What is a CNPJ and why do I need it for my Brazilian recipient?

Before you start

You'll need a Send account.
You'll need your recipient's CNPJ identifier ready.
Send will only ask for this when:
- You're adding a business recipient (not an individual), and
- The recipient's country is Brazil, and
- You're sending in Brazilian Real (BRL).

What is a CNPJ?

The CNPJ (Cadastro Nacional da Pessoa Jurídica) is a 14-alphanumeric tax identifier used to identify businesses and other legal entities in Brazil. Existing CNPJs may contain numbers only, while some CNPJs issued from July 2026 may contain both letters and numbers.

Why do we ask for it?

We ask for this information to identify the recipient, meet local payment requirements and support our compliance checks.

Where to get the number

Your recipient is the best person to provide this number. If they aren't sure where to find it, common sources include:

The business's official registration documents from the Brazilian tax authority (Receita Federal do Brasil).
An invoice, tax receipt or contract issued by the business.
The business's bank account records.

If your recipient is unsure, please ask them to confirm their CNPJ with their own records.

Steps to add a recipient with a CNPJ

Step 1: Open the Add recipient screen

Log in to your Send account.
Go to the Recipients page.
Select Add recipient.
Choose A business or trust as the recipient type.
Select Brazil as the recipient's country.
Confirm Brazilian Real (BRL) as the currency.
Follow the on-screen options for currency and payment setup.

[Suggested visual: add a screenshot of the Add recipient screen with Business and Brazil selected.]

Step 2: Enter the CNPJ if asked

If Send asks for a CNPJ, enter it into the Cadastro Nacional da Pessoa Jurídica (CNPJ) field. Follow any on-screen instructions and any validation messages shown to you as you type.

Enter all 14 characters.
Don’t include spaces, periods or hyphens

[Suggested visual: add a screenshot showing the CNPJ entered correctly.]

Step 3: Continue adding the recipient

Once the information has been entered, continue with the remaining recipient details.
Review the information before you save the recipient.

What happens next

If the information entered is not accepted, check the details with your recipient and try again.
Once you save the recipient, we’ll review their details. You’ll be able to make a payment to them once they’ve been approved. For more information, see How long does it take to verify my recipient?
If we need to confirm any details, we may contact you for more information.

Common questions

I don't know my recipient's CNPJ

Ask your recipient to provide the information requested in the field.
If a CNPJ is required for your payment setup, you'll need it before you can continue.

I'm getting an error when I enter the CNPJ

If the field shows an error or won't accept what you've entered, please follow the on-screen message.

You may want to check that:

The information is correct with your recipient.
The information matches the format guidance shown on screen.

My recipient is an individual, not a business

If your recipient is an individual rather than a business, go back and check the required setup for that recipient type.
For more information, see What is a CPF and why do I need it for my Brazilian recipient?.

I can't continue adding my recipient without it

Where a CNPJ is required for the payment setup, you'll need to provide it before you can proceed.
If you don't have it yet, come back once your recipient has shared it with you.

My recipient doesn't have a CNPJ, or doesn't want to share it

If you believe the field does not apply to your recipient, please contact our support team so we can help you work out the next step.

Why do you ask for this?

We may ask for this information where required to support payment processing and compliance review.

Contact us

Call Us

Phone: 1800 982 418
International: +61 7 5619 5700
Hours: 8:30am - 5:30pm AEST/AEDT, Monday - Friday

Email Us

info@sendpayments.com