Central Bank of Liberia SWIFT/BIC code

CBLRLRLA – the SWIFT/BIC code of Central Bank of Liberia

If an invoice shows CBLRLRLA or CBLRLRLAXXX, it is the same identifier for Central Bank of Liberia in Liberia. The code has a single purpose: it makes sure that money from abroad reaches the right bank. In daily life you mostly see it on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details that Central Bank of Liberia provides.

Below you will find the practical questions: money coming in from abroad, paying someone in another country and how to verify a SWIFT code before you hit send. The SWIFT code on its own does not identify a personal account; for that you need the account number or IBAN is for.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Central Bank of Liberia

A SWIFT payment typically takes anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Payments made late in the day or on weekends and holidays often go out the next business day. Occasionally a bank wants to know what the payment is for, which can hold things up.

When a payment takes longer than expected, contact your bank about the status so they can trace it along the chain. Save the payment confirmation until the money has arrived.

The bank that sent the money is able to request a trace – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation; that often settles the question quickly.

Before you send: check the Central Bank of Liberia code

Have the recipient send you the bank details straight from their banking app. Compare that code with CBLRLRLA on this page.

If the code is wrong, the payment may be delayed, be returned or cost extra. A mistake in the account number can be a bigger problem because it can reach the wrong person; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps validate the format of an IBAN, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. More and more banks check the name against the account before you confirm. Sending a small amount first is worth it for a large first payment.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The codes on this page are taken from public sources that we update regularly. It is possible that a code on this page is no longer current, for example after a merger. Counts and locations are from our own dataset.

Before a payment that matters, always confirm the code with Central Bank of Liberia or the recipient. GoldexPay is a comparison service and not affiliated with Central Bank of Liberia. If you notice something that is out of date, we appreciate a message.

Why Central Bank of Liberia has an 8- and an 11-character code

Every SWIFT/BIC code has the same eight core characters: four letters for the bank, two letters for the country and two characters for the location. In this case, that core is CBLRLRLA.

XXX at the end of CBLRLRLAXXX is not a placeholder or a mistake: it stands for the main office of Central Bank of Liberia. Some banking apps ask for 11 characters, and then you simply add XXX after CBLRLRLA.

Type the code as one block, in capitals and without separators. Pasting the code beats retyping it: a typo can point to another bank.

Sending money abroad from Central Bank of Liberia

The price of an international transfer is made up of more than one component. You pay the transfer fee, possibly charges from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate when the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: many banks convert at a rate that includes a margin. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites. The difference is your real conversion cost.

Specialist money transfer services often use rates closer to the mid-market rate. Next time you send money, it is worth comparing what arrives on GoldexPay. You can still keep your account at Central Bank of Liberia.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Be alert if a contact suddenly asks you to pay into another account or a bank in another country. That CBLRLRLA is a real code does not mean that a request mentioning it is genuine – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Do not rely on contact details in the same message that contains the change. Urgency and requests to keep it quiet tend to be warning signs. If a payment has already gone to the wrong account, call your bank right away.

Scams can also work the other way. Someone claims to have sent more than agreed and asks you to refund the difference to a new account. Wait until the money is actually in your account – ask Central Bank of Liberia if something looks wrong.

Receiving money from abroad at Central Bank of Liberia

A sender in another country will ask for several details about your account – incomplete details often cause delays. In practice that means: your full name as registered with Central Bank of Liberia, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code CBLRLRLAXXX (or CBLRLRLA) and usually your address.

Certain sending banks want the bank’s address; it does no harm to include it. A mistake in the IBAN can be more trouble than it looks.

An incoming payment does not always arrive in full. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank – the price list of Central Bank of Liberia tells you what applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

Head office or branch code at Central Bank of Liberia?

Central Bank of Liberia has 2 different SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code; the rest identify branches.

Usually you do not need to pick a branch: transfers addressed to CBLRLRLAXXX are routed within Central Bank of Liberia correctly. Branch codes are only needed when the recipient’s bank specifically asks for it.

If you are not sure, ask the person you are paying which code their bank gave them. Codes for branches are more prone to be retired than the head office code.