Source: https://rivet.global/blog/swift-structured-address-requirement
Published: 2026-11-02 · Updated: 2026-11-02 · By Rashidatou K.

# Swift structured addresses: why wires need a full address from November 2026

From November 2026, Swift payments no longer accept fully unstructured postal addresses. What structured and hybrid addresses are and what details to give payers.

## Key takeaways

- Cross-border Swift payments moved to ISO 20022 messages, and the coexistence period for old MT payment messages ended in November 2025.
- From November 2026, fully unstructured postal addresses are no longer accepted in those payment messages.
- Banks must send either a structured address or a hybrid one, which needs at least the town and the country as separate fields.
- Payments with poor address data are more likely to be held for checks or returned.
- Give payers your registered address split into street, building number, postcode, town and country.

Swift spent several years moving cross-border payments from the old MT message format to ISO 20022. The old payment messages stopped being accepted in November 2025. The next step concerns addresses: from November 2026, a payment can no longer carry the payer's or payee's address as free text only.

This sounds like back-office plumbing, and mostly it is. It touches you because the address your clients' banks put into the message comes from what you gave them.

## What changes in November 2026

ISO 20022 messages have separate fields for each part of an address. Under the old format, banks typed the address into a few free-text lines. Swift's rule for cross-border payments is now:

| Address type | Allowed from November 2026 | What it contains |
|---|---|---|
| Fully structured | Yes | Each part in its own field: street, building number, postcode, town, country code |
| Hybrid | Yes | Town and country in their own fields, plus up to two free-text lines |
| Fully unstructured | No | Free-text lines only |

## Why banks care

Structured data lets banks screen names and places against sanctions lists automatically. When the address is a blob of text, screening tools produce false matches, and a person has to review the payment. That review is one of the most common reasons an international wire is late. Our article on [Swift fees and timing](/blog/swift-transfer-fees-and-time) covers the other usual causes.

## What to give clients who wire you money

Send your bank details with the address already split up. For example:

| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Account name | Your exact registered company name |
| Street | Market Street |
| Building number | 1200 |
| Postcode | 94102 |
| Town | San Francisco |
| Country | US |

Use the address your account is registered to, not an office you moved out of. If the name or address in the payment does not match the account, the receiving bank may hold the money while it checks. The [USD account details guide](/blog/usd-account-details-explained) explains each line on a typical wire instruction.

## What to check if you send wires

- Store each supplier's address in parts in your accounting or payments tool, not as one text box.
- Ask suppliers for town and country at the least, and a postcode where their country uses one.
- Re-check details for suppliers you have paid for years. Old records are often incomplete.

## Wires on Rivet

Rivet shows your USD wire details with the address already split into fields, ready to paste into a payer's form. Outgoing payouts ask for each part of the recipient's address. See [Payouts](/payouts).

## Questions

### What is a structured address in ISO 20022?

An address split into separate fields, such as street name, building number, postcode, town name and country code, in place of free-text lines. It lets banks screen and route payments automatically.

### What is a hybrid address?

A format Swift allows alongside fully structured addresses. Town and country must be in their own fields, and up to two lines of free text can carry the rest of the address.

### Do I need to do anything if I only receive wires?

Make sure your payers have your full registered address in separate parts, including town and country. Their bank fills the message; if it only has a single text line, it may ask them for more or the payment may slow down.

### Does this affect ACH or SEPA payments?

The November 2026 rule is about cross-border Swift payment messages. Domestic schemes set their own rules, although several are moving to ISO 20022 as well.