Personal Finance Money transfer

How long does a bank transfer take with NatWest?

Alex Beaney

24.12.25 (last updated)

Read time 2 minutes

If you intend to or have just made a transfer with your NatWest account, you’ll want to know how long it’s going to take to arrive.

A bank transfer on NatWest can take anything from a few seconds to 4 days to arrive, depending on the transfer type, the amount you are sending, and the time of day you made the transfer¹.

In this guide, we will break down the duration for each type of transfer on NatWest as well as NatWest transfer limits and fees.

We’ll also show you a non-bank alternative - the money services provider, Wise, which lets you send money worldwide for low fees* and mid-market exchange rates.

How long does a bank transfer take with NatWest?

When you make a bank transfer with NatWest, you can expect the money to arrive within seconds to a few days. The exact time depends on factors like the type of transfer, the payment method, the amount, and the day and time you send it. Here’s the breakdown:

Bank transfers between your NatWest accounts: Arrive immediately²
Transfers to another bank: Immediately or up to 2 hours²
Transfers to credit accounts or non-standard destination accounts: May take longer than 2 hours²
Standard euro transfers within the SEPA zone: Same day¹
Urgent international transfers: Arrive within 1-2 working days¹
Standard transfers for other countries: Arrive within 2-4 working days¹
Transfers above £1,000,000 sent via CHAPS: Same day⁴

Any payments you make after 6:30 pm or on a weekend or bank holiday will show the next working day on your statement or payment confirmation². Standard euro transfers within the SEPA zone have a cut-off time of 2 pm² and non euro payments have a cut-off time of 3 pm³. Cut-off time for transfers sent via CHAPS is typically 5:30 pm⁴.

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What you need to make a bank transfer with NatWest

Here’s what you need to send money with NatWest:

A NatWest account
The NatWest mobile app or debit card and card reader for online banking
Account number, account type (business or personal) and sort code of the recipient
First and last name of the recipient or name of the business
International Bank Account Number (IBAN) - for international transfers
SWIFT code or Bank Identifier Code - for international transfers

How much does a bank transfer on NatWest cost?

Transfers between your NatWest accounts: Free⁶
Domestic transfers via Faster Payments: Free⁷
Domestic transfers via CHAPS: £21-£23⁵
Standard international payments (Digital): Free³
Urgent transfers: £15⁷
International non euro transfers: £15⁶
SEPA transfers via Bankline: 50p⁶
Payments via Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA): Free³

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What are NatWest bank transfer limits?

£100,000 per transaction for transfers between your Natwest accounts²
£20,000 daily and £250,000 one-off higher value payment for personal customers⁶.
£50,000 daily and £250,000 one-off for premier customers⁶.
£50,000.00 per working day for business customers (100,000 with biometric enabled)².
£10,000.00 for telephone banking²

Payments above £1,000,000 are processed through CHAPS⁴.

Manage your money internationally with Wise - a non-bank alternative

Looking for a secure, convenient and low-cost way to send large sums of money internationally? Take a look at the Wise account from the money services provider, Wise. It's not a bank account but offers some similar features and your money is safeguarded.

With Wise, you can send large amount transfers worldwide to 140+ countries for low, transparent fees* and at the mid-market exchange rate with no markup.

Here are the main benefits for using Wise:
Fast and easy setup with no physical paperwork Dedicated support for large transfers Low, upfront, transparent fees* Mid-market exchange rate for currency conversions Fully trackable transfers Fast transfer times Two-factor authentication and real-time notifications

How do I make a transfer with Wise?

Making transfers on Wise is straightforward. All you need is a verified Wise account and the receiver’s details. Here’s how you can make a transfer with Wise:

Sign up to Wise on the mobile app or via the web.
Fund your account by selecting “add money”
Click on “Send” from the home screen.
Choose the balance from which you want to make a transfer.
Choose your recipient’s currency and enter the amount you want to send (you’ll immediately see the total fees and the amount your recipient will receive)
Select “add a new recipient” and enter their details.
Finally, review all the information and confirm the transfer.

Sources used:

Sources last checked on: 04 December 2025

*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.

We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.