Branch Updates
Please be advised that all First Citizens branches will be closed on Thursday 24th September, 2026 – Republic Day.
For your convenience and safety, use our Easy Banking Channels: Mobile Banking, Online Banking, Telebanking or conveniently located ATMs.
Below are Five important tips to ensure that your Online Banking experience is optimised by protecting your PC from fraudulent attempts. Read on to find out more.
Carrying out these simple steps can offer you some protection against the electronic threats out there. The likelihood of becoming susceptible to these threats is still there, as these measures are designed to minimize these threats.
First Citizens SMS Banking allows you to use your cell phone to access eligible accounts using SMS:
To use First Citizens SMS Banking you need the following:
Commands are the SMS you send from your mobile device to First Citizens to request your account information or transfer money between your eligible accounts. After you have verified your mobile phone number, send a SMS to the First Citizens Mobile Text short code 34778 (FIRST) using one of the commands.Each of these quick codes will request an SMS with the information shown below :
| Command | What it does |
| BAL | Retrieve balance for default account |
| BAL <Insert Nickname> For Example: BAL Sav1 | Retrieve balance on a registered account using account nickname |
| BAL ALL | Retrieve balance for all registered account |
| HIST | Retrieve list of the 10 most recent transactions posted on default registered account |
| HIST <Insert Nickname> For Example: HIST Sav1 | Retrieve list of the 10 most recent transactions posted on a registered account using a nickname |
| HIST d, from <date> to <date> For Example: HIST d, from 04-05-2020 to 06-05-2020 | Retrieve list of posted transactions on default registered account with date range specified, (maximum of 10 transactions) |
| HIST <nickname> d, from <date> to <date> For Example: HIST Sav1 d, from 04-05-2020 to 06-05-2020 | Retrieve list of posted transactions on a registered account using account nickname, within the date range specified,(maximum of 10 transactions) |
| HIST c, from <low cheque number > to <high cheque number> For Example: Hist c, from 200 to 205 | Retrieve list of posted cheques on your default registered account, within the cheque range number range specified |
| HIST <nickname> c, from <low cheque number > to <high cheque number> For Example: Hist Chq1 c, from 200 to 205 | Retrieve list of the posted cheques on your registered account, with a nickname, within the cheque number range specified |
| RTRA | Retrieve list of the 3 most recent posted transfers from your default registered account |
| RTRA <nickname> For Example: RTRA sav1 | Retrieve a list of the 3 most recent posted transfers from your registered account with a nickname |
| RTRA ALL | Retrieve a list of the 3 most recent posted transfers from all your registered accounts |
| TRAN <nickname1> <nickname2> Amount For Example: tran ck1 ck2 100 | Transfer amount between accounts using nicknames |
| TRAN <nickname1> <Amount> For Example: tran ck2 500 | Transfer amount from the default registered account to the specified registered account using the nickname |
| TRAN <nickname1> <Amount> <Date> For Example: tran ck2 500 04-10-2020 | Transfer amount from the default registered account to the specified registered account with the nickname, for a scheduled future date. |
| TRAN <nickname1> <nickname2> <Amount> <Date> For Example: tran sav1 ck1 500 04-10-2020 | Transfer stated amount from a registered specified nicknamed account to a second registered nicknamed account, for a scheduled future date. |
| HELP BAL | Retrieve information on the format of the balance commands |
| HELP TRAN | Retrieve information on the format of the Transfer commands |
| HELP RTRA | Retrieve information on the format of the Recent Transfers commands |
| HELP HIST | Retrieve information on the format of the Account History commands |
| HELP | Retrieve information on the format of the Help command |
| STOP | Unsubscribe your mobile device from receiving First Citizens SMS Alert messages |
Using SMS Banking is as simple as sending a short command via SMS to the First Citizens shortcode 34778 (FIRST).
When you send First Citizens a SMS, make sure you send it to the First Citizens SMS Banking short code 34778 (FIRST). You may be able to store this number in your mobile contacts or address book just like a regular phone number.
