What is CNPJ

The National Register of Legal Entities is the registration used by the Federal Revenue to open an institution with or without profit purposes

The National Register of Legal Entities is the registration used by the Federal Revenue to open an institution with or without profit purposes, in order to monitor the financial movements of these organizations. Through the CNPJ, the company exists before the government and its operation in the market is legalized.

The CNPJ is composed of 14 numbers, with the first 8 being the company's registration, the next 4 demonstrating whether the institution is a headquarters or a branch. The number known as "mil contra", 0001, is used for headquarters, and the following numbers, 0002, 0003, and others, are used for branches. The last 2 numbers are the check digits. The standard for registration is: XX.XXX.XXX/000X-XX.

The functions of the document vary, and it can be used to prove the existence of the organization, issue invoices, hire suppliers or employees, take out loans, or make financing. For these reasons, it is not only companies that need the CNPJ; other institutions also benefit from this registration, such as churches, associations, NGOs, political parties, and others.

The information found in the National Register of Legal Entities includes the CNPJ number, the organization's opening date, the institution's name and trade name, the economic activities in which the company operates, address, and phone number. To obtain this registration, you need to submit an online application on the Federal Revenue website and fill out the registration form with the necessary documents.

To find a company's CNPJ, simply access the CNPJws website, an API developed to consult legal entity data. The platform offers 5 plans: Free, Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Premium.