SWIFT/BIC codes in Norway

Norway: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

For Norway our database holds 731 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 306 institutions. You need such a code mainly for international transfers and for payments in a foreign currency.

Every bank has its own page with the head office code and, where available, codes for branches and departments. Further down you can read how a code from Norway is put together, how to send money to Norway at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Norway

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient. If the code you have differs from our list, stop and ask: check with the recipient or the bank.

The directory on GoldexPay draws on public sources. Institutions reorganise, change names and change codes. Treat this list as a starting point rather than the last word: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Watch out for invoices with a new account. Always confirm a change of bank details through a separate channel on a number you know.

Most SWIFT codes in Norway: Storebrand Kapitalforvaltning

In our directory, Storebrand Kapitalforvaltning has the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Norway. Its head office code is STKTNOK1000.

Many codes usually reflects separate codes for branches, departments or services – it says nothing about the size of the bank as such. Making a payment to Storebrand Kapitalforvaltning? Go with STKTNOK1000 unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Norway and the Norwegian Krone

Most accounts in Norway are usually held in NOK, the local currency. A payment in a foreign currency is exchanged into NOK before it reaches the account.

Who does the conversion has an effect on the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. In many cases you pay less to send NOK straight away via a provider that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Exchange rates move during the day – some providers let you lock in a rate.

Sending money to Norway for less

What you pay for a transfer to Norway has several parts – not only the fee you see. Besides the fee, correspondent banks can take a cut and, if currencies are converted, the bank often uses a rate below the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the biggest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. Compare the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites. The difference is your real cost.

Money transfer services frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate. GoldexPay lists these providers next to each other so you can see the amount that reaches the recipient for the same amount sent.

Incoming international payments in Norway

To receive a transfer from abroad into a Norway account, the sender has to have more than the SWIFT code. In practice that means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and, often, your address.

Find your bank in the list on this page. It helps to include your bank’s name and city, since some payment forms ask for it.

The amount you receive can be less than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments differ per bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. On invoices, agree who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

Euro payments to Norway: is a BIC needed?

Since Norway is in SEPA, a euro transfer to an account in Norway normally only needs an IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC in that case.

You will still need the BIC when sending non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. SEPA transfers usually arrive within one business day. Provided the payment stays in euros, the transfer tends to be cheap.

Transfer times to Norway

There is no fixed answer for transfers to Norway: some land within a day. Public holidays in Norway or in the sending country add a day or more to the journey.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact the sending bank for a trace – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Specialist transfer services usually show tracking in their app so you can follow the payment.

The structure of a Norway SWIFT/BIC code

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

You can recognise a bank code from Norway by letters five and six: they always show the ISO country code of Norway. When those two letters do not match Norway, the code belongs to a bank somewhere else – worth double-checking.

The last three characters, if present, identify a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. Choose a branch code only if the recipient explicitly gives you one; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.