What are the SEPA countries? Full list and explanation
The SEPA zone comprises 36 countries that share the same rules for processing transfers, direct debits and card payments in euros. That means moving money between any two SEPA accounts is as fast, cheap and predictable as a domestic payment.
TL;DR
- 36 countries: 27 EU + 9 non-EU.
- 20 of them use the euro; the rest still apply SEPA in euros even if their domestic currency is different.
- All of them accept IBAN and follow the ISO 20022 standard.
- The United Kingdom remains a SEPA country after Brexit.
- Updated to the 2026 European Payments Council (EPC) official status.
1. EU countries using the euro (20)
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain.
Croatia adopted the euro on 1 January 2023 and therefore joined the eurozone group.
2. EU countries not using the euro (7)
Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden.
Although they keep their own currency, their banks must offer SEPA payments in euros. FX conversion is handled by your bank according to its commercial policy.
3. Non-EU countries adhered to SEPA (9)
Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City.
The United Kingdom remains a SEPA country after Brexit (EPC decision of March 2019). It is treated like any other non-EU member.
Summary table
| Group | Countries | Domestic currency | SEPA in euros |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU eurozone | 20 | EUR | Yes |
| EU non-euro | 7 | DKK, SEK, PLN, BGN, HUF, RON, CZK | Yes |
| Non-EU | 9 | CHF, NOK, ISK, GBP, EUR | Yes |
What changes between eurozone and non-eurozone SEPA countries?
- Timing: identical for SCT and SCT Inst.
- Cost: regulated not to exceed the cost of a domestic transfer for the sending bank.
- Currency: if your account is not in euros, the bank will apply an FX rate and potential conversion fees.
What about overseas territories?
EU outermost regions (Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin) are inside SEPA. British overseas territories and Crown Dependencies (Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man) are not.
Conclusion
If you transact in euros with clients or suppliers across any of these 36 countries you can use SEPA confident that rules, costs and timing are harmonised. To generate SEPA XML files in bulk from an Excel or CSV, use GenerateSEPA.
