NPC publishes updated rulebooks following delay of address format end date

The NPC has published updated versions of its rulebooks and associated documents. The updates reflect the NPC’s decision to postpone the date from which the unstructured address format will no longer be permitted to align with the EPC approach to the matter.

The NPC has now published version 1.2 of the 2025 NPC Credit Transfer Scheme (NCT) and the 2025 NPC Instant Credit Transfer Scheme (NCT Inst) Rulebooks, replacing previous versions 1.1 as of the 9 October 2026. The only change concerns the end date for the use of unstructured addresses. The previously communicated end date of 15 November 2026 has been postponed, and no new end date has yet been determined.

NPC will continue to monitor the situation and will provide further information to scheme participants and relevant stakeholders once a new end date has been decided.

The NPC has therefore published updated versions of the following documents following the delay of address format end date:

•     NCT Inst Rulebook – 2025 v.1.2
•     NCT Rulebook – 2025 v.1.2
•       NCT Inst Inter-PSP IG – 2025 v.1.2
•     NCT Inter-PSP IG – 2025 v.1.2
•     NCT Inst C2PSP IG – 2025 v.1.2
•     NCT C2PSP IG - 2025 v.1.2
•     Clarification paper NPC Credit Transfer and NPC Instant Credit Transfer – v.3.3
•     Guidance On Reason Codes for NCT Inst R-transaction – v.3.2
•     Guidance On Reason Codes for NCT R-transaction – v.3.2

The unstructured address format may therefore continue to be used after November 15 2026. The NPC will announce a new end date once a decision has been taken.

The updated documents are available at the following pages:

NPC Credit Transfer Scheme Rulebook
NPC Instant Credit Transfer Scheme Rulebook
Clarification papers and guidelines