Category 4
Category 4 MT messages: collections and cash letters
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Category 4 supports documentary collections: an exporter’s bank (the remitting bank) sends shipping and financial documents to the importer’s bank (the collecting bank), which releases them against payment or acceptance. The collecting bank acknowledges the collection (MT410), reports acceptance (MT412), non-payment or non-acceptance (MT416) and finally pays (MT400). The remitting bank can chase with a tracer (MT420) and amend its instructions (MT430).
Cash letter messages (MT450, MT455, MT456) cover the credit, adjustment and dishonour of items such as cheques sent for collection in bulk.
Collections usually follow the ICC Uniform Rules for Collections (URC 522). Category 4 was not part of the November 2025 payments migration and stays on MT.
17 message types in the current standard (2 with a full page).
Category 4 messages
- MT400Advice of Payment
Collecting bank’s advice to the remitting bank that a collection has been paid, with the proceeds remitted.
Full page - MT410Acknowledgement
Collecting bank’s acknowledgement that it has received a collection, for up to ten items in one currency.
Full page - MT412Advice of Acceptance
Collecting bank advises that the drawee has accepted one or more drafts under a collection.
Catalogue - MT416Advice of Non-Payment/Non-Acceptance
Advises that the drawee did not pay or did not accept under a collection.
Catalogue - MT420Tracer
Remitting bank asks the collecting bank what happened to documents sent for collection.
Catalogue - MT422Advice of Fate and Request for Instructions
Collecting bank reports the status of collection documents, with questions or answers.
Catalogue - MT430Amendment of Instructions
Remitting bank amends the instructions of a collection already sent.
Catalogue - MT450Cash Letter Credit Advice
Account servicer confirms that the face amount of cash letters was credited under usual reserve.
Catalogue - MT455Cash Letter Credit Adjustment Advice
Account servicer advises an adjustment to an earlier cash letter credit.
Catalogue - MT456Advice of Dishonour
Account servicer advises that items in a cash letter were dishonoured and debited.
Catalogue - MT490Advice of Charges, Interest and Other Adjustments
Advises charges, interest or other adjustments booked to an account (collections).
Catalogue - MT491Request for Payment of Charges, Interest and Other Expenses
Asks another institution to pay charges, interest or expenses (collections).
Catalogue - MT492Request for Cancellation
Asks the receiver to cancel an earlier collections message.
Catalogue - MT495Queries
Asks a question about an earlier collections message.
Catalogue - MT496Answers
Answers a query or cancellation request about a collections message.
Catalogue - MT498Proprietary Message
Envelope for bilaterally agreed content (collections).
Catalogue - MT499Free Format Message
Free-format correspondence about collections.
Catalogue
Category 4 questions
- What is the difference between a documentary collection and a documentary credit?
- In a collection the banks handle documents but do not promise payment. In a documentary credit (MT700) the issuing bank undertakes to pay if compliant documents are presented.
- Which message pays a collection?
- The collecting bank sends an MT400 Advice of Payment to the remitting bank when it pays the proceeds.
- Is category 4 moving to ISO 20022?
- It was not part of the 2025 cross-border payments migration and remains on MT.
Other categories
- Category 1: Customer payments and cheques
- Category 2: Financial institution transfers
- Category 3: Foreign exchange, money markets and derivatives
- Category 5: Securities markets
- Category 6: Commodities and reference data
- Category 7: Documentary credits, guarantees and standby letters of credit
- Category 8: Travellers cheques
- Category 9: Cash management and customer status
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