Updated in November 2011
The Directories are developed and commercialised by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication SCRL ("SWIFT"). SWIFT publishes the BIC Directory in its capacity as ISO 9362 Registration Authority for Bank Identifier Codes.
The customer is the legal entity who ordered one of the Directories on http://www.swift.com/home/index.page? (the "Customer").
The Directories are not available for individual consumers.
The SWIFT Price List details the fees and the invoicing and payment terms applicable to the Directories.
Delivery occurs either by:
The Customer is responsible for providing the adequate hardware and software (other than the BIC Enquiry Tool) to install and run the Directories.
The BIC Directory, the SEPA Routing Directory, and the BICPlusIBAN Directory may be used only for purposes of internal consultation and integration with a messaging application used by the Customer for its own business (whether developed by the Customer or a third-party), in accordance with the Licence type restrictions set out in Article 4.
For Alliance Integrator customers, the fee of their BICPlusIBAN subscription is included in the Alliance Integrator fees. These customers may only use the BICPlusIBAN Directory for their own business purposes in conjunction with Alliance Integrator.
The EURO1/STEP1 Directory is only available to EURO1/STEP1 participants, who may use it for their internal consultation and for integration with a messaging application used for their own business. SWIFT develops, maintains, and publishes the EURO1/STEP1 Directory at the request of EBA/ABE Clearing S.A.S. SWIFT does not charge EURO1/STEP1 participants for their access and use of the EURO1/STEP1 Directory
The Workers' Remittances Directory is only available to customers of the Workers' Remittances solution, including to their Service Bureaus, for their internal consultation and for integration with a messaging application used for their own business. SWIFT does not charge users of the Workers' Remittances solution for their access and use of the Workers' Remittances Directory.
The Licence type restrictions set out in Article 4 do not apply to the EURO1/STEP1 and Workers' Remittances Directories.
The BIC Enquiry Tool and Web Services may be used for purposes of internal consultation of the Directories only, in accordance with the Licence type restrictions set out in Article 4. Web services cannot be used in batch to download a substantial part of a directory. SWIFT reserves the right to suspend or terminate a Customer's use of the Web Services in case of use that would violate the present terms or unreasonably slow down Web Services.
CCH may be used for internal consultation purposes only.
Online Directories may be used for internal consultation purposes only and by named users only (not concurrent users), who are not authorised to share their subscription with another user. Generic user id (generic e-mail accounts) and password sharing are not allowed.
The Bank File may be used for integration with SWIFT's Alliance Access/Entry software only.
All Directories may be copied in whole for back-up and disaster recovery purposes.
The Customer may make unsubstantial parts of the Directories available to third parties, such as the BIC codes of the institutions within its group.
For the BIC Directory, the SEPA Routing Directory, and the BICPlusIBAN Directory, the usage rights vary depending on the Licence type selected among the five types below.
| License type | Restrictions related to users (individuals | Restrictions related to internal applications |
| Single user | Manual consultation by 1 named user | Not allowed |
| Small server | Manual consultation by maximum 5 named users | Not allowed |
| Single Site | All users in a single site | Allowed for internal applications processing transactions in the single site Hubbing* for subsidiaries not allowed |
| National | All users in a country | Allowed for internal applications processing transactions in the country Hubbing* allowed for subsidiaries in the country, but not for subsidiaries based abroad |
| International | All users worldwide | Allowed for internal applications processing transactions worldwide |
With a Single User Licence, the BIC, SEPA Routing, and BICPlusIBAN Directories may be downloaded for use by one named user on a single personal computer. It means that:
With a Small Server Licence, the BIC, SEPA Routing, and BICPlusIBAN Directories may be downloaded on personal computers or a single server for use by a maximum of five named users of the Customer (not including its subsidiaries). It means that:
With a Single Site Licence, the BIC, SEPA Routing, and BICPlusIBAN Directories may be downloaded for use by an unlimited number of users of the Customer (not including its subsidiaries) located on a single site in one country. A single site may be composed of up to five different locations in one city. It means that the data can be used by applications processing messages or transactions for the Customer, but not for the benefit of any of its subsidiaries, whether in the same country or abroad.
With a National Licence, the BIC, SEPA Routing, and BICPlusIBAN Directories may be downloaded for use by an unlimited number of users of the Customer (including its subsidiaries) in a single country. It means that the data can be used by applications processing messages or transactions for the Customer or its subsidiaries in one country, but not for the benefit of its subsidiaries abroad.
With an International Licence, the BIC, SEPA Routing, and BICPlusIBAN Directories may be downloaded for use by an unlimited number of users of the Customer (including its subsidiaries) worldwide.
Please note that a National or International license is required in all the following cases:
The license types for the SSI Directory for commercial/retail payments are divided into 5 price bands. The price bands are specified in the SWIFT Price List, section D. The bands apply to the Customer's annual global payments traffic, expressed as the sum of outgoing MT103 and MT202 messages, or their non-SWIFT equivalent. The prices give right to use the SSI Directory globally. If the Customer wishes to purchase a subscription for a restricted use, for example restricted to one or several BICs acting as the sender of the payments messages, the Customer must contact SWIFT at ssi@swift.com in order to agree the price and the restriction of use prior to ordering. SWIFT reserves the right to audit the customer's compliance with the above as per clause 7. The SSI Directory is currently available as a downloadable file, and is not yet available over FileAct nor Web services.
The Customer has no other rights with respect to the Directories than the ones expressly granted by Articles 3 and 4.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Customer is not allowed to:
All rights in the Directories, such as copyright in the BIC Enquiry Tool and Web Services and database producer's rights in the other Directories, are and remain vested with SWIFT or its licensors (for Directories that include data supplied by third parties).
The ABA codes included in the BICPlusIBAN Directory are used under licence of Accuity Inc.
The Customer agrees to reproduce all proprietary rights notices on authorized copies of Directories or, in the absence of such notices, to include the following notices:
| Product | Notice |
| BIC Enquiry Tool and Web Services | SWIFT © 2010 |
| Directories | SWIFT, Database rights reserved, 2010 |
| BICPlusIBAN Directory | SWIFT, Database rights reserved, 2010 ABA codes licensed by Accuity Inc. |
For the sole purpose of ensuring compliance with the Licence types and restrictions, SWIFT has the right to audit the Customer's use of Directories on a ten (10) days' prior notice.
SWIFT will maintain in confidence any information gathered during such audit and may perform the audit at the Customer's premises. SWIFT will perform the audit in a way that does not interfere with the Customer's normal business conduct.
In the event that SWIFT determines that the Customer does not comply with the Licence types or restrictions, then SWIFT shall request the Customer to take appropriate corrective action. If the Customer fails to take such action within thirty (30) days of notice, then SWIFT may terminate the Licence. If the Customer does take the required corrective action, then SWIFT will have an opportunity to audit the Customer once again under the same terms.
Although SWIFT undertakes to use all reasonable efforts to ensure the quality of the information contained in the Directories, SWIFT does not warrant that the information is error-free, accurate, complete and up-to-date. SWIFT disclaims all express or implied warranties of merchantability, title, non-infringement and fitness for a particular purpose.
The information in Directories should not be understood to be any representation by SWIFT or the supplier of that information, as to the financial standing or legal status of any institution or company listed in the Directories.
The Customer must always use the latest update of the Directories and discard all previous versions, and agrees not to hold SWIFT liable for any damages caused by the use of outdated data.
SWIFT's maximum aggregate liability to the Customer for direct damages shall not exceed the amount of the latest licence fee paid by the Customer for the Directories that caused such damages. SWIFT shall not be liable to the Customer for any indirect, special or consequential damages.
The ordering of the Directories is submitted to the SWIFT Ordering Tool - Terms and Conditions. The use of the Directories is submitted to the Licence. In case of conflicting provisions, the Licence will prevail.
SWIFT may terminate the Licence for convenience upon a three (3) months' prior notice to the Customer. The Customer may terminate the Licence upon prior notice of cancellation as set out in the SWIFT Price List. The Customer may not terminate the License earlier than one year after submission of its order.
SWIFT may terminate the Licence with immediate effect when the Customer fails to comply with a written notice to remedy a breach of any of the Licence terms within ten (10) calendar days. No prior notice shall be due when termination is for unauthorized use of the Directories or non-payment of fees.
The Customer shall immediately discard all copies of the Directories upon termination of the Licence, whether by the Customer or SWIFT, and whether for convenience or for cause.
The Licence constitutes the entire agreement between the Customer and SWIFT as regards the Directories, superseding any other oral or written agreements.
SWIFT reserves the right to modify any provision of the Licence, including the Directories' fees, and to suspend or discontinue the provision of the Directories, at any time upon a one (1) month prior notice.
The Licence is personal and the Customer may not assign the Licence without the prior permission of SWIFT.
The Licence is governed by Belgian law and submitted to the jurisdiction of the Brussels' courts.