Brazil's Receita Federal to launch alphanumeric CNPJ format on July 31, 2026

The Federal Revenue Service (Receita Federal) announced that, starting 31 July 2026, new companies in Brazil will receive a 14‑character alphanumeric CNPJ identifier. The first 12 positions may contain letters A‑Z as well as numbers, while the two check digits remain numeric. The change applies only to new registrations (including new MEIs) and incurs no fees; existing CNPJs stay valid and do not require recadastration. Companies must adapt their fiscal, accounting and customer‑record systems to accept letters, otherwise processing of invoices or tax filings could fail. A phased technical rollout includes a scheduled service interruption from 21 h on 23 July to 7 h on 25 July 2026, followed by a full migration window and production launch on 27 July.

Separately, municipal authorities in Sorriso (Mato Grosso) warned entrepreneurs about fraud schemes that exploit the CNPJ change, sending false Procon or alvará notices via WhatsApp, email or SMS and demanding payments. Victims are urged not to click links, not to transfer funds, and to verify any claim through official channels.