Wrong UETR Format — Why Tracker Says Invalid
A valid UETR is exactly 36 characters: 8-4-4-4-12 hex characters with 4 dashes (RFC 4122 UUID v4 format). The 13th character must be "4" and the 17th character must be "8", "9", "a", or "b". If yours doesn't match, you may have copied a TRN (bank-specific reference) instead, or the UETR was truncated or padded with extra characters.
Details
Step-by-step:
1. Count the characters: must be exactly 36.
2. Check the dashes: must be 4 dashes at positions 9, 14, 19 and 24.
3. Check the 13th character: must be the digit 4 (RFC 4122 v4 marker).
4. Check the 17th character: must be 8, 9, a or b.
5. Strip spaces, quotes, or trailing punctuation from copy-paste.
6. If still invalid, ask the sender to re-confirm the UETR — or paste an alternative (TRN) which Ohmyfin can also try.
Quick facts:
Key facts
- Format: 8-4-4-4-12 hex, 4 dashes, 36 chars total.
- RFC 4122 v4: 13th char = "4", 17th char ∈ {8,9,a,b}.
- Common confusion: TRN ≠ UETR.
- Truncation by email clients is a common cause.
Frequently asked questions
The tracker says my UETR is invalid — what's wrong?
A valid UETR is exactly 36 characters: 8-4-4-4-12 hex characters with 4 dashes (RFC 4122 UUID v4 format). The 13th character must be "4" and the 17th character must be "8", "9", "a", or "b". If yours doesn't match, you may have copied a TRN (bank-specific reference) instead, or the UETR was truncated or padded with extra characters.
Is Ohmyfin tracking free?
Yes. Public UETR tracking on Ohmyfin is free — 10 free trackings per day per IP address with no signup, or 15/day plus 100 welcome credits after a free account; no card required.
Do I need a bank account at the sending bank?
No. Ohmyfin looks up the SWIFT payment status with just the UETR — no bank login or account required.
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