guernsey has the most codes?

HSBC Bank PLC tops the list of Guernsey banks in SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office uses MIDLGGS1XXX – the code most transfers need.

How many codes a bank has tells you more about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Paying someone at HSBC Bank PLC? Go with MIDLGGS1XXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

How SWIFT codes from Guernsey are built

A BIC is either 8 or 11 characters long. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and the next two mark the location.

You can spot a code from Guernsey from the fifth and sixth characters – those always form the country code of Guernsey. Codes with other letters in that position belong to a bank abroad.

The optional last three characters stand for a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. Use a branch code only when the recipient explicitly gives you one.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Guernsey

A sender in another country needs several details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. In practice that means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and sometimes your postal address.

Your bank’s code is in the list on this page, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. Certain banks may also ask for the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is smaller than what the sender paid. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin applies. On invoices, agree how the fees are split, so nobody is left short.

What a transfer to Guernsey really costs

What you pay for a transfer to Guernsey is made up of more than one component – not only the fee you see. Besides the fee, correspondent banks can deduct a charge and, if currencies are converted, the bank often applies a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the largest part of the cost, even though it is not listed as a fee. Check the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the rate. GoldexPay compares what recipients in Guernsey receive across providers, so you can pick the cheapest route.

Sending GBP to Guernsey

Most accounts in Guernsey are usually held in GBP. A payment in a foreign currency is converted into GBP – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives. In many cases it is cheaper if you send GBP directly via a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate. Rates for GBP move all the time, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.

How long does a transfer to Guernsey take?

There is no fixed delivery time for transfers to Guernsey: some arrive within a day. Payments made after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays often go out a business day later.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact the sending bank – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Specialist transfer services usually show tracking online.

Why a transfer to Guernsey needs a SWIFT code

Guernsey is outside the SEPA area, the European zone for uniform euro payments. International transfers to Guernsey usually travel through the SWIFT network, and the BIC of the receiving bank is required.

Not every country uses the IBAN – where there is none, the local account number is enough. The recipient’s bank often has instructions for incoming international payments – follow them exactly. SWIFT payments can pass through one or more intermediary banks, each of which may deduct a fee.