Out of Numbers: Brazil Adds Letters to the CNPJs

Brazil’s taxpayer ID number for companies is about to get a makeover. Known as a CNPJ, this number is assigned by the Federal Revenue Service (Receita Federal) to both domestic and foreign legal entities so they can legally operate in Brazil. It’s the equivalent of an EIN in the United States.

Until now, all CNPJs have been numeric. They consist of 14 numbers in the format xx.xxx.xxx/xxxx-xx. But starting in July 2026, Brazil will begin issuing alphanumeric CNPJs. The length and structure will remain the same, but new CNPJs will combine numbers (0-9) and letters (A-Z).

Why the change? Brazil is simply running out of numbers. With over 60 million companies already registered, the government is taking a proactive step to expand the number of available combinations. By adding letters, the Receita Federal will ensure it can continue assigning unique CNPJs for years to come.

The shift won’t affect companies that already have a CNPJ. There’s no need to update corporate documents or refile registrations. All existing CNPJs will remain valid.

That said, systems may need to be updated. Many public and private platforms, particularly online forms and databases, were built to accept numbers only. These will need to be retooled to recognize and validate the new format.

There’s some good news though. The process for obtaining a CNPJ is expected to remain exactly the same, with no added steps or new requirements. For companies, foreign investors, and service providers alike, it should be business as usual.