Bank of America SWIFT code

Choose by the currency being sent. Bank of America’s incoming-wire instructions publish BOFAUS3N for US dollars or an unknown currency and BOFAUS6S for foreign currency; they do not select a code by branch or state.

The format is ISO 9362, and SWIFT is its registration authority. ISO/TC 68 describes a BIC as eight alphanumeric characters identifying a business party in one country, with characters five and six naming that country under ISO 3166-1 — US in both Bank of America codes.

BOFA

Bank of America — the same four letters on every code it holds

US

Characters five and six: the country, under ISO 3166-1

3N

222 Broadway, New York — the US dollar code

6S

555 California St., San Francisco — the foreign-currency code

Some forms demand eleven characters. ISO 9362 allows an optional three-character element after the eight, identifying an organisational unit, division or branch — that is what the field wants. Bank of America publishes the eight-character forms; this directory resolves BOFAUS3NXXX and BOFAUS6SXXX to the same record.

1. 1

   Pick the code by currency

   BOFAUS3N if the sender is remitting US dollars or does not know the currency; BOFAUS6S for anything else.

2. 2

   Send your address too

   Bank of America’s list for an international wire is the recipient’s name, address and bank information, including SWIFT code and account number.

3. 3

   Add the matching bank address

   222 Broadway, New York, NY 10038 for BOFAUS3N; 555 California St., San Francisco, CA 94104 for BOFAUS6S.

4. 4

   Expect it in one to two business days

   That is Bank of America’s own typical window for an inbound international wire.

A routing number moves money inside the United States; a SWIFT code addresses the bank from outside it. Bank of America keeps them apart: one wire routing number, 026009593, for domestic wires, and the two SWIFT codes when the money starts overseas.

Do not read a number off a cheque and send it abroad. Bank of America assigns paper and electronic routing numbers by the state in which the account was opened, so they vary between customers. Only the wire routing number and the two SWIFT codes are the same for everyone.

This directory snapshot indexes 41 codes under Bank of America, N.A. Six are eight characters; the other 35 carry a three-character suffix. Their labels include internal desks, inquiries and overseas operations, so they are not interchangeable customer-wire instructions.

• BOFAUS6SINQ — money transfer inquiries
• BOFAUS3NINQ — wire transfer inquiry
• BOFAUS6SSFX — US foreign exchange
• BOFAUS6SMET — precious metals
• BOFAUS3DTSY — treasury

The asterisk is the whole story. Bank of America states that for wires sent in foreign currency, markups associated with the currency conversion are included in its exchange rate: the fee line reads zero because the cost moved into the rate. Other fees may apply, including those charged by the recipient’s financial institution. Cutoff is 5 p.m. Eastern, and money typically lands in one to five business days.

A SWIFT code alone is often not enough at the far end. Canada wants a transit code, India an IFSC, much of Europe an IBAN, Mexico a CLABE. Bank of America also advises sending in US dollars to Colombia, Nigeria, Panama, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Venezuela and the Palestinian Territories.