SWIFT/BIC codes in Ireland

SWIFT/BIC codes in Ireland

Our directory contains 675 banks and financial institutions in Ireland, with 1087 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain which institution is meant to get the money.

Search for the bank you need below and click through to see all codes we have and what else a transfer requires. The sections below covers the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes.

How long does a transfer to Ireland take?

How fast a payment reaches Ireland is determined by several factors: which currency you send, the number of banks in between, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Bank holidays in Ireland or in the sending country can add a day or more, because banks do not process payments on those days.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact their own bank and ask for the status or the UETR – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Specialist transfer services often provide a status in their app so you can follow the payment.

What a sender needs to pay you in Ireland

When you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in Ireland, give the sender a complete set of details. Share your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

The code of your bank appears in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. It helps to add your bank’s name and city as well because some forms have separate fields for it.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Sending EUR to Ireland

Most accounts in Ireland are usually held in EUR, the local currency. A payment in a foreign currency will be converted into EUR before it reaches the account, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Who does the conversion has an effect on how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. Check how much EUR arrives via several services. Exchange rates change all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.

What the letters in a Ireland BIC mean

A BIC is either 8 or 11 characters long. Characters one to four identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and the next two give the location.

Whatever the bank, all Ireland codes share the same fifth and sixth letters: the ISO code of the country. When the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank somewhere else.

If the last three are XXX, it means the main office and the short version works just as well. Choose a branch code only if the recipient explicitly gives you one – otherwise stick with the head office.

What a transfer to Ireland really costs

What you pay for a payment to Ireland is made up of several parts. On top of a fixed fee, intermediary banks can deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank often applies a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the biggest part of the cost, even though it is not listed as a fee. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate; the gap is what conversion costs you.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider is cheaper than a bank. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives in Ireland across providers, so you can pick the cheapest route.

About our data and how to check a code

The most reliable place for the correct BIC remains a document from the bank itself. An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or extra fees – compare it with the code in our list.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and update our list regularly. Banks reorganise, change names and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Treat this list as a reference, not as the final word; the recipient’s bank details are leading. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Scammers regularly use payment requests with changed bank details from what looks like a familiar address. Always confirm changed details through a separate channel on a number you know.

Danske Bank A/S and its SWIFT codes

Danske Bank A/S leads the list for Ireland in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office uses DABAIE2DXXX, which is the code to use when no branch is specified.

How many codes a bank has tells you something about how it organises its payments than about its size. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, DABAIE2DXXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

SEPA transfers to Ireland

Ireland is a member of the SEPA area, where euro transfers follow common rules. For a standard euro transfer within SEPA, you normally only need the IBAN; many banks no longer ask for the BIC.

You still need a SWIFT code for non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. SEPA transfers normally land within one business day. Fees are generally low provided no currency is converted; the conversion is where it gets expensive.