Panamá · RUC
Panama RUC Format Checker
Check the format of a Panamanian RUC (Registro Único de Contribuyente). This checker supports RUCs of 10 to 13 digits.
What is a Panamanian RUC?
The RUC (Registro Único de Contribuyente) is Panama’s tax identification number, managed by the Dirección General de Ingresos (DGI). A natural person’s RUC is their cédula number; a company’s is its Registro Público number — for example 280-134-61098 for Banco General. Every RUC has a separate 2-digit check number, the DV.
Panamanian RUC format (older companies)
Registro Público numbers, plus a separate 2-digit DV.
(2 digits)
Example: 280-134-61098 DV 02 (Banco General, S.A.; printed as “DV 2” on its website and in the DGI’s list).
- Since 2014: New company RUCs are Folio Real-2-year (commercial) or -3-year, e.g. 155641197-2-2016.
- Natural persons: The cédula number: province (1–13), volume and entry, sometimes with letters such as E, N or PE.
- DV: Always 2 digits. The DGI’s e-Tax 2.0 “Dígito Verificador” service looks it up.
- Format check only: This checker accepts only RUCs with 10 to 13 digits once the hyphens are removed, does not check the DV and does not query the DGI. Many valid RUCs are not yet accepted, including most cédula-based RUCs, many companies registered from 1999 to 2014, post-2014 company RUCs and NT RUCs.
How to check a Panamanian RUC
- 1 Find the RUC and DV on the supplier’s electronic invoice or its registration documents.
- 2 Enter the RUC above without the DV. The checker confirms the format for the RUC types it supports.
- 3 To confirm the RUC is registered and active, use the DGI’s e-Tax 2.0 services.
- 4 Need the background on Panamanian tax IDs? Read our Panama tax ID guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DV (dígito verificador) of a RUC?
A 2-digit control number that the DGI assigns to every RUC. It is written separately from the RUC — for example “RUC 280-134-61098 DV 02” — and must be given on payments and electronic invoices.
Is the RUC the same as the cédula?
For a natural person, yes: the RUC is their cédula number, plus a DV. For a company, the RUC is its registration number in the Registro Público.
What does a company RUC like 155641197-2-2016 mean?
Since 24 October 2014 company RUCs follow the Registro Público’s Folio Real: the folio number, 2 for commercial companies or 3 for non-commercial ones, and the year of registration. Older companies use their Registro Público entry — tomo or rollo, folio or imagen, and asiento or ficha, such as 280-134-61098 — and companies registered from 1999 to October 2014 use document number–1–ficha.
Is the NIT my tax identification number in Panama?
No. In Panama the NIT is your password for the DGI’s e-Tax 2.0 system. Your tax identification number is the RUC, and the TIN Panama reports internationally is the RUC.
What is an NT RUC?
A Número Tributario that the DGI assigns to people who, because of their migration status, cannot register for an ordinary RUC, and to entities without legal personality such as trusts. It is written province-NT-folio-asiento, for example 3-NT-3-33.
Should the RUC be written with hyphens?
Yes. The DGI’s TIN guidance says the hyphens separating the groups of digits are required, and they matter: the same digits grouped differently can be a different RUC. The DV is written separately.
Last reviewed: , against official sources.
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