OUR, SHA, and BEN transfer fee instructions
What each fee instruction means, who pays, why choosing “OUR” does not always guarantee the full invoice arrives, and what this means for paying invoices and tuition.
OUR means the sender pays all charges, SHA means charges are shared, and BEN means the beneficiary pays — but even “OUR” may not guarantee the exact invoiced amount arrives, because downstream banks can still deduct.
Key points
- OUR: sender pays all charges; SHA: shared; BEN: beneficiary pays, usually via deductions from the amount.
- SHA is the common default and typically results in downstream fees being taken from the transfer.
- MUFG, SMBC, Mizuho, PRESTIA, Rakuten Bank, SBI Remit, and Japan Post Bank all warn some intermediary or beneficiary charge is possible.
- For invoices and tuition that must arrive in full, choose a sender-pays instruction, but confirm the received amount rather than assuming.
What each instruction means
These three codes tell the banks who should bear the transfer charges. OUR: the sender (ordering customer) pays all charges, including, in principle, downstream ones. SHA: the sender pays their own bank’s charges and the beneficiary bears the rest — the common default. BEN: the beneficiary bears all transfer charges, normally through deductions from the amount received.
Not every channel offers a choice. MUFG Direct, for example, supports recipient-paid fees only online, while a branch or Web Support Plus request can add a sender-paid correspondent option for an extra fee. PRESTIA lists a “pay in full” correspondent instruction for a fixed charge, and still notes intermediaries can charge.
Why OUR is not an absolute guarantee
Choosing OUR improves the odds that the full invoiced amount arrives, but it is not a cast-iron guarantee. Several Japanese banks expressly warn that unexpected downstream fees can still be deducted even when the sender elected to pay charges, because a correspondent outside the sending bank’s control may take a fee anyway.
For an invoice, tuition bill, or property payment that must be received in full, use the sender-pays instruction, then confirm the exact amount credited — ideally with a small test payment first — before assuming the balance will land intact.
Who this is for
- People paying overseas invoices or tuition that must arrive in full
- Anyone choosing a fee instruction at a bank
What this is not
- Local-payout platform transfers that do not use OUR/SHA/BEN
- Even OUR may leave the transfer short — always verify the credited amount before relying on it.