Your Guide To Bank of America SWIFT Codes

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A SWIFT code is a unique identifying code used in international money transfers. If you need to receive money from a foreign bank, either in U.S. dollars or another currency, you’ll need to provide your SWIFT code. 

This article will cover everything you need to know about Bank of America SWIFT codes, including how they work and when you’ll need them.

Here’s Your Bank of America SWIFT Code

Bank of America, Member FDIC has two SWIFT codes — one for U.S. dollars and one for foreign currency. If you’re unsure of the type of currency you’re receiving, you should default to the SWIFT code for U.S. dollars — BOFAUS3N. 

Here is a look at the SWIFT codes for Bank of America and other relevant information for wire transfers:

When receiving an international wire transfer, you might also be asked to provide your bank’s address. Bank of America has two addresses that you can provide along with the SWIFT code [1]:

Other information you might need to provide to receive an international wire transfer includes: 

• An authentication code to use your banking details
• The currency of the incoming money

What Is a SWIFT Code? 

A SWIFT code — also known as a bank identifier code, or BIC — is used for international wire transfers. The code identifies the bank where the money is being sent. SWIFT stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, an international financial messaging service that facilitates transfers between banks around the world. 

You won’t need your SWIFT code to receive a domestic wire transfer. If you’re sending an outgoing international wire transfer, you’ll need to know your recipient’s SWIFT code or International Bank Account Number (IBAN). The United States doesn’t participate in IBAN, so Bank of America doesn’t have an IBAN number. 

Understanding Your Bank of America SWIFT Code

A SWIFT code is made up of 8-11 characters. These characters identify your bank, country, city and branch. 

Here’s a breakdown of the characters used in Bank of America’s SWIFT code and what they mean:

• Characters one through four: Identify Bank of America using an abbreviation of the bank’s name.
• Characters five and six: Two-letter country code identifying the United States as the country where Bank of America is located.
• Characters seven and eight: Two-character code representing the city where Bank of America’s head office is located.

The last three characters used in a SWIFT Code identify the bank’s branch. When you see ‘XXX,’ at the end of a code, that means it identifies a bank’s head office. Both the Bank of America SWIFT codes listed above could end with this identifier, however, these final three digits are optional.  

How Do I Find the SWIFT Code for Bank of America?

GOBankingRates listed Bank of America’s SWIFT codes at the top of this article. You can also find your code by calling Bank of America or logging into your online banking account. 

When You Might Need Your Bank of America SWIFT Code

You need your Bank of America SWIFT code to receive money from an international bank. For example, if you run a business and a customer who lives and banks in a foreign country wants to wire you money using a SWIFT code, these are the steps the customer would take:

1. Your customer will contact their local bank and request that a payment be sent to your Bank of America account.
2. The customer will be required to provide their bank with your name and bank routing number, the amount to be transferred and Bank of America’s SWIFT code.
3. The customer’s bank will debit their account for the amount requested to be transferred to you.
4. The customer’s bank will send your name and bank account information, along with Bank of America’s SWIFT code for incoming foreign currency, to Bank of America, so that the amount owed can be properly credited to you.

Other instances when you might need your SWIFT code include receiving money from a friend or relative abroad, sending money to yourself from your own international bank account, or any other circumstance when you’re receiving an international wire transfer. 

Bank of America SWIFT Code vs. Routing Number

Your SWIFT code is not the same as your Bank of America routing number. SWIFT codes are used for international wire transfers, while ABA routing numbers are used for direct deposit, automatic withdrawals and other domestic transfers. 

You can find your Bank of America routing number by looking at your check or bank statement. You can also look up your routing number by state. 

Are SWIFT Codes the Same for All Branches in the US?

Some banks use different SWIFT codes for each branch, while others use the same codes across the country. Bank of America uses the two SWIFT codes mentioned above throughout the U.S. Each branch has its own three-digit identifier that you can optionally add to the end of Bank of America’s main SWIFT codes. 

Takeaway

Bank of America has two SWIFT codes. BOFAUS3N is used for incoming wire transfers in U.S. dollars and BOFAUS6S is used for transfers in a foreign currency. You’ll need these codes any time you receive a wire transfer from an international bank account.

Your SWIFT code is not the same as a routing number or IBAN, and might also be called a BIC. You can also find these codes by logging into your online bank account or calling Bank of America. 

Cynthia Measom contributed to the reporting for this article.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

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