RC04 - Invalid creditor bank identifier

What this code means

RC04 means the creditor bank identifier — the BIC of the beneficiary's bank — is invalid. It names a receiving institution that cannot be resolved.

Typical causes

• The beneficiary bank BIC is wrong, obsolete, or belongs to a merged institution.
• The BIC contradicts the beneficiary IBAN supplied in the same transaction.
• A non-SEPA or non-reachable institution BIC was used.

What to do

Confirm the correct BIC for the beneficiary bank, or omit the BIC entirely — the IBAN alone is sufficient for SEPA — then resubmit the payment. This rejection is recoverable.

What it looks like in a pain.002

The reason code is carried in the StsRsnInf/Rsn/Cd element of the status report.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Document xmlns="urn:iso:std:iso:20022:tech:xsd:pain.002.001.03">
  <CstmrPmtStsRpt>
    <GrpHdr>
      <MsgId>STATUS-2026-000123</MsgId>
      <CreDtTm>2026-01-15T09:30:00</CreDtTm>
    </GrpHdr>
    <OrgnlGrpInfAndSts>
      <OrgnlMsgId>MSG-2026-000045</OrgnlMsgId>
      <OrgnlMsgNmId>pain.001.001.09</OrgnlMsgNmId>
    </OrgnlGrpInfAndSts>
    <OrgnlPmtInfAndSts>
      <OrgnlPmtInfId>PMTINF-2026-01</OrgnlPmtInfId>
      <TxInfAndSts>
        <OrgnlEndToEndId>E2E-REF-0001</OrgnlEndToEndId>
        <TxSts>RJCT</TxSts>
        <StsRsnInf>
          <Rsn>
            <Cd>RC04</Cd>
          </Rsn>
        </StsRsnInf>
      </TxInfAndSts>
    </OrgnlPmtInfAndSts>
  </CstmrPmtStsRpt>
</Document>

Tools for this code

Decode a real status report, or check a payment file before you send it — all in your browser, nothing uploaded.

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