How to send money to Lebanon in 2026: to a fresh dollar account, for family and everyday costs
Lebanon receives transfers in US dollars: money reaches a separate fresh dollar account in 1-3 business days, and the whole sum is available at once to spend by card or send on. A Lebanese account number has 28 characters. In 2026 the bank checks the purpose - family costs, rent, studies - and from $10,000 it looks at the sender's account statement and the contract.
In short
- A transfer arrives in US dollars.
- A fresh dollar account is available in full: cash, card, onward transfer.
- At a money transfer company's office it takes minutes.
- The banks' accounting rate is 89,500 pounds per dollar.
In detail
How to send money to Lebanon in 2026: what works on 8 October
Routes checked on 8 October 2026. A transfer to Lebanon arrives in US dollars: to a separate bank account in fresh dollars or at the office of a money transfer company. A Lebanese account number has 28 characters, and the official rate banks use for accounting is 89,500 pounds per dollar.
| Route | Now | Credited in | Time | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer to a fresh dollar account | works | US dollars | 1-3 business days | the 28-character account number, the recipient's name |
| Money transfer company paying out in dollars | works | US dollars | from a few minutes | the recipient's ID |
| Card payments from a fresh dollar account | works | US dollars | immediately | a card issued to the account |
| Bank transfer to a pound account | works | pounds at 89,500 | 1-3 business days | the pound account number |
Is the sending bank taking longer than usual to check a payment to Beirut? There are usually more options than it seems: a manager will assess your case and choose a route on which the money arrives in dollars.
A fresh dollar account: how to receive a transfer to Lebanon in full
165 is the number of the central bank circular under which, since June 2023, cheques and cards in fresh dollars have worked and transfers from abroad and back go through correspondent banks. Fresh dollars are money that arrived after October 2019: the bank keeps them in a separate account, and they can be used in full. For these transfers, banks hold a free reserve of at least 3% of foreign currency deposits with their correspondents abroad, a requirement the central bank introduced in 2025.
Deposits opened before October 2019 are repaid by banks on their own schedule, which on 4 June 2026 was extended for another year: up to $800 a month plus $200 by card. A new transfer has nothing to do with this schedule, so money for family and everyday costs is sent to a fresh dollar account. In December 2025 the government approved a draft law under which deposits up to $100,000 will be repaid in full, without interest, and in 2025 parliament passed new laws on banking secrecy and on bank restructuring.
Need to send money to family in Beirut or pay for studies? We will suggest the best way to send it so that the recipient can use the whole sum at once: withdraw it, pay by card or send it on.
We will help you send money to Lebanon
Mistakes cost more than fees: a transfer to an old account instead of a fresh dollar account, where the money falls under the deposit repayment schedule, a sum in pounds when rent and school are priced in dollars, a large payment without a contract that the bank asks you to explain. We will help you avoid them: we will choose the route and timing, prepare the source-of-funds documents for the bank and carry out the transfer through to crediting.
Details and terms are with a manager in the chat: the cost depends on the sum and the purpose of the transfer.
The dollar in Lebanon: prices, rent and the 89,500-pound rate
89,500 pounds per dollar is the official rate the central bank and banks have used for accounting since 31 January 2024. Rent, school, medical care and large purchases in Lebanon are priced in dollars, so it is easier to send the transfer in dollars straight away, with no exchange.
Money transfer companies licensed by the central bank pay out transfers in dollars at their offices across the country. Since August 2026 new central bank rules on licences, foreign partners, capital and owners apply to them: the aim is for every transfer to be traceable.
A transfer to a payout office suits a family without a bank account, while a fresh dollar account suits someone who receives money regularly and pays by card. For studies and medical care, money is often sent directly to the school's or clinic's account against an invoice. More about the capital is on the Beirut page.
Which documents are asked for when sending money to Lebanon, by amount
- Up to $10,000. The bank checks the recipient and the purpose of the transfer: family costs, rent, studies.
- $10,000-100,000. The bank asks for the sender's account statement and the contract the payment is made under.
- From $100,000. You need documents on the source of the money and the deal contract, and the sum is credited to a fresh dollar account. For such a sum a manager will help you choose a bank and prepare the file.
Which papers on the money banks accept is covered in proof of source of funds, and moving with your capital on the capital relocation page.
Sending money to nearby countries
- How to send money to Jordan: a dinar pegged to the dollar
- How to send money to Cyprus: the nearest shore across the sea
- How to send money to Turkey: the neighbouring property market
- How to send money to Egypt: the eastern Mediterranean
- How to send money to Palestine: dollars, dinars and shekels
- How to send money to Syria: the new pound and bank transfers
A plan for capital that moves with you is on the capital relocation page.
FAQ
Can a transfer to Lebanon be received in full in dollars?
Does the repayment schedule for old deposits affect a new transfer to Lebanon?
How much is repaid each month on old deposits in Lebanon?
Can you pay by card from a fresh dollar account in Lebanon?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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