What does NARR mean in ISO 20022?

NARR is Narrative in the ExternalReturnReason1Code code set: Reason is provided as narrative information in the additional reason information.

What should I do when I get NARR?

Read AddtlInf in the status, return or cancellation message. If it is empty, ask the sender for the reason.

Where does NARR appear in a message?

For example in pacs.004, element TxInf/RtrRsnInf/Rsn/Cd.

ExternalReturnReason1Code

NARR Reason Code: Narrative

Written and maintained by ZagTrader. Last reviewed 21 October 2026. How this page is sourced and checked

NARR means narrative in the ISO 20022 return reason code set. The reason is given as free text in the additional information instead of a code.

Code: NARR
ISO name: Narrative
Status: Registered
Last updated: 2009-04-01

Official definition

Reason is provided as narrative information in the additional reason information.

Definition from the ISO 20022 External Code Sets, 2Q2026 (published 28 Aug 2026).

What it means in practice

In a pacs.004 payment return, a return reason code explains why funds that were already settled are being sent back. It sits in TxInf/RtrRsnInf/Rsn/Cd, and bank statements (camt.053, camt.054) repeat it in RtrInf/Rsn/Cd.

The reason is given as free text in the additional information instead of a code.

What to do

Read AddtlInf in the status, return or cancellation message. If it is empty, ask the sender for the reason.

Messages and fields that use ExternalReturnReason1Code

Message	Element path
pacs.004	TxInf/RtrRsnInf/Rsn/Cd, OrgnlGrpInf/RtrRsnInf/Rsn/Cd
camt.053	Stmt/Ntry/NtryDtls/TxDtls/RtrInf/Rsn/Cd
camt.054	Ntfctn/Ntry/NtryDtls/TxDtls/RtrInf/Rsn/Cd
camt.052	Rpt/Ntry/NtryDtls/TxDtls/RtrInf/Rsn/Cd
trck.001	TrckrStsAndTx/Tx/RjctRtrRsn/Rsn/Cd, TrckrStsAndTx/TxSts/RjctRtrRsn/Rsn/Cd
trck.002	TrckrStsAndTx/Tx/RjctRtrRsn/Rsn/Cd, TrckrStsAndTx/TxSts/RjctRtrRsn/Rsn/Cd
trck.004	TrckrStsAndTx/Tx/RjctRtrRsn/Rsn/Cd, TrckrStsAndTx/TxSts/RjctRtrRsn/Rsn/Cd

NARR in other code sets

NARR questions

What does NARR mean in ISO 20022?: NARR is Narrative in the ExternalReturnReason1Code code set: Reason is provided as narrative information in the additional reason information.
What should I do when I get NARR?: Read AddtlInf in the status, return or cancellation message. If it is empty, ask the sender for the reason.
Where does NARR appear in a message?: For example in pacs.004, element TxInf/RtrRsnInf/Rsn/Cd.

All ExternalReturnReason1Code codes · ISO 20022 code sets

The ISO 20022 code names and definitions on this page are reproduced from material published at iso20022.org under the ISO 20022 Intellectual Property Rights policy. This is not the official source: the up-to-date ISO 20022 standards and repository material are published only at iso20022.org. Explanations in our own words are by ZagTrader. ZagTrader is not affiliated with or endorsed by ISO or Swift.