SWIFT MT700 Explained: Fields of a Letter of Credit
What the MT700 message is and what each key field means for exporters checking a Letter of Credit.
Reviewed by LCCheck team (owner-approved) · 2026-10-12
Short answer
The MT700 is the Swift message an issuing bank uses to issue a documentary credit. Each field has a tag — for example 31D for expiry, 44C for latest shipment date, 45A for the goods, 46A for documents required and 47A for additional conditions. Exporters should read these fields first because they define what must be shipped, presented and by when.
| Message | MT700 — Issue of a Documentary Credit |
|---|---|
| Amendments | MT707 |
| Most important for exporters | 31D, 32B, 39A, 44C, 45A, 46A, 47A, 48 |
Key fields at a glance
- 20 — Documentary credit number.
- 31C — Date of issue.
- 40E — Applicable rules (usually UCP latest version).
- 31D — Date and place of expiry.
- 50 / 59 — Applicant / beneficiary.
- 32B — Currency code and amount.
- 39A — Percentage credit amount tolerance.
- 41a — Available with … by … (payment, acceptance, negotiation).
- 42C — Drafts at (tenor).
- 43P / 43T — Partial shipments / transhipment.
- 44E / 44F — Port of loading / port of discharge.
- 44C — Latest date of shipment.
- 45A — Description of goods and/or services.
- 46A — Documents required.
- 47A — Additional conditions.
- 71D — Charges.
- 48 — Period for presentation in days.
- 49 — Confirmation instructions.
How to use the fields
Turn 45A, 46A and 47A into a checklist; put 31D, 44C and 48 into a calendar; check 32B and 39A against your invoice. Anything you can't meet should be amended before you ship.
Sources
- Swift — MT700 Issue of a Documentary Credit (category 7 standards)
- ICC — UCP 600 (Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits)
General guidance, not legal advice. Your bank examines documents independently.
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