How do I submit a wire request?
With the implementation of Workday Financials, schools and departments can no longer request domestic wire payments. The payment type is now determined by how the supplier is set up through PaymentWorks. If your department is working with a Supplier, please have the supplier enroll in PaymentWorks for ACH payments.
Foreign wires are still available.
What is a wire?
Wire transfers are a form of payment whereby funds are sent through the Federal Reserve Wire Network from one financial institution to another.
When should wires be submitted?
Wire transfers should only be requested when payments cannot be made with the Purchasing Card or any other standard University form of payment.
What is the cost?
Outgoing wire transfers are the University's most expensive payment option and are therefore processed only upon request. The internal costs associated with wire transfers are absorbed entirely by the University and are not passed on to the requesting department.
What if my wire is returned?
Wires are normally returned due to incomplete or incorrect banking instructions. All fees associated with returned wires will be charged back to the requesting department. This fee amount is determined by the receiving bank and may vary. The chargeback cost is usually $25 - $35 per transaction. All returned wires will need to be resubmitted through the normal wire request process with correct banking instructions.
What is the deadline for a wire transfer to be processed?
Wire transfers are processed daily by 10 a.m. upon approval by Accounts Payable, provided the date of the wire transfer request is NOT a federal or University holiday.
Wires submitted after 10 a.m. will be released the following business day. If there is a need for same day payment after the deadline the requester must contact Treasury.
What information is needed to request a wire?
| Foreign Bank | Domestic |
| Bank name and address | Bank name and address |
| International bank account number (IBAN) | Bank account number |
| Sort code or BSB (identifies the bank branch) | ABA (routing number of the bank) |
| Payee account name | Payee account name |
| Payee name and address | Payee name and address |
| Swift code (international bank identifier) | |
| Reference information (i.e. PO number Invoice number, etc.) |
Reference information (i.e. PO number Invoice number, etc.) |
Additional Banking Code Information (Please note that all banks use Swift Codes, but the following codes are more reliable in their respective countries):
- IBAN code
- Only EU banks
- Includes account number
- Routing/ABA
- Only U.S. banks
- Separate acct. # required
- Sort code
- Only U.K. and Ireland
- Separate acct. # required
- BSB code
- Only Australia
- Separate acct. # required
- IFSC code
- Only India
- Separate acct. # required
- Swift code
- All banks
- Separate acct. # required
International Bank Account Number (IBAN) Information (20-27 digits starting with 2 letters, i.e. AD12 0001 2030 2003 5910 0100)
(Required for some foreign transactions): The IBAN is an international standard for identifying bank accounts across national borders. Information regarding the IBAN structure can be located at: https://bank.codes/iban/structure/
Bank Sort Codes (6 digit code, i.e. 40-53-06)
Bank Sort codes are used to route money transfers between banks within their respective countries via their respective clearance organization. The codes are six digits
Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) (i.e. BOFAUS3N)
The SWIFT is a standard format of Bank Identifier Codes. It is the unique identification code of a particular bank. Only SWIFTs connected to the SWIFT network can be used to execute wire transfers. They can be validated at https://www2.swift.com/bsl/
Intermediary Bank
Optional, only need if there are three parties involved in the transfer of your wire.
ABA or Routing Number (9 digit code, i.e. 026009593 )
A nine digit bank code, used in the United States. ABA actually stands for American Banker’s Association. It is also sometimes called the Transit Routing Number. The ABA number identifies which banks the account is from. Each bank is issued its own ABA number.
Please direct any questions you may have by email to askfinance@virginia.edu with the subject beginning: Attention Payables - Wire Request.