SWIFT/BIC codes in Lebanon

Finding a SWIFT code in Lebanon

Our directory contains 92 banks and financial institutions in Lebanon, with 126 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. Every code identifies an institution or one of its branches, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Select the bank from the list to view the head office code and its other codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. Below the list you can read how a code from Lebanon is put together, how to send money to Lebanon at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

Arab Bank PLC and its SWIFT codes

In our data, Arab Bank PLC has the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Lebanon. The head office of Arab Bank PLC uses ARABLBBXXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

A large number of codes usually reflects that the bank registers branches and departments separately. If not the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code ARABLBBXXXX works for a payment to Arab Bank PLC.

Transfer times to Lebanon

An international transfer to Lebanon usually needs one to a few business days. Public holidays in Lebanon or in the sending country add extra days to the journey.

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. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms.

How SWIFT codes from Lebanon are built

A SWIFT code is either 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. It starts with a four-letter bank code, then a two-letter country code and two characters for the location.

In every code from Lebanon, characters five and six show the ISO country code of Lebanon, which makes these codes easy to recognise. When the country letters do not match Lebanon, the code belongs to a bank somewhere else.

If the last three are XXX, it means the head office, and the 8-character version leads to the same place. In most cases the head office code is fine.

What a sender needs to pay you in Lebanon

If you expect money from abroad on an account in Lebanon, give the sender everything they need in one go. In practice that means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and usually your postal address.

Find the bank in the list on this page and compare the code with your own bank details – your bank statement is the final word. Certain sending banks also want the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

What lands in your account can be lower than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank; check the price list of your bank. Agree with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.

The cheapest way to send money to Lebanon

A bank transfer to Lebanon can cost more than you think. You pay a transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate if the money is converted.

The markup on the rate is often the biggest cost item because it is hidden in the rate. Check the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites.

Specialist money transfer services often use a rate near the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay compares transfer services side by side, showing the amount that reaches the recipient before you commit.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Lebanon

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the recipient’s own bank details. A wrong code can cause delays, a returned payment or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory draws on publicly available sources and is updated regularly. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes. Treat our data as a starting point, not as the final word: the bank details from the recipient come first. We are an independent comparison site for money transfers.

Watch out for payment requests with changed bank details. Before paying, confirm changed details through a separate channel, using a number you already had.

Why a transfer to Lebanon needs a SWIFT code

Lebanon is not part of the SEPA area, the European zone for uniform euro payments. International transfers to Lebanon normally travel through the SWIFT network, and the BIC of the receiving bank is required.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a local account number instead of an IBAN. The receiving bank often provides instructions for incoming international payments, and it is worth following them to the letter. On the way to Lebanon, a payment can pass through intermediary banks that take a fee.