How to send a wire transfer
To send a wire you need the recipient’s full name and address, their bank’s name and routing or SWIFT code, and their account number. You give these to your bank online or at a branch, approve the fee, and the bank sends the wire, usually the same business day if you beat its cutoff time.
Domestic wire: what the form asks for
- The recipient’s name exactly as it appears on their account, and their address.
- The receiving bank’s name and its ABA routing number for wires. Some banks use a different routing number for wires than for ACH or checks, so get the wire number from the recipient or from their bank.
- The recipient’s account number.
- A memo or reference, if the recipient asked for one. Title companies and escrow agents usually want a file number here.
International wire: the extra codes
| Code | Used for | Format |
|---|---|---|
| SWIFT code (BIC) | Identifies the receiving bank worldwide | 8 or 11 letters and digits: bank (4), country (2), location (2), optional branch (3) |
| IBAN | The account number in most of Europe and many other countries | Up to 34 characters, starting with a two-letter country code |
| CLABE | The account number for bank transfers in Mexico | 18 digits |
| IFSC | Identifies the bank branch in India | 11 characters |
Ask the recipient to copy these from a bank statement or their bank’s app, not type them from memory. A wrong IBAN or CLABE fails its check digit and bounces; a wrong but valid account number can land in a stranger’s account.
You also choose the currency. Sending in dollars means the recipient’s bank converts the money at its rate. Sending in the foreign currency means your bank converts it first. Either way someone sets an exchange rate, and the difference from the mid-market rate is a cost. Price both versions in the calculator.
Before you press send
- Confirm instructions by phone if they came by email, text or a document link, at a number you already had. Email is where real-estate and business wire fraud starts. Red flags to watch for.
- Read the disclosure. For a consumer international transfer, your bank or provider has to show you the exchange rate, fees and the amount the recipient will receive before you pay, and generally lets you cancel within 30 minutes. Your rights on international transfers.
- Keep the confirmation. It holds the reference number your bank needs to trace or recall the wire.
Sources: Reserve Bank of India, NEFT FAQ on IFSC; BBVA México on the 18-digit CLABE; Swift, Business Identifier Code (ISO 9362); Swift, IBAN registry (ISO 13616).
Questions people ask
What is a SWIFT code?
A SWIFT code, also called a BIC, identifies a bank in an international payment. It is 8 or 11 characters long. The first four letters are the bank, the next two are the country, the next two the location, and the optional last three a branch.
Do I need an IBAN to wire money to the United States?
No. US banks do not use IBANs. A wire into a US account needs the bank's 9-digit ABA routing number for domestic wires, or its SWIFT code for wires from abroad, plus the account number.
What happens if I get a detail wrong?
The wire may be returned, often minus fees taken along the way, or it may be credited to the wrong account if the account number matches someone else's. Banks generally process a wire by the account number, not the name, so check the number twice.