BIC codes are now obsolete. Please see here for more info.

1st March 2024

Following the second announcement/reminder that the BIC Standard Subject Categories (aka BIC Codes) scheme will become obsolete by the end February 2024, BIC now confirms that it is no longer supporting or offering guidance on the allocation of BIC Codes.

The BIC codes are replaced by Thema – we have put together the following operational FAQs for guidance:

Obsolescence of BIC Codes and Transition to Thema – BIC’s Operational FAQ

February 2024:

As of 29th February 2024 the BIC Standard Subject Categories (aka BIC codes) scheme is obsolete. As such, we are no longer providing any support (neither written nor verbal) regarding the allocation of BIC codes. If you have come to this page looking for BIC Codes guidelines and documentation, please note that following our publicly announced 2-year notice period (see below), these have been permanently removed from our website, and are not available on request. If you haven’t yet transitioned to using Thema, please read the our Operational FAQs in the link below.

February 2023:

Following the second announcement/reminder that the BIC Standard Subject Categories (aka BIC Codes) scheme will become obsolete in February 2024 – replaced by Thema – we have put together the following operational FAQs to help with this transition:

Obsolescence of BIC Codes and Transition to Thema – BIC’s Operational FAQ

February 2022:

In February 2022 BIC announced that the BIC Standard Subject Categories scheme will become obsolete in February 2024.

Read the full press release here.

February 2017:

Please note that with the introduction and growing adoption internationally of Thema (the subject category scheme for a global book trade), in February 2017 BIC permanently froze the development of BIC Codes. More information about Thema can be found here: http://www.editeur.org/151/Thema/ 

Any questions, please contact us.