The common group answer: the reply to an MT n95 query, an MT n92 request for cancellation, or another message that has no answer type of its own, with the same fields in every category from MT196 to MT996.

Which category digit should the answer use?

The same as the message being answered: MT296 for an MT292 or MT295, MT396 for an MT395, MT596 for an MT595 or MT592.

What goes in field 21 of an MT n96?

Field 20 of the query or request being answered, not the reference of the underlying payment or confirmation. The underlying message is identified in field 11a and field 79 or the copied fields.

Must every request for cancellation be answered?

Yes. An MT n92 always requires an MT n96, whether the message was cancelled, the request is pending or it is refused.

What is the ISO 20022 equivalent of MT n96?

For payment cancellations, camt.029 Resolution of Investigation; for answers to queries, camt.111 Investigation Response.

Common group, all categories

MT n96 Answers (MT296 to MT996)

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

MT n96 is the common group message that answers an MT n95 query or an MT n92 request for cancellation, and any other message for which no specific reply exists. It quotes the request’s reference in field 21 and gives the answer in field 76. It uses the same category digit as the message it answers, so an MT392 is answered by an MT396 and an MT592 by an MT596.

Message type: MTn96
Category: All (n = category digit)
Structure: 7 fields listed
ISO 20022: camt.029, camt.111, camt.025

Message types that use this layout

When MTn96 is used

The answer closes the loop on an exception. A bank that receives a request for cancellation (MTn92) must answer it with an MT n96; a query (MTn95) is answered the same way. The message can go between financial institutions or between a bank and a corporate customer, like the request.

The category digit follows the request: 1 Category 1 customer payments (MT196); 2 Category 2 financial institution transfers (MT296); 3 Category 3 treasury markets (MT396); 4 Category 4 collections (MT496); 5 Category 5 securities (MT596); 6 Category 6 precious metals, commodities and syndications (MT696); 7 Category 7 documentary credits and guarantees (MT796); 8 Category 8 travellers cheques (MT896); 9 Category 9 cash management (MT996).

Field 21 carries field 20 of the query or request being answered: that is what the requesting bank matches on. The answer itself goes in field 76, six lines of 35 characters, with field 77A for longer explanations. Field 11a and either field 79 or a copy of the original fields can also identify the underlying message (the one the query or cancellation was about), which helps when the answer reaches a desk that did not see the request.

An answer to a cancellation request typically says one of three things: the message has been cancelled (with the reference of any return payment); the request is still being worked on; or it is refused, for example because the funds have already been credited and the beneficiary does not agree to return them. An answer to a query gives the information asked for or says what has been done, such as sending a corrected message. Swift’s usage guidelines also define numbered standard answers that can be quoted in field 76.

An answer is not a payment and not an amendment. If funds come back, they travel in their own payment message; if a confirmation is corrected, the corrected confirmation is a message of its own category, and the MT n96 quotes its reference.

MTn96 format: sequences and fields

Message text (block 4)Mandatory

Same layout in every category. Field 79 and the copy of the original fields are alternatives: at most one of them.

Tag	Name	Status	Format	Meaning
20	Transaction Reference Number	M	16x	The Sender’s reference for this answer. No leading or trailing slash and no double slash (T26).
21	Related Reference	M	16x	Field 20 of the query, request for cancellation or other message being answered. This is the field the requesting party matches on.
76	Answers	M	6*35x	The answer, up to six lines of 35 characters: what was done, what was found, and any reference of a return payment or corrected message. Free text or a numbered standard answer.
77A	Narrative	O	20*35x	Further explanation when field 76 is not enough.
11a	MT and Date of the Original MessageOptions R or S	O	R: 3!n 6!n [4!n6!n] S: 3!n 6!n [4!n6!n]	Type and send date (YYMMDD) of the message the answer relates to, with session number and ISN if known. Option R when the answering party received that message, option S when it sent it.
79	Narrative Description of the Message to Which the Answer Relates	C	35*50x	A description of the underlying message, for example the one the query or cancellation request was about. Not allowed together with the copy of fields (C31).
(no tag)	Copy of at least the Mandatory Fields of the Original Message	C	Copy of fields	The fields of the underlying message instead of a description. Not allowed together with field 79 (C31); 77F and 77T may not be copied.

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

Either field 79 or a copy of fields of the original message, but not both, may be present (network rule C1, error C31).
Use the same category digit as the query or request for cancellation being answered.
Field 21 must quote field 20 of the message being answered.
In field 11a the message type must be from 100 to 999 (T18) and the date a valid YYMMDD date (T50).
Every MT n92 must be answered with an MT n96. An MT n96 is also used for messages that have no specific answer type of their own.
The network accepts a UETR in field 121 of the user header of the MT196, MT296 and MT996, so an answer about a tracked payment can quote its UETR.

MTn96 example

This answers the MT395 on the MTn95 page. ZagTrader Test Bank, Dubai, queried BANKGB2LXXX’s MT300 (reference BGL3002610200011) because the rate did not match its deal ticket. BANKGB2L checks, agrees that the rate was wrong, sends an amended MT300 and answers with an MT396.

{1:F01BANKGB2LAXXX0000000000}{2:I396ZAGTAEADXXXXN}{4:
:20:BGL3962610210002
:21:ZTQ2610200004
:76:WE AGREE THE RATE IS 3,6725.
OUR MT300 WAS IN ERROR. AN AMENDED
MT300 WITH FUNCTION AMND WAS SENT
TODAY UNDER REF BGL3002610210004.
:11S:300
261020
-}

Decode this example in the parser

Line by line

Line	What it says
{1:F01BANKGB2LAXXX0000000000}{2:I396ZAGTAEADXXXXN}{4:	Sender BANKGB2LXXX, input MT396 to ZAGTAEADXXX: same category (3) as the query.
:20:BGL3962610210002	BANKGB2L’s reference for this answer.
:21:ZTQ2610200004	Field 20 of ZagTrader’s MT395: the field ZagTrader matches on.
:76:WE AGREE THE RATE IS 3,6725.	The answer, at most 6 lines of 35 characters.
OUR MT300 WAS IN ERROR. AN AMENDED
MT300 WITH FUNCTION AMND WAS SENT
TODAY UNDER REF BGL3002610210004.	The reference of the corrected confirmation, which is a message of its own.
:11S:300	Field 11a, option S: BANKGB2L sent the original MT300...
261020	...on 20 October 2026.
-}	End of block 4. No field 79 or copy is needed: 21 and 11S identify everything.

An MT296 answering an MT292, or an MT596 answering an MT595, has exactly the same fields. For customer payments, see the MT196.

BICs, rates and references are made up.

Common errors and rejects

Both field 79 and copied fields (C31)
The answer may describe the original message in field 79 or copy its fields, not both.
Field 21 does not quote the request
Field 21 must carry field 20 of the query or cancellation request. Quoting the reference of the underlying payment or confirmation instead leaves the requesting party with an unmatched answer and an open case.
Answer in a different category
An MT392 is answered with an MT396, an MT292 with an MT296. An answer in another category reaches the wrong team at the requesting bank.
Line too long in field 76
Field 76 holds six lines of 35 characters. Put longer explanations in field 77A.
Wrong option in 11a
Option R refers to a message the answering party received, option S to one it sent. A bank answering a query about a confirmation it sent uses 11S.
Request for cancellation left unanswered
Every MT n92 requires an MT n96, even when the answer is that the request is still being worked on. Without it, the requesting bank chases with queries and the case stays open.

MTn96 in ISO 20022

For payments, the answer to a cancellation request is camt.029 Resolution of Investigation, which J.P. Morgan’s and Clearstream’s adoption schedules map to MTx96. Instead of free text it carries a coded status such as CNCL (cancelled), PDCR (pending) or RJCR (rejected), so the requesting bank can process the answer automatically.

For answers to queries, Clearstream’s schedule maps MT n96 (and n99) to camt.111 Investigation Response, the reply to camt.110. According to J.P. Morgan, Swift deferred these enquiry and investigation changes from November 2026 to a partial release planned for Q1 2027. Clearstream also lists camt.025 Receipt against the MT196 and MT296.

Answers in treasury, collections, trade finance and securities were not part of the cross-border payments (CBPR+) migration and remain MT n96 messages on FIN.

MTn96 questions

What is an MT n96?: The common group answer: the reply to an MT n95 query, an MT n92 request for cancellation, or another message that has no answer type of its own, with the same fields in every category from MT196 to MT996.
Which category digit should the answer use?: The same as the message being answered: MT296 for an MT292 or MT295, MT396 for an MT395, MT596 for an MT595 or MT592.
What goes in field 21 of an MT n96?: Field 20 of the query or request being answered, not the reference of the underlying payment or confirmation. The underlying message is identified in field 11a and field 79 or the copied fields.
Must every request for cancellation be answered?: Yes. An MT n92 always requires an MT n96, whether the message was cancelled, the request is pending or it is refused.
What is the ISO 20022 equivalent of MT n96?: For payment cancellations, camt.029 Resolution of Investigation; for answers to queries, camt.111 Investigation Response.

All MT messages · ISO 20022 messages · Codes · Troubleshooting