SWIFT/BIC codes in Puerto Rico

Finding a SWIFT code in Puerto Rico

This directory covers 29 banks and financial institutions in Puerto Rico. Each code identifies an institution or a specific branch or department and tells other banks where an international payment should go.

Every bank is listed with its own page with its main code and if there are any, branch codes. The rest of this page covers the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes before you send money.

How SWIFT codes from Puerto Rico are built

SWIFT/BIC codes use the same format worldwide: 8 characters. It starts with four letters for the bank, followed by a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

Whatever the bank, every code from Puerto Rico have the same country code in positions five and six. A code with a different country code belong to another country – a quick way to catch mistakes.

The optional last three characters identify a branch or department; XXX means the head office. Use a branch code only if the recipient’s bank asks for it; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Which bank in Puerto Rico has the most codes?

Of the 29 banks we list for Puerto Rico, Banco Santander Puerto Rico has the most SWIFT codes. The head office of Banco Santander Puerto Rico has BSCHPRSXXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Banks differ in how many codes they register. Making a payment to Banco Santander Puerto Rico? Use BSCHPRSXXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Sending USD to Puerto Rico

The local currency of Puerto Rico is the US Dollar (USD). A payment in a foreign currency is exchanged into USD before it reaches the account.

Who converts the money makes a difference. Often it is cheaper to send USD directly through a provider that converts near the mid-market rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. Exchange rates move all the time.

What a sender needs to pay you in Puerto Rico

For an international payment into a Puerto Rico account, the sender has to have more than the SWIFT code. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and, often, your postal address.

The code of your bank appears in the list on this page. It helps to include your bank’s name and city.

The amount you receive can be less than the amount sent. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. Agree with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

How long does a transfer to Puerto Rico take?

How fast a payment arrives in Puerto Rico is determined by several factors: which currency you send, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Public holidays in either country can add a day or more, because banks do not process payments on those days.

If the money seems late, the sender should contact their own bank for a trace – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Save your transfer receipt – you will need it if something goes wrong.

Bank or transfer service for Puerto Rico?

If you send money to Puerto Rico with your bank, the fee you see is rarely all of what you pay. There is a transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks and, above all, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites. The difference is your real cost.

For many routes, a specialist provider turns out to be cheaper than a bank. GoldexPay lists these providers next to each other so you can see the amount that reaches the recipient.

International payments to Puerto Rico and the BIC

Because Puerto Rico is outside SEPA, a transfer from abroad normally goes as a SWIFT payment. That means the payment always needs the SWIFT/BIC code of the recipient’s bank, together with the account number or IBAN.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a local account number rather than an IBAN. The receiving bank usually has instructions for incoming international payments – follow them exactly. SWIFT payments can pass through one or more intermediary banks.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Puerto Rico

The best place to find the right code is a document from the bank itself. An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory draws on public sources. Still, banks merge or retire codes, so information can be out of date. Treat our data as a starting point rather than the last word. We are an independent comparison service for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Fraudsters often use fake invoices carrying new bank details. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether a request is genuine.