ISO 20022 Standard Purpose Codes¶
Purpose codes describe the reason for a payment, such as salary, a supplier invoice, a dividend or an intercompany transfer. On a pacs.008 wire, a code from the list below goes in <Purp><Cd> (purpose_code), and a country's own code goes in <Purp><Prtry> (purpose_code_proprietary). Some destinations expect a free-text purpose in the remittance information (<RmtInf><Ustrd>) instead. Each country guide says which element to use. Central banks use the purpose for balance-of-payments reporting and FX-control enforcement, and beneficiary banks in some corridors hold or return wires that arrive without a purpose they accept.
The table below lists the ISO 20022 ExternalPurpose1Code values — the international baseline maintained by the ISO 20022 Registration Authority. Some destinations do not use this list. China and India, for example, use their own codes, which travel in <Purp><Prtry>. Before originating into a new corridor, check its country guide for the element, the code list, and whether its requirement is confirmed.
Omission vs. non-conforming codes
While the API accepts transfers without a purpose code, omission may result in delays, rejections, or returns by the beneficiary bank. For corridors where purpose codes are mandatory, sending a non-conforming ISO code is more likely to cause a hard rejection than sending none at all — the country guides are the source of truth.
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| ACCT | Transaction moves funds between 2 accounts of same account holder at the same bank. |
| ADCS | Payments for donation, sponsorship, advisory, intellectual and other copyright services. |
| ADMG | Transaction is related to a payment associated with administrative management. |
| ADVA | Transaction is an advance payment. |
| AEMP | Payment concerning active employment policy. |
| AGRT | Transaction is related to the agricultural domain. |
| AIRB | Transaction is a payment for air transport related business. |
| ALLW | Transaction is the payment of allowances. |
| ALMY | Transaction is the payment of alimony. |
| AMEX | Card Settlement-Settlement of AMEX transactions. |
| ANNI | Transaction settles annuity related to credit, insurance, investments, other. |
| ANTS | Transaction is a payment for anesthesia services. |
| AREN | Transaction is related to a payment associated with an Account Receivable Entry. |
| AUCO | Utilities-Settlement of Authenticated Collections transactions. |
| B112 | US mutual fund trailer fee (12b-1) payment. |
| BBSC | Transaction is related to a payment made as incentive to encourage parents to have more children. |
| BCDM | Transaction is the payment of a domestic bearer cheque. |
| BCFG | Transaction is the payment of a foreign bearer cheque. |
| BECH | Transaction is related to a payment made to assist parent/guardian to maintain child. |
| BENE | Transaction is related to a payment to a person who is unemployed/disabled. |
| BEXP | Transaction is related to a payment of business expenses. |
| BFWD | Cash collateral related to any securities traded out beyond 3 days which include treasury notes, JGBs and Gilts. |
| BKDF | Delayed draw funding. Certain issuers may utilize delayed draw loans whereby the lender is committed to fund cash. |
| BKFE | Bank loan fees. Cash activity related to specific bank loan fees, including agent/assignment/amendment fees, etc. |
| BKFM | Bank loan funding memo. Net cash movement for the loan contract final notification. |
| BKIP | Accrued interest payments. Specific to bank loans. |
| BKPP | Principal paydowns. Specific to bank loans. |
| BLDM | Transaction is related to a payment associated with building maintenance. |
| BNET | Bond Forward pair-off cash net movement. |
| BOCE | Transaction is related to a payment associated with a Back Office Conversion Entry. |
| BOND | Securities Lending-Settlement of Bond transaction. |
| BONU | Transaction is related to payment of a bonus. |
| BR12 | US mutual fund trailer fee (12b-1) rebate payment. |
| BUSB | Transaction is a payment for bus transport related business. |
| CABD | Securities Lending-Settlement of Corporate Actions: Bonds transactions. |
| CAEQ | Securities Lending-Settlement of Corporate Actions: Equities transactions. |
| CAFI | Transaction is the payment of custodian account management fee where custodian bank and current account servicing bank coincide. |
| CASH | Transaction is a general cash management instruction. |
| CBCR | Card Settlement-Settlement of Credit Card transactions. |
| CBFF | Transaction is related to capital building fringe fortune, ie capital building in general. |
| CBFR | Transaction is related to capital building fringe fortune for retirement. |
| CBLK | A Service that is settling money for a bulk of card transactions, while referring to a specific transaction file. |
| CBTV | Transaction is related to a payment of cable TV bill. |
| CCHD | Payments made by Government institute related to cash compensation, helplessness, disability. |
| CCIR | Cash Collateral related to a Cross Currency Interest Rate Swap. |
| CCPC | Cash Collateral associated with an ISDA/Central Clearing Agreement covering initial margin requirements for OTC trades. |
| CCPM | Cash Collateral associated with an ISDA/Central Clearing Agreement covering variation margin requirements for OTC trades. |
| CCRD | Transaction is related to a payment of credit card account. |
| CCSM | CCP Segregated initial margin: Initial margin on OTC Derivatives cleared through a CCP that requires segregation. |
| CDBL | Transaction is related to a payment of credit card bill. |
| CDCB | Purchase of Goods and Services with additional Cash disbursement at the POI (Cashback). |
| CDCD | ATM Cash Withdrawal in an unattended or Cash Advance in an attended environment. |
| CDCS | ATM Cash Withdrawal or Cash Advance with surcharging. |
| CDDP | A combined service which enables the card acceptor to perform an authorisation for a temporary amount and a completion for the final amount. |
| CDEP | Payment related to a credit default event. |
| CDOC | A service which allows the card acceptor to effect a credit to a cardholder' account (e.g. winnings from gaming). |
| CDQC | Purchase of Goods which are equivalent to cash like coupons in casinos. |
| CFDI | Transaction is the payment of capital falling due where custodian bank and current account servicing bank coincide. |
| CFEE | Transaction is related to a payment of cancellation fee. |
| CGDD | Transaction is related to a direct debit where the mandate was generated by using data from a payment card at the point of sale. |
| CHAR | Transaction is a payment for charity reasons. |
| CLPR | Transaction is a payment of car loan principal payment. |
| CMDT | Transaction is payment of commodities. |
| COLL | Transaction is a collection of funds initiated via a credit transfer or direct debit. |
| COMC | Transaction is related to a payment of commercial credit or debit. |
| COMM | Transaction is payment of commission. |
| COMP | Transaction is related to the payment of a compensation relating to interest loss/value date adjustment and can include fees. |
| COMT | Transaction is a payment used by a third party who can collect funds to pay on behalf of consumers. |
| CORT | Transaction is related to settlement of a trade, e.g. a foreign exchange deal or a securities transaction. |
| COST | Transaction is related to payment of costs. |
| CPEN | Cash penalties related to securities transaction, including CSDR Settlement Discipline Regime. |
| CPKC | Transaction is related to carpark charges. |
| CPYR | Transaction is payment of copyright. |
| CRDS | Cash collateral related to trading of credit default swap. |
| CRPR | Cash collateral related to a combination of various types of trades. |
| CRSP | Cash collateral related to cash lending/borrowing; letter of Credit; signing of master agreement. |
| CRTL | Cash collateral related to opening of a credit line before trading. |
| CSDB | Transaction is related to cash disbursement. |
| CSLP | Transaction is a payment by a company to a bank for financing social loans to employees. |
| CVCF | Transaction is a payment for convalescence care facility services. |
| DBCR | Card Settlement-Settlement of Debit Card transactions. |
| DBTC | Collection of funds initiated via a debit transfer. |
| DCRD | Transaction is related to a debit card payment. |
| DEBT | Purpose of payment is the settlement of charges payable by the debtor in relation to an underlying customer credit transfer. |
| DEPD | Transaction is related to a payment concerning dependent support, for example child support or support for a person substantially financially dependent on the support provider. |
| DEPT | Transaction is related to a payment of deposit. |
| DERI | Transaction is related to a derivatives transaction. |
| DICL | Card Settlement-Settlement of Diners transactions. |
| DIVD | Transaction is payment of dividends. |
| DMEQ | Transaction is a payment is for use of durable medical equipment. |
| DNTS | Transaction is a payment for dental services. |
| DSMT | Transaction is the payment of a disbursement due to a specific type of printed order for a payment of a specified sum. |
| DVPM | Code used to pre-advise the account servicer of a forthcoming deliver against payment instruction. |
| ECPG | E-Commerce payment with payment guarantee of the issuing bank. |
| ECPR | E-Commerce payment return. |
| ECPU | E-Commerce payment without payment guarantee of the issuing bank. |
| EDUC | Transaction is related to a payment of study/tuition fees. |
| EFTC | Utilities-Settlement of Low value Credit transactions. |
| EFTD | Utilities-Settlement of Low value Debit transactions. |
| ELEC | Transaction is related to a payment of electricity bill. |
| ENRG | Transaction is related to a utility operation. |
| EPAY | Transaction is related to ePayment. |
| EQPT | Cash collateral related to trading of equity option (Also known as stock options). |
| EQTS | Securities Lending-Settlement of Equities transactions. |
| EQUS | Cash collateral related to equity swap trades. |
| ESTX | Transaction is related to a payment of estate tax. |
| ETUP | Transaction is related to a Service that is first reserving money from a card account and then is loading an e-purse application by this amount. |
| EXPT | Cash collateral related to trading of an exotic option for example a non-standard option. |
| EXTD | Cash collateral related to trading of exchanged traded derivatives in general. |
| FACT | Payment related to a factor update. |
| FAND | Financial aid by State authorities for abolition of consequences of natural disasters. |
| FCOL | A Service that is settling card transaction related fees between two parties. |
| FCPM | Transaction is the payment for late fees & charges. E.g Credit card charges. |
| FEES | Payment of fees/charges. |
| FERB | Transaction is a payment for ferry related business. |
| FIXI | Cash collateral related to a fixed income instrument. |
| FLCR | Card Settlement-Settlement of Fleet transactions. |
| FNET | Cash associated with a netting of futures payments. |
| FORW | FX trades with a value date in the future. |
| FREX | Transaction is related to a foreign exchange operation. |
| FUTR | Cash related to futures trading activity. |
| FWBC | Cash collateral payment against a Master Forward Agreement (MFA) (segregated, not available for use). |
| FWCC | Cash collateral payment against a Master Forward Agreement (MFA) (owned, available for use). |
| FWLV | Transaction is related to a payment of Foreign Worker Levy. |
| FWSB | Cash payment related to the collateral for a Master Agreement forward (segregated, not available). |
| FWSC | Cash payment related to the collateral for a Master agreement forward (owned, available for use). |
| FXNT | FX netting if cash is moved by separate wire instead of within the closing FX instruction. |
| GAFA | Salary and Benefits-Allowance from government to support family. |
| GAHO | Salary and Benefits-Allowance from government to individuals to support payments of housing. |
| GAMB | General-Payments towards a purchase or winnings received from gambling, betting or other wagering activities. |
| GASB | Transaction is related to a payment of gas bill. |
| GDDS | Transaction is related to purchase and sale of goods. |
| GDSV | Transaction is related to purchase and sale of goods and services. |
| GFRP | Compensation to unemployed persons during insolvency procedures. |
| GIFT | Payment with no commercial or statutory purpose. |
| GOVI | Transaction is related to a payment of government insurance. |
| GOVT | Transaction is a payment to or from a government department. |
| GSCB | Transaction is related to purchase and sale of goods and services with cash back. |
| GSTX | Transaction is the payment of Goods & Services Tax. |
| GVEA | Transaction is payment to category A Austrian government employees. |
| GVEB | Transaction is payment to category B Austrian government employees. |
| GVEC | Transaction is payment to category C Austrian government employees. |
| GVED | Transaction is payment to category D Austrian government employees. |
| GWLT | Payment to victims of war violence and to disabled soldiers. |
| HEDG | Transaction is related to a hedging operation. |
| HLRP | Transaction is related to a payment of property loan. |
| HLST | Transaction is related to the settlement of a property loan. |
| HLTC | Transaction is a payment for home health care services. |
| HLTI | Transaction is a payment of health insurance. |
| HREC | Contribution by an employer to the housing expenditures of the employees within a tax free fringe benefit system. |
| HSPC | Transaction is a payment for hospital care services. |
| HSTX | Transaction is related to a payment of housing tax. |
| ICCP | Transaction is reimbursement of credit card payment. |
| ICRF | Transaction is a payment for intermediate care facility services. |
| IDCP | Transaction is reimbursement of debit card payment. |
| IHRP | Transaction is payment for an installment/hire-purchase agreement. |
| INBC | Settlement of charges in response to a prior interbank charge request. |
| INPC | Transaction is a payment of car insurance premium. |
| INPR | Transaction is related to an insurance premium refund. |
| INSC | Transaction is related to the payment of an insurance claim. |
| INSM | Transaction is related to a payment of an installment. |
| INSU | Transaction is payment of an insurance premium. |
| INTC | Transaction is an intra-company payment. |
| INTE | Transaction is payment of interest. |
| INTP | Transaction is a payment between two accounts belonging to the same party. |
| INTX | Transaction is related to a payment of income tax. |
| INVS | Transaction is for the payment of mutual funds, investment products and shares. |
| IPAY | Transaction in which the amount is available to the payee immediately. |
| IPCA | Transaction in which the Return of the amount is fully returned. |
| IPDO | Transaction in which the amount is available to the payee immediately, done for donations. |
| IPEA | Transaction in which the amount is available to the payee immediately, done in E-commerce (no address data). |
| IPEC | Transaction in which the amount is available to the payee immediately, done in E-commerce (with address data). |
| IPEW | Transaction in which the amount is available to the payee immediately, done in E-commerce. |
| IPPS | Transaction in which the amount is available to the payee immediately, done at POS. |
| IPRT | Transaction in which the Return of the amount is fully or partially returned. |
| IPU2 | Transaction is made via an unattending vending machine by using 2-factor-authentication. |
| IPUW | Transaction is made via an unattending vending machine without using 2-factor-authentication. |
| IVPT | Transaction is the payment for invoices. |
| LBIN | Net payment related to a buy-in. |
| LBRI | Transaction is a payment of labor insurance. |
| LBXX | Transaction is related to a cash transfer from an underlying fund to a holding collateralization account (ie. Longbox) for potential further use as collateral or back to the fund in case it is not required anymore. |
| LCOL | Free movement of cash collateral. |
| LFEE | Fee payments, other than rebates, for securities lending. |
| LICF | Transaction is payment of a license fee. |
| LIFI | Transaction is a payment of life insurance. |
| LIMA | Bank initiated account transfer to support zero target balance management, pooling or sweeping. |
| LMEQ | Cash collateral payments resulting from the marked-to-market of a portfolio of loaned equity securities. |
| LMFI | Cash collateral payments resulting from the marked-to-market of a portfolio of loaned fixed income securities. |
| LMRK | Cash collateral payments resulting from the marked-to-market of a portfolio of loaned securities. |
| LOAN | Transaction is related to transfer of loan to borrower. |
| LOAR | Transaction is related to repayment of loan to lender. |
| LOTT | General-Payment towards a purchase or winnings received from lottery activities. |
| LREB | Securities lending rebate payments. |
| LREV | Revenue payments made by the lending agent to the client. |
| LSFL | Payments made by a borrower to a lending agent to satisfy claims made by the investment manager related to sell fails. |
| LTCF | Transaction is a payment for long-term care facility services. |
| MAFC | Transaction is contribution to medical aid fund. |
| MARF | Transaction is related to a medical aid refund. |
| MARG | Daily margin on listed derivatives, not segregated as collateral associated with an FCM agreement. |
| MBSB | MBS Broker Owned Segregated Cash Collateral. |
| MBSC | MBS Client Owned Cash Segregated Cash Collateral. |
| MCDM | Transaction is the payment of a domestic multi-currency cheque. |
| MCFG | Transaction is the payment of a foreign multi-currency cheque. |
| MDCS | Transaction is a payment for medical care services. |
| MFSR | Payment related to shares settlement of a subscription or redemption order. |
| MGCC | Initial futures margin (owned by client, available for use). |
| MGSC | Margin Client Owned Segregated Cash Collateral (owned by client, available on return). |
| MOMA | Securities Lending-settlement of Money Market PCH. |
| MP2B | Service enabling user to use mobile app to pay a merchant/business. |
| MP2P | Service enabling user to use mobile app to initiate moving funds to another person. |
| MSVC | Transaction is related to a payment for multiple service types. |
| MTUP | Service reserving money from a card account to load a prepaid mobile phone. |
| NETT | Transaction is related to a netting operation. |
| NITX | Transaction is related to a payment of net income tax. |
| NOWS | Transaction is related to a payment for type of services not specified elsewhere. |
| NWCH | Transaction is related to a payment of network charges. |
| NWCM | Transaction is related to a payment of network communication. |
| OCCC | Client owned collateral identified as eligible for OCC pledging. |
| OCDM | Transaction is the payment of a domestic order cheque. |
| OCFG | Transaction is the payment of a foreign order cheque. |
| OFEE | Transaction is related to a payment of opening fee. |
| OPBC | Cash collateral payment for OTC options associated with an FCM agreement (segregated). |
| OPCC | Cash collateral payment for OTC options associated with an FCM agreement (not segregated). |
| OPSB | Option Broker Owned Segregated Cash Collateral. |
| OPSC | Option Client Owned Cash Segregated Cash Collateral. |
| OPTN | Cash collateral related to trading of option on Foreign Exchange. |
| OTCD | Cash collateral related to Over-the-counter (OTC) Derivatives in general. |
| OTHR | Other payment purpose. |
| OTLC | Transaction is related to a payment of other telecom related bill. |
| PADD | Transaction is related to a pre-authorized debit origination. |
| PAYR | Transaction is related to the payment of payroll. |
| PCOM | Final payment to complete the purchase of a property. |
| PDEP | Payment of the deposit required towards purchase of a property. |
| PEFC | Transaction is contribution to pension fund. |
| PENO | Payment based on enforcement orders except those arising from judicial alimony decrees. |
| PENS | Transaction is the payment of pension. |
| PHON | Transaction is related to a payment of telephone bill. |
| PLDS | Payment of funds from a lender as part of the issuance of a property loan. |
| PLRF | Transfer/extension of a property financing arrangement to a new deal or loan provider. |
| POPE | Transaction is related to a payment associated with a Point of Purchase Entry. |
| PPTI | Transaction is a payment of property insurance. |
| PRCP | Transaction is related to a payment of a price. |
| PRME | Transaction is related to a precious metal operation. |
| PTSP | Transaction is related to payment terms specifications. |
| PTXP | Transaction is related to a payment of property tax. |
| RAPI | Instant Payments-Settlement of Rapid Payment Instruction (RPI) transactions. |
| RCKE | Transaction is related to a payment associated with a re-presented check entry. |
| RCPT | Transaction is related to a payment of receipt. |
| RDTX | Transaction is related to a payment of road tax. |
| REBT | Transaction is the payment of a rebate. |
| REFU | Transaction is the payment of a refund. |
| RELG | Transaction is for general rental/lease. |
| RENT | Transaction is the payment of rent. |
| REOD | Transaction is for account overdraft repayment. |
| REPO | Cash collateral related to a repurchase agreement transaction. |
| RETL | Retail payment including e-commerce and online shopping. |
| RHBS | Benefit for the duration of occupational rehabilitation. |
| RIMB | Transaction is related to a reimbursement of a previous erroneous transaction. |
| RINP | Transaction is related to a payment of a recurring installment made at regular intervals. |
| RLWY | Transaction is a payment for railway transport related business. |
| RMCO | Utilities-Settlement of Unauthenticated Collections transactions. |
| ROYA | Transaction is the payment of royalties. |
| RPBC | Bi-lateral repo broker owned collateral associated with a repo master agreement. |
| RPCC | Repo client owned collateral associated with a repo master agreement. |
| RPNT | Bi-lateral repo interest net/bulk payment at rollover/pair-off. |
| RPSB | Bi-lateral repo broker owned segregated cash collateral associated with a repo master agreement. |
| RPSC | Repo client owned segregated collateral associated with a repo master agreement. |
| RRBN | Cash payment resulting from a Round Robin. |
| RRCT | Transaction is related to a reimbursement for commercial reasons of a correctly received credit transfer. |
| RRTP | Transaction is related to a Request to Pay. |
| RVPM | Code used to pre-advise the account servicer of a forthcoming receive against payment instruction. |
| RVPO | Cash collateral related to a reverse repurchase agreement transaction. |
| SALA | Transaction is the payment of salaries. |
| SASW | Card Settlement-Settlement of ATM transactions. |
| SAVG | Transfer to savings/retirement account. |
| SBSC | Cash collateral related to a Securities Buy Sell Sell Buy Back. |
| SCIE | Cash collateral related to Exotic single currency interest rate swap. |
| SCIR | Cash collateral related to Single Currency Interest Rate Swap. |
| SCRP | Cash collateral related to Combination of securities-related exposure types. |
| SCVE | Transaction is related to purchase and sale of services. |
| SECU | Transaction is the payment of securities. |
| SEPI | Transaction is the payment of a purchase of securities where custodian bank and current account servicing bank coincide. |
| SERV | Transaction is related to service charges charged by a service provider. |
| SHBC | Short Sale broker owned collateral associated with a prime broker agreement. |
| SHCC | Short Sale client owned collateral associated with a prime brokerage agreement. |
| SHSL | Cash Collateral related to a Short Sell. |
| SLEB | Cash collateral related to Securities lending and borrowing. |
| SLOA | Cash collateral related to a Secured loan. |
| SLPI | Transaction is payment of a well formatted payment slip. |
| SPLT | Split payments. Used when cash and security movements for a security trade settlement are instructed. |
| SPSP | Salary or pension payment for more months in one amount or a delayed payment. |
| SSBE | Transaction is a social security benefit. |
| STDY | Transaction is related to a payment of study/tuition costs. |
| SUBS | Transaction is related to a payment of information or entertainment services. |
| SUPP | Transaction is related to a payment to a supplier. |
| SWBC | Cash collateral payment for swaps associated with an ISDA agreement (segregated). |
| SWCC | Cash collateral payment for swaps associated with an ISDA agreement (not segregated). |
| SWFP | Final payments for a swap contract. |
| SWPP | Partial payment for a swap contract. |
| SWPT | Cash collateral related to an option on interest rate swap. |
| SWRS | Reset payment for a swap contract. |
| SWSB | Swaps Broker Owned Segregated Cash Collateral. |
| SWSC | Swaps Client Owned Segregated Cash Collateral. |
| SWUF | Upfront payment for a swap contract. |
| TAXR | Transaction is the refund of a tax payment or obligation. |
| TAXS | Transaction is the payment of taxes. |
| TBAN | TBA pair-off cash wire net movement. |
| TBAS | Cash collateral related to a To Be Announced (TBA). |
| TBBC | Cash collateral payment (segregated) for TBA securities associated with a TBA Master Agreement. |
| TBCC | Cash collateral payment (for use by client) for TBA securities associated with a TBA Master Agreement. |
| TBIL | Transaction is related to a payment of telecommunications related bill. |
| TCSC | Transaction is related to a payment associated with charges levied by a town council. |
| TELI | Transaction is related to a payment initiated via telephone. |
| TLRF | Any non-US mutual fund trailer fee (retrocession) payment. |
| TLRR | Any non-US mutual fund trailer fee (retrocession) rebate payment. |
| TMPG | Cash payment resulting from a TMPG Claim. |
| TPRI | Tri-Party Repo related interest. |
| TPRP | Tri-party Repo related net gain/loss cash movement. |
| TRAD | Transaction is related to a trade services operation. |
| TRCP | Cash collateral related to a combination of treasury-related exposure types. |
| TREA | Transaction is related to treasury operations. |
| TRFD | Transaction is related to a payment of a trust fund. |
| TRNC | Transaction is payment of a beneficiary prefilled payment slip where beneficiary to payer information is truncated. |
| TRPT | Transaction is for the payment to top-up pre-paid card and electronic road pricing. |
| TRVC | Transaction is the payment of a travellers cheque. |
| UBIL | Transaction is for the payment to common utility provider that provide gas, water and/or electricity. |
| UNIT | Transaction is purchase of Unit Trust. |
| VATX | Transaction is the payment of value added tax. |
| VIEW | Transaction is a payment for vision care services. |
| WEBI | Transaction is related to a payment initiated via internet. |
| WHLD | Transaction is related to a payment of withholding tax. |
| WTER | Transaction is related to a payment of water bill. |
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