CNPJ (Cadastro Nacional da Pessoa Jurídica) is the tax identification number for companies and organizations in Brazil. It is issued by the Federal Revenue Service and is mandatory for any entity that carries out economic activities in the country. CNPJ works as the "SSN" of companies — it is the document that identifies the company before the government, banks, suppliers and customers.
A CNPJ is composed of 14 digits in the format XX.XXX.XXX/XXXX-XX. The first 8 digits (root) identify the company. The next 4 digits (order) identify the headquarters (0001) or branches (0002, 0003, etc.). The last 2 are check digits calculated automatically.
A CNPJ is required to open a business bank account, issue invoices, hire employees, participate in government bids, obtain licenses and permits, and carry out any formal commercial transaction. Without a CNPJ, a company cannot operate legally in Brazil.
You can look up any CNPJ directly on the Federal Revenue website or through specialized APIs like cnpj-api.com. The lookup returns registration data, status, address, economic activities (CNAE), partner information and more.
No. CPF identifies individuals, while CNPJ identifies legal entities (companies, associations, foundations, etc.).
Yes. Any company that carries out economic activities in Brazil needs a CNPJ, including MEIs (Individual Microentrepreneurs).
Yes. CNPJ registration data is public information made available by the Federal Revenue Service.