Narodowy Bank Polski SWIFT/BIC code

Narodowy Bank Polski SWIFT code: NBPLPLPA

Whether a recipient gives you NBPLPLPA or NBPLPLPAXXX, you are looking at the same identifier for Narodowy Bank Polski in Poland. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses BIC codes to route international transfers to the correct institution. It comes up mostly for transfers between countries and payments in foreign currencies.

We wrote this page to help anyone who sends money to an account at Narodowy Bank Polski without mistakes. Remember that the SWIFT code only identifies the bank, not the person: the IBAN or account number takes care of that.

How to check NBPLPLPA before you pay

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. Compare it against NBPLPLPA here; if they differ, ask before you pay.

An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges. An error in the account number can be more serious because it can reach the wrong person; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps check the structure of an IBAN and sometimes look up the BIC automatically – that confirms the format, not the owner. Where available, a payee name check on the recipient gives extra certainty. A small test payment can be worth it for large sums despite the extra fee.

What a transfer from Narodowy Bank Polski abroad really costs

What you pay for a payment abroad has several parts, and the transfer fee is only the most visible one. Besides a fixed fee, banks in between may take a cut, and when currencies are converted, the bank often uses a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee: the bank converts at a rate that includes a margin. A simple test: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the exchange rate. GoldexPay compares these services side by side so you can see what actually arrives before you commit. Using a transfer service does not mean closing your account at Narodowy Bank Polski: you simply pay the service from your account.

Paying Narodowy Bank Polski in euros within SEPA

Because Poland is in SEPA, a euro payment to Narodowy Bank Polski from within the SEPA area usually requires just the IBAN. Most banking apps do not require the BIC for these payments.

You will still need NBPLPLPAXXX for non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. If a payment form asks for the BIC regardless, entering NBPLPLPA is fine.

Instant payments in euros have become widely available within SEPA. As long as the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer tends to be inexpensive.

Which of the 9 codes of Narodowy Bank Polski do you need?

Narodowy Bank Polski has 9 separate SWIFT/BIC codes across 1 locations. One of them is the head office code; the others identify branches or departments.

In most cases you do not need to look up a branch: transfers addressed to NBPLPLPAXXX reach Narodowy Bank Polski correctly. Only use a branch code when your contact gives you that exact code.

If you are not sure, ask the person you are paying which code their bank gave them. Branch codes are more likely to change than NBPLPLPAXXX when a bank merges or closes offices.

What the XXX in NBPLPLPAXXX means

The structure of every SWIFT code is always the same: four characters for the institution, two for the country and a two-character location code. Combined, these eight characters form NBPLPLPA, the code most people search for.

Most banks and apps accept either length. If a form requires eleven characters, use NBPLPLPAXXX; if it wants eight, use NBPLPLPA.

In practice the code is written in capitals and without spaces. A single character may route a payment to a different institution, so check it twice.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Narodowy Bank Polski

A SWIFT payment usually takes one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Weekends and public holidays in either country add extra days to the journey. Extra checks on larger or unusual payments may also add some delay, regardless of the details.

If a transfer seems delayed, contact the sending bank for the status and the transaction reference. Money transfer services often show tracking in their app showing where the payment is.

If the money does not arrive within the expected time, the person who paid needs to contact the bank that sent it, not the receiving bank. Ask the sender for the payment receipt.

Incoming international payments to Narodowy Bank Polski

For a transfer from abroad into your account at Narodowy Bank Polski, the sender needs not just the BIC. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC NBPLPLPAXXX and your address, which some banks require.

Certain banks also ask for the bank’s address; it does no harm to include it. Double-check the details before you share them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

Money from abroad will not always arrive for the full amount. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate comes on top. On invoices, you can agree who bears the costs.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The codes on this page come from publicly available data which we refresh regularly. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes and our data may lag behind. The figures on this page reflect our own data and not on information from Narodowy Bank Polski itself.

See the information on this page as a helpful check, and let the details from the recipient or Narodowy Bank Polski have the final say. GoldexPay is independent of Narodowy Bank Polski, we only compare transfer services. Found outdated information? Let us know via our contact form so we can correct it.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Fraudsters often use fake invoices with new bank details. A valid SWIFT code says nothing about whether the request is genuine: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Do not trust a phone number from the same email that contains the new account. Pressure and secrecy are red flags – a real supplier can wait a day. Already paid? Contact your bank without delay and have them try to recall the payment and report the fraud.

Fraud can also work the other way: someone sends more than agreed and asks you to return the difference. Wait until the money is actually in your account – ask Narodowy Bank Polski if something looks wrong.

The Polish Zloty and what conversion costs you

Accounts at Narodowy Bank Polski are usually held in PLN, the national currency of Poland. Money sent in a different currency will be exchanged into PLN before it reaches the account – and the bank that does it picks the rate. You rarely see a separate line for that conversion; it is built into the rate.

Which bank converts the money makes a difference: every bank has its own margin. In many cases you pay less to send PLN directly via a provider that converts near the mid-market rate.

The rate for PLN fluctuates throughout the day and quotes are often valid only for a short time. With bigger transfers, a small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.