Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra are reported for the charge transfer transitions in a large number of tetrahalide complexes of first transition series ions. Spectra of all the compounds have been obtained from solutions at room temperature and also, for CoI42– and NiI42–, from evaporated films and doped crystals at various temperatures down to liquid helium temperature. Assignments are discussed in terms of models based on Russell-Saunders, first-order spin-orbit or j,j-coupling, depending on the size of the halogen spin-orbit coupling constant.