Calculate the exact arrival time of your Irish domestic or international bank transfer. Supporting SEPA Credit Transfer, SEPA Instant, Express/Priority, and SWIFT across major banks in Ireland and throughout Europe.
Select your sending and receiving banks, choose a payment method, and enter the time you're making the transfer.
Three simple steps to find out when your money will arrive.
Choose the bank you're sending money from and the bank that will receive it. We support all major Irish banks and financial institutions.
Select whether you're using SEPA Credit Transfer (1 business day), SEPA Instant (seconds), or Express/Priority (same day).
Tell us when you're sending the payment and we'll calculate exactly when the funds will arrive in the recipient's account.
Understanding the three main ways to send money between Irish bank accounts.
The standard method for sending euro payments between bank accounts across Ireland and the wider SEPA zone (36 European countries). Regulated by EU payment services legislation, SEPA Credit Transfer guarantees that funds will reach the recipient's bank within 1 business day of the payment order being received. Widely used for salaries, supplier payments, and personal transfers.
SEPA Instant (SCT Inst) enables real-time euro payments that arrive within seconds, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including weekends and public holidays. Launched across the eurozone, this service is increasingly supported by Irish banks. The maximum per-transaction amount is currently EUR 100,000, with plans to increase this further.
Express or Priority transfers are processed with higher urgency through the TARGET2 real-time gross settlement system operated by the Eurosystem. These same-day transfers are typically used for large or time-sensitive payments such as property completions, legal settlements, and urgent commercial transactions. Only available on TARGET2 operating days before the bank's cutoff time.
Our calculator covers all major Irish banks and financial institutions.
Sending money between bank accounts is something millions of people in Ireland do every day. Whether you're paying rent, sending money to family, settling a bill, or completing a property purchase, understanding how long your bank transfer will take is essential for managing your finances effectively.
Since Ireland is part of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), all domestic euro transfers and transfers to other SEPA countries are processed through the same SEPA infrastructure. This means that sending money from AIB to Bank of Ireland is handled in the same way as sending money from AIB to Deutsche Bank in Germany or BNP Paribas in France.
SEPA covers 36 countries, including all EU and EEA member states, plus the UK, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, Andorra, and Vatican City. For Irish consumers and businesses, this means:
SEPA Instant Credit Transfer (SCT Inst) is the real-time payment scheme that allows euro transfers to arrive within seconds, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Unlike standard SEPA Credit Transfers, SEPA Instant does not depend on business days or cutoff times.
Key features of SEPA Instant in Ireland:
Express or Priority transfers use the TARGET2 real-time gross settlement system operated by the Eurosystem (the European Central Bank and national central banks). Each payment is settled individually in real time, providing immediate finality.
Key facts about Express transfers in Ireland:
Irish bank holidays affect SEPA Credit Transfer and Express/Priority processing. On these days, standard transfers do not process, meaning they are delayed to the next business day. SEPA Instant, however, continues to operate 24/7, including on all bank holidays.
The 2026 Irish public holidays are: New Year's Day (1 January), St Brigid's Day (2 February), St Patrick's Day (17 March), Easter Monday (6 April), May Bank Holiday (4 May), June Bank Holiday (1 June), August Bank Holiday (3 August), October Bank Holiday (26 October), Christmas Day (25 December), and St Stephen's Day (26 December).
For euro transfers within the SEPA zone, Irish banks use the standard SEPA infrastructure, meaning transfers to European countries are fast and cost-effective. For transfers outside the SEPA zone (e.g., to the United States, Australia, or Asia), banks use the SWIFT network.
SWIFT transfer times from Ireland vary by destination:
Irish banks typically have SWIFT cutoff times between 2:00 PM and 3:30 PM GMT/IST. Transfers sent after cutoff will begin processing on the next business day.
Everything you need to know about Irish bank transfers.
It depends on the payment method used. SEPA Credit Transfer takes up to 1 business day — if you send before your bank's cutoff, the money should arrive by the end of the next business day. SEPA Instant arrives within seconds and is available 24/7, including weekends and bank holidays. Express/Priority transfers settle the same business day if submitted before the cutoff time. Most personal online transfers in Ireland now use standard SEPA Credit Transfer by default.
SEPA Instant operates 24/7, including weekends and all Irish bank holidays, so your transfer will arrive within seconds at any time. However, SEPA Credit Transfer and Express/Priority transfers only process on TARGET2 operating days (business days). If you initiate a standard transfer on Friday evening, it won't begin processing until Monday and should arrive by end of day Monday or early Tuesday.
SEPA Credit Transfer is the standard method — takes up to 1 business day, free or very low cost, no standard upper limit, and works across all 36 SEPA countries. SEPA Instant is the real-time option — arrives in seconds, available 24/7 including weekends and holidays, with a maximum of EUR 100,000 per transaction. Express/Priority uses the TARGET2 settlement system for same-day high-value payments — costs EUR 10-30, only available on business days before the cutoff, and is commonly used for property completions and urgent large transfers.
Express/Priority payments settled through TARGET2 are irrevocable — once settled, they cannot be recalled. SEPA Instant transfers are near-instant and generally cannot be reversed once credited to the recipient's account. For SEPA Credit Transfers, you may be able to request a recall through your bank if the payment has not yet been credited, but this is not guaranteed and the receiving bank may refuse. SEPA Direct Debits can be refunded within 8 weeks (or 13 months if unauthorised). Always verify the IBAN before confirming a transfer.
An IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is the standardised account number format used for all payments in Ireland and across the SEPA zone. Irish IBANs are 22 characters long and begin with "IE" (e.g., IE29 AIBK 9311 5212 3456 78). You can find your IBAN on your bank statement, in your online banking portal, on your banking app, or on your debit card. Since the SEPA migration in 2014, your old NSC (National Sort Code) and account number have been replaced by the IBAN for all payment purposes. You will also need the recipient's BIC (Bank Identifier Code) for some international payments.
For euro transfers within the SEPA zone, the standard 1-business-day rule applies, making payments to other European countries just as fast as domestic transfers. For transfers outside the SEPA zone (e.g., to the US, Australia, or Asia), Irish banks use the SWIFT network. Standard SWIFT transfers typically take 2-5 business days depending on the destination, with transfers to the UK and Europe generally being faster (1-2 days) than transfers to more distant regions. Factors such as correspondent banks, compliance checks, time zone differences, and local holidays in the destination country all affect delivery times. Use our international calculator for estimates specific to your bank and destination.