Category 1: Customer payments and cheques
MT110 Advice of Cheque(s)
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The MT110 is the message a bank sends to tell the bank on which it drew one or more cheques (the drawee bank) the details of those cheques: number, date of issue, amount and payee. The drawee bank uses it to check cheques when they are presented. One MT110 can advise up to ten cheques, all in the same currency.
When MT110 is used
When a bank issues a bank cheque or draft in a foreign currency, it usually draws it on its own account with a correspondent in that currency’s country. The issuing bank (the drawer bank) sends an MT110 to that correspondent (the drawee bank) so that, when the payee presents the cheque, the drawee bank can match it against the advice and pay it with confidence. A bank can also send an MT110 to confirm cheque details to a bank that asked about them.
The message has a short header part with the Sender’s reference and, when needed, the reimbursement route in fields 53a and 54a, followed by a block that repeats once per cheque: cheque number in 21, date of issue in 30, amount in 32a, optionally the payer and the drawer bank, and the payee in 59a.
Field 32a has two options. Option A carries a value date and means the Sender has already credited the Receiver with the cheque amount; option B gives only currency and amount. If the cheque later has to be stopped, the drawer bank sends an MT111 quoting the same cheque details, and the drawee bank answers with an MT112.
The drawee bank relies on the advice to check a presented cheque, including the payee name. A missing or wrong MT110 can therefore mean the cheque is held while the drawee bank checks with the drawer bank.
MT110 format: sequences and fields
Message text (block 4)Mandatory
Fields 20 to 72 appear once. Fields 21 to 59a form a block that repeats once per cheque, at most ten times (rule C1, T10).
| Tag | Name | Status | Format | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Sender's Reference | M | 16x | The Sender’s reference for the advice. No leading or trailing slash and no double slash (T26). |
| 53a | Sender's CorrespondentOptions A, B or D | O | A: [/1!a][/34x] 4!a2!a2!c[3!c] B: [/1!a][/34x] [35x] D: [/1!a][/34x] 4*35x | The account or branch of the Sender, or another bank, through which the Sender will reimburse the Receiver. Leave out 53a and 54a when the single direct account relationship in the cheque currency is used; with several accounts, give the one to use in option B; with no direct account, name the reimbursing bank (a cover payment then goes to it). |
| 54a | Receiver's CorrespondentOptions A, B or D | O | A: [/1!a][/34x] 4!a2!a2!c[3!c] B: [/1!a][/34x] [35x] D: [/1!a][/34x] 4*35x | The branch of the Receiver, or another bank, where the funds will be made available to the Receiver. A branch of the Sender must not appear here, and a bank other than the Receiver’s branch needs 53a before it. |
| 72 | Sender to Receiver Information | O | 6*35x | Bank-to-bank information, structured with codes between slashes such as /ACC/, /INS/ or /INT/. A line starting /REJT/ or /RETN/ must follow the payments reject and return guidelines (T80). |
| 21 | Cheque Number | M | 16x | The number of the cheque being advised. No leading or trailing slash and no double slash. |
| 30 | Date of Issue | M | 6!n | The date (YYMMDD) on which the cheque was drawn. |
| 32a | AmountOptions A or B | M | A: 6!n3!a15d B: 3!a15d | Currency and amount of the cheque. Option A adds a value date and is used when the Sender has already credited the Receiver with the cheque amount. Every cheque in the message must be in the same currency (rule C2, C02). |
| 50a | PayerOptions A, F or K | O | A: [/34x] 4!a2!a2!c[3!c] F: 35x 4*(1!n/33x) K: [/34x] 4*35x | The customer who bought the cheque, with the account if known. Option F uses numbered lines (1/ name, 2/ address, 3/ country and town) with the same rules as the ordering customer in an MT103. |
| 52a | Drawer BankOptions A, B or D | O | A: [/1!a][/34x] 4!a2!a2!c[3!c] B: [/1!a][/34x] [35x] D: [/1!a][/34x] 4*35x | The bank that drew the cheque, when it is a branch of the Sender or another bank. Option A (BIC) is preferred; option D only when the bank has no BIC. |
| 59a | PayeeOptions no letter or F | M | No letter: [/34x] 4*35x F: [/34x] 4*(1!n/33x) | The beneficiary named on the cheque. The account part must not be used: a cheque payee is identified by name and address only. In option F, line 1/ is the name and a 3/ line with a country code is required. |
Format notation: n digits, a upper-case letters, c upper-case letters and digits, x any character of the Swift character set, d a decimal number with a comma, ! fixed length, [ ] optional, 4*35x up to 4 lines of 35 characters. M mandatory, O optional, C conditional (a rule decides).
Rules worth knowing
- C1 (T10): the repeating cheque block (21 to 59a) may occur at most ten times.
- C2 (C02): the currency in field 32a must be the same for every cheque in the message.
- Field 32a option A (with a value date) means the Sender has already credited the Receiver with the amount; otherwise use option B.
- In field 59a the account must not be used.
- The cheque details in a later MT111 stop payment request must match the MT110.
MT110 example
ZagTrader Test Bank in Dubai (ZAGTAEADXXX) issues two USD drafts on 20 October 2026, drawn on its USD account with BANKUS33XXX in New York, and advises them to the New York bank in one MT110. The single USD account relationship is used for reimbursement, so fields 53a and 54a are left out.
{1:F01ZAGTAEADAXXX0000000000}{2:I110BANKUS33XXXXN}{4:
:20:ZTCHQ26102001
:21:004417
:30:261020
:32B:USD15000,00
:50K:/AE070331234567890123456
NORTHWIND TRADING LLC
DUBAI AE
:59:SILVERLINE MACHINERY INC
200 LAKE STREET
CHICAGO IL 60601
:21:004418
:30:261020
:32B:USD2350,00
:59:MARTA OLSEN
45 PINE AVENUE
BOSTON MA 02110
-}Decode this example in the parserLine by line
| Line | What it says |
|---|---|
| {1:F01ZAGTAEADAXXX0000000000}{2:I110BANKUS33XXXXN}{4: | Sender: the drawer bank. Receiver: the drawee bank holding the drawer bank’s USD account. |
| :20:ZTCHQ26102001 | Sender’s reference for the advice. |
| :21:004417 | First cheque: cheque number. |
| :30:261020 | Date of issue. |
| :32B:USD15000,00 | Option B: amount only, the Receiver has not been credited in advance. |
| :50K:/AE070331234567890123456 | Payer: the customer who bought the draft (optional). |
| NORTHWIND TRADING LLC | |
| DUBAI AE | |
| :59:SILVERLINE MACHINERY INC | Payee: name and address only, no account line. |
| 200 LAKE STREET | |
| CHICAGO IL 60601 | |
| :21:004418 | Second cheque. |
| :30:261020 | |
| :32B:USD2350,00 | Same currency as the first cheque, as rule C2 requires. |
| :59:MARTA OLSEN | |
| 45 PINE AVENUE | |
| BOSTON MA 02110 | |
| -} | End of block 4. |
BICs, names, cheque numbers and the IBAN are made up.
Common errors and rejects
More than ten cheques in one message (T10)
The cheque block may repeat at most ten times. Split larger batches over several MT110s, each with its own field 20.
Cheques in different currencies (C02)
All amounts in 32a must use one currency. Send a separate MT110 per currency, usually to a different drawee bank anyway.
Account given in the payee field
Field 59a must not carry an account for an MT110: write the payee’s name and address exactly as on the cheque. A payee name that does not match the presented cheque is a typical reason for the drawee bank to refuse payment.
Cheque presented but never advised
If the MT110 was not sent, or was sent to the wrong drawee bank, a presented cheque may be held or returned unpaid. Check the drawee bank and account on the cheque stock against the BIC used in the application header.
MT110 in ISO 20022
The ISO 20022 equivalent is camt.107 Cheque Presentment Notification, sent by the drawer agent to the drawee agent to inform it about the cheque. The J.P. Morgan ISO 20022 messaging adoption schedule names the MT110 as its MT equivalent; J.P. Morgan has received it since November 2023. The stop and status messages map to camt.108 and camt.109.
Cheque messages were not part of the 22 November 2025 migration of payment instructions: BNY’s May 2025 notice says MT110, MT111 and MT112 continue to be supported until Swift defines a date.
MT110 questions
- What is an MT110 used for?
- A bank that has issued a cheque or draft drawn on its account with another bank uses the MT110 to tell that bank the cheque’s number, date, amount and payee, so the drawee bank can verify and pay it when it is presented.
- Who sends the MT110 and who receives it?
- The drawer bank (the bank that issued the cheque), or a bank acting for it, sends it to the drawee bank (the bank the cheque is drawn on, usually a correspondent in the cheque currency).
- How many cheques can one MT110 advise?
- Up to ten, all in the same currency. Each cheque has its own block with fields 21, 30, 32a and 59a, plus the optional payer and drawer bank.
- What is the difference between MT110, MT111 and MT112?
- The MT110 advises cheques. The MT111 asks the drawee bank to stop payment of one cheque. The MT112 is the drawee bank’s answer, saying whether the stop was recorded.
- What is the ISO 20022 equivalent of the MT110?
camt.107Cheque Presentment Notification. MT110 remains supported on Swift until a migration date is set.
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