Sparebanken Vest SWIFT/BIC code

Sparebanken Vest SWIFT code: SPAVNOBB

The 8-character code SPAVNOBB and the full code SPAVNOBBXXX identify one and the same institution: Sparebanken Vest in Bergen, Norway. A SWIFT code shows the sending bank exactly which bank is meant to get the money, a bit like a postal address for banks. It comes up mainly when dealing with payments that cross a border and payments in foreign currencies.

We wrote this page to help anyone who pays into an account at Sparebanken Vest and wants to get the details right. Remember that the BIC only identifies the bank, not the person: the account number or IBAN takes care of that.

Before you send: check the Sparebanken Vest code

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the recipient’s own bank details: an invoice, a bank statement or their online banking. Compare that code against SPAVNOBB on this page.

Mistakes in the BIC tend to be costly rather than disastrous. A mistake in the account number can be more serious because it can reach the wrong person.

Many banking apps validate the format of IBANs and some suggest the matching BIC, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. More and more banks compare the name with the account before you confirm; take any warning seriously. When you pay someone new, some people start with a small amount first and wait for confirmation.

Sending NOK to Sparebanken Vest

Most accounts at Sparebanken Vest are typically held in NOK, the national currency. A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into NOK. Each conversion costs something – usually through the rate rather than a fee.

Who converts the money matters. Often you pay less if you send NOK directly via a provider with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert.

Exchange rates change all the time. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Incoming international payments to Sparebanken Vest

When you are waiting for a payment from another country, send the payer a complete set of details. What they need is: your name, account number or IBAN, SPAVNOBBXXX or SPAVNOBB and, for some countries, your home address.

Their bank may also ask for the address of your bank. Double-check each detail before you send them.

Money from abroad does not always land in full. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank – the price list of Sparebanken Vest tells you what applies. For business payments, it is common to agree who bears the costs.

A note on our data

Our SWIFT/BIC directory draws on publicly available sources and we update it periodically. Institutions merge, close branches and retire codes. Counts and locations are from our directory and are not confirmed by Sparebanken Vest.

Treat our data as a reference, not as the last word. We are an independent comparison service for money transfers and not part of Sparebanken Vest. If you notice something that is out of date, we welcome a message via the contact page.

SPAVNOBB or SPAVNOBBXXX – which one to use?

Each SWIFT/BIC code starts with the same eight core characters: four letters for the bank, two letters for the country and a two-character location code. Combined, those parts form SPAVNOBB – the version you usually see online.

The 11-character version adds three more characters that identify a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, the code points to the head office, so SPAVNOBBXXX and SPAVNOBB are interchangeable.

In practice the code is written in capitals. Pasting the code beats typing it by hand.

Do you need SPAVNOBB for a SEPA transfer?

Within the SEPA zone, euro transfers to an account in Norway use the same rules and in most cases need only the IBAN. A field for the BIC is often optional in that case.

For anything other than euros and for senders outside SEPA, SPAVNOBBXXX or SPAVNOBB is still required. If a payment form has a field for the BIC anyway, adding SPAVNOBB is fine.

Instant payments in euros are increasingly available across SEPA. Fees for SEPA payments are generally low.

Paying someone abroad from your Sparebanken Vest account

An international bank payment can cost more than the listed fee. Besides the transfer fee, banks in between may deduct a fee, and if currencies are converted the bank often applies a rate that is less favourable than the real market rate.

Many banks rarely list their exchange rate markup as a cost. Compare their rate against the mid-market rate. The difference is your real conversion cost.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider turns out to be cheaper than a bank, mainly because of the exchange rate. GoldexPay compares what recipients receive across services, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. You can always keep your account at Sparebanken Vest as the source of the money, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

Choosing between the 6 SWIFT codes of Sparebanken Vest

Sparebanken Vest uses 6 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code, SPAVNOBBXXX; the others identify branches, and sometimes specific services.

For most payments to a private or business account, the head office code SPAVNOBBXXX works fine. A branch code only makes sense if the recipient’s bank specifically asks for it.

If you are not sure, ask the person you are paying for the exact BIC in their bank details. Branch codes are more prone to change than SPAVNOBBXXX.

When will the money arrive at Sparebanken Vest?

A SWIFT payment typically takes anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday often go out a business day later. Occasionally a bank asks about the purpose of a payment.

If the money is delayed, contact your bank about the status and the transaction reference; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Money transfer services often show tracking online so you can see where the money is.

If the money does not arrive after a few business days, the person who paid needs to start with the bank that sent it. Ask the sender for the payment receipt including the reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Stay alert when a contact unexpectedly wants you to send money to a different account abroad. That SPAVNOBB is a real code does not mean that a request mentioning it is genuine; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Never trust a phone number from the same email that announces the change. Pressure or secrecy tend to be red flags. Acted too fast? Contact your bank straight away and ask them to start a recall and report the fraud.

People receiving money are targeted too: one known trick is a buyer who pays too much followed by a request to refund the difference. A screenshot of a transfer proves nothing.