Bank of Nova Scotia SWIFT/BIC code

NOSCUS33 – the SWIFT/BIC code of Bank of Nova Scotia

The short code NOSCUS33 and the 11-character code NOSCUS33XXX refer to one and the same institution: Bank of Nova Scotia, with its head office in New York,ny. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain which institution is meant to get the money, much like a postcode for banks. In practice you usually come across the code on international invoices, in payment forms and on the account details of Bank of Nova Scotia customers.

We wrote this page to help people who receives money at an account at Bank of Nova Scotia. The BIC identifies a bank or branch, not a specific account; the IBAN or account number does that.

How long does an international transfer to Bank of Nova Scotia take?

An international transfer typically takes anywhere from one to several business days. Weekends and public holidays in either country can add a day or more. Occasionally a bank asks about the purpose of a payment.

If the money is delayed, ask your bank about the tracking status. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms – you will need it for any trace request.

A missing payment is traced from the sending side on the basis of the transfer details. Ask the sender for the payment receipt including the reference; that often settles the question quickly.

A note on our data

The codes here come from public sources. It is possible that information here is no longer current. The figures we show reflect our own data, not official figures from Bank of Nova Scotia.

Treat this page as a starting point, not as the last word: the recipient’s bank details come first. We are an independent comparison site and not part of Bank of Nova Scotia. Found outdated information? Tell us through the contact page and we will look into it.

Watch out for payment fraud

Fraudsters regularly send fake invoices containing new bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. A correct SWIFT code tells you nothing about who owns the account – scammers simply use real codes.

Verify new payment details via a different channel. Watch out for urgent requests, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. Already paid? Call your bank without delay and ask them to try to recall the payment and report the fraud.

Recipients are targeted too: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much followed by a request to send back the difference to another account. A screenshot of a transfer proves nothing.

Paying someone abroad from your Bank of Nova Scotia account

A bank transfer abroad costs more than the listed fee. On top of the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if currencies are converted the bank usually uses a rate below the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee: many banks convert using an exchange rate with a margin built in. A simple test: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate for the same moment and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares transfer providers next to each other so you can see the amount the recipient gets. Using a transfer service does not mean closing your account at Bank of Nova Scotia.

8 or 11 characters: NOSCUS33 versus NOSCUS33XXX

The structure of a BIC never changes: four characters for the institution, a two-letter country code and a two-character location code, sometimes followed by a branch code. In this case, the 8-character core is NOSCUS33.

Most payment forms accept both lengths. If yours asks for eleven characters, enter NOSCUS33XXX, otherwise NOSCUS33 is fine.

Type the code in one piece, in capitals and without spaces, exactly as shown here. A wrong character may route the money to another bank.

Which of the 6 codes of Bank of Nova Scotia do you need?

With 6 codes in 3 locations, Bank of Nova Scotia is one of the banks that use individual codes for branches. The head office code is NOSCUS33XXX.

In most cases you do not need to look up a branch: transfers addressed to NOSCUS33XXX are routed within Bank of Nova Scotia correctly. If you have been given a branch code, stick to it instead of swapping it with the head office code.

Unsure which code to use? Check with the recipient, or look at a recent statement from Bank of Nova Scotia. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

What to give a sender who pays you at Bank of Nova Scotia

When you are waiting for a payment from another country, give the sender all details at once. In practice that means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the BIC NOSCUS33XXX (or NOSCUS33) and sometimes your address.

Their bank may request the address of your bank. Check every detail before you share them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

What lands in your account is often less than the amount sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the currency changes, an exchange rate margin applies. For business payments, you can agree who bears the costs.

Is NOSCUS33 still correct? How to check

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient: an invoice, a bank statement or their online banking. If the code you have does not match NOSCUS33 or NOSCUS33XXX, stop and ask.

An incorrect BIC may lead to a delay, a returned payment or additional charges along the way. A mistake in the account number is more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else, so check that just as carefully.

An automatic check by your bank only tells you that the IBAN is valid – not that it belongs to the person you mean to pay. More and more banks check 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 USD to Bank of Nova Scotia

The currency in United States is the US Dollar (USD). When you pay money in a different currency it gets converted at some point: by your bank, an intermediary or Bank of Nova Scotia itself. There is rarely a separate charge for the conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Who does the conversion has an effect on the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Sending the money already in USD usually avoids a second conversion at the receiving end.

Exchange rates change all the time. On larger amounts, even small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.