Argentina Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify an Argentine Business

TL;DR. Argentina’s commercial registry is split between the Inspección General de Justicia (IGJ) for Buenos Aires and CABA (Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires) and equivalent provincial registries for the 23 remaining provinces. Basic company searches are free; certified extracts are priced in ARS, but due to ongoing inflation, pricing is quoted in USD equivalents with a caveat that rates shift frequently. The CUIT (Clave Única de Identificación Tributaria), managed by AFIP (the tax authority), is the universal cross-system identifier for Argentine entities.

What is the official Argentine business registry?

Argentina does not have a single national commercial registry. Registration authority is split between:

IGJ (Buenos Aires and CABA): The Inspección General de Justicia (IGJ) is the regulatory body for companies registered in the Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA) and, through shared jurisdiction arrangements, for certain foreign company registrations. The IGJ operates under the Ministry of Justice of the Argentine Nation (Ministerio de Justicia y Derechos Humanos) and its digital services are at argentina.gob.ar/justicia/igj. The IGJ also regulates foundations and civil associations in CABA.

Provincial registries: Each of Argentina’s 23 provinces has its own Dirección Provincial de Personas Jurídicas (or equivalent) that handles commercial registrations for entities domiciled in that province. The Buenos Aires Province (Provincia de Buenos Aires, distinct from CABA) has the DPPJ (Dirección Provincial de Personas Jurídicas) as its registry.

AFIP CUIT: The Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos (AFIP) assigns the CUIT (Clave Única de Identificación Tributaria) to all Argentine legal entities. The CUIT is a 11-digit number and functions as the universal tax and identification number across registries, banking, and court systems. The AFIP’s public CUIT query portal is at afip.gob.ar.

The legal foundation for Argentine companies is the General Companies Act (Ley General de Sociedades, Law 19.550) and the Civil and Commercial Code (Código Civil y Comercial de la Nación, Law 26.994).

What can you search?

AFIP CUIT public query (free):

• CUIT number lookup
• Company name search
• Returns: CUIT number, legal name, CUIT status (active, inactive, cancelled), taxpayer category, activity start date, and registered fiscal address

IGJ public portal (free, CABA and national scope for certain entities):

• Company name search
• Returns: basic registration data, company type, registration date, and IGJ file number
• Document ordering (paid) for certified extracts

Provincial registries (state-by-state access):

• Vary considerably in online availability; Buenos Aires Province DPPJ and some others have online portals
• Full corporate documents including statuto (articles of association), actas, and changes

The IGJ has been progressively digitising its records. Historical filings from before digitalisation may require in-person access or notarial intermediary services.

Data freshness: AFIP CUIT status updates within days of registered changes. IGJ and provincial registry data updates on a filing-event basis, typically within 5-10 business days of submission.

How much does it cost?

Note on pricing: Argentina’s ARS (Argentine peso) has experienced material inflation and periodic devaluation. ARS prices for registry services change frequently, often without notice. The USD equivalents below are based on the approximate official exchange rate as of May 2026 (verify at point of transaction; both the official and parallel exchange rates differ). Always confirm pricing in USD terms with the registry or intermediary before proceeding.

IGJ fee schedules are published in ARS on the IGJ portal and updated periodically. Provincial registries have their own fee schedules. For transactions requiring apostille or notarisation, additional fees apply. Payment is typically by bank transfer or credit card at the registry counter; online payment availability varies by registry.

Do you need a local account or ID?

For the free AFIP CUIT query and basic IGJ public searches, no account and no Argentine identity document are required. Both are publicly accessible online.

Ordering certified documents online through the IGJ or provincial portals typically requires registering a user account. The IGJ online system accepts email-based registration; no Argentine CUIT, DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad), or CUIL (worker tax code) is required from foreign applicants for basic document ordering. However, some advanced services (electronic certified documents with qualified digital signature) require Argentine digital credentials that foreign nationals cannot obtain without Argentine residency.

Physical certified documents can be requested at IGJ offices or provincial registry counters without Argentine identity requirements, but practical access requires Spanish-language facility or a local intermediary.

Is the website in English?

No. The IGJ portal, AFIP portal, and all provincial registry portals are in Spanish only with no official English-language interface. Document output is exclusively in Spanish.

Argentina uses Latin script, and browser auto-translate tools provide adequate navigation assistance for online portals. For compliance documentation, professional certified translation from Spanish is required for use in non-Spanish-speaking jurisdictions.

What’s the turnaround time?

AFIP CUIT queries are instant. Basic IGJ name searches return immediate results.

Certified extracts ordered online through the IGJ digital system: typically 3-5 business days. In-person requests at IGJ offices: same day or 1-2 business days, subject to queue.

Provincial registries vary widely: some have online ordering with 3-5 day turnaround; others require in-person or postal applications with processing times of 5-10 business days.

Documents requiring apostille for international use add additional time at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Is there an API?

No. The IGJ and provincial registries do not offer public APIs for programmatic access to company registration data. AFIP does not provide a public open API for CUIT data; its web services are restricted to registered fiscal agents and authorised service providers operating within Argentina’s tax administration system.

Third-party Argentine data providers aggregate registry and AFIP data and offer API access commercially. These are not official government APIs.

What you legally cannot do

Argentine law, including Law 25.326 (Ley de Protección de los Datos Personales, Argentina’s personal data protection law), restricts the following:

• Bulk automated harvesting of IGJ or AFIP data without authorisation.
• Commercial redistribution of certified registry documents without specific authorisation.
• Use of personal data from registry records (director names, addresses) for marketing or database construction without a documented lawful basis.

Argentina’s data protection authority, the AAIP (Agencia de Acceso a la Información Pública), supervises compliance with Law 25.326. Argentina has an adequacy finding from the European Commission for GDPR purposes, meaning its data protection framework is recognised as equivalent for cross-border transfers.

Argentina’s AML framework is supervised by the UIF (Unidad de Información Financiera), a member of the Egmont Group. Argentine obligated entities must comply with AML Resolution 30/2017 and related regulations. The OECD’s anti-avoidance framework and Argentina’s commitments through GAFILAT (the FATF Latin American regional body) shape due diligence expectations for foreign counterparties. For the broader due diligence framework, see the Global Business Due Diligence Guide.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• CUIT is the universal anchor identifier. The CUIT (11-digit format: XX-XXXXXXXX-X) is assigned by AFIP and is the primary identifier used across all Argentine public systems, banking, and court records. For companies, the CUIT prefix is 30 or 33; individual entrepreneurs use a CUIL starting with 20, 23, or 27. Always obtain and record the CUIT as the first step in any Argentine counterparty verification.
• ARS pricing is unreliable for forward planning. Due to persistent inflation and periodic exchange rate adjustments, ARS prices for registry services become stale quickly. Request current pricing in USD terms before initiating any document order, and confirm whether the official or a different exchange rate applies at the registry counter.
• IGJ covers CABA; the Province of Buenos Aires is separate. A company registered in the Province of Buenos Aires (which surrounds but is distinct from CABA) is registered with the DPPJ in La Plata, not the IGJ in Buenos Aires city. Confirm the domicile from the AFIP CUIT record before directing your certified extract request to the correct registry.
• S.A. and S.R.L. are the dominant commercial forms. The Sociedad Anónima (S.A.) is the joint-stock company, used for larger enterprises and listed companies. The Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (S.R.L.) is the private limited equivalent for smaller and medium companies. SAS (Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada), introduced by Law 27.349, is a simplified company form for small businesses. Each has different disclosure obligations.
• Argentina is not on the FATF grey list. As of May 2026, Argentina is not on the FATF Increased Monitoring list. It is a FATF member country and a founding member of GAFILAT. Standard due diligence applies. Monitor fatf-gafi.org for any status changes.
• UIF reporting obligations for your firm. If you are a financial institution, law firm, notary, or other FATF-obligated entity dealing with Argentine counterparties, check UIF Resolution requirements. Argentine obligated entities have specific KYC and beneficial ownership disclosure obligations applicable to business relationships and transactions.

Alternatives if you cannot access IGJ directly

• Aggregator search (free, indicative only): OpenCorporates has partial coverage of Argentine IGJ data but lags the official register. Useful for name verification; not for compliance-grade document retrieval.
• AFIP CUIT validator: The AFIP public portal at afip.gob.ar provides free CUIT status verification and basic taxpayer information. This is the fastest free cross-check for confirming an entity’s registered status and CUIT.
• Local intermediaries: Argentine gestores (administrative agents) and notaries can access IGJ and provincial registries in person. For foreign buyers without Spanish-language capability or Argentine legal credentials, engaging a local intermediary is often the practical route to certified documents.

Local data suppliers

• Nosis (nosis.com.ar). Argentina’s primary commercial credit bureau and data provider. Provides credit reports, payment history, risk scores, and identity verification for Argentine companies and individuals. Widely used by Argentine banks and insurers for commercial credit decisions. Reports integrate AFIP data, Veraz (credit default register), and BCRA (central bank) information.
• Veraz (veraz.com.ar, part of Equifax). Argentina’s largest consumer and commercial credit default register. Maintained by Equifax and integrated into most Nosis reports. Tracks payment defaults, judicial debt, and credit history for Argentine entities.

Use the IGJ or provincial registry for official legal standing and corporate structure. Use Nosis or Veraz when you need payment behaviour, credit default records, or financial risk scores layered on top of registration data.

FAQ

Can a foreign company access Argentina’s IGJ registry without an Argentine identity document?

Yes, for basic online searches. The AFIP CUIT query and basic IGJ name searches are publicly accessible without account registration or Argentine identity credentials. Ordering certified documents online requires a user account; the IGJ accepts email-based registration for foreign applicants. Some advanced services require Argentine digital credentials.

What is the CUIT in Argentina?

The CUIT (Clave Única de Identificación Tributaria) is Argentina’s 11-digit tax and identification number for legal entities. It follows the format XX-XXXXXXXX-X, where the first two digits indicate the entity type (30 or 33 for companies) and the last digit is a check character. The CUIT is assigned by AFIP and is the primary identifier used across the IGJ, provincial registries, banking systems, and court records. The AFIP portal at afip.gob.ar provides free public CUIT verification.

What entity types are registered with Argentina’s commercial registries?

The IGJ and provincial registries register: Sociedad Anónima (S.A.), Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (S.R.L.), Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada (SAS), Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, Sociedad Colectiva, Sociedad en Comandita Simple, and branches of foreign companies (sucursales). Non-profit entities and foundations in CABA register with the IGJ’s civil and commercial entities section.

Does Argentina have a beneficial ownership register?

Argentina has beneficial ownership disclosure requirements under its AML framework administered by the UIF (Unidad de Información Financiera). Companies must disclose beneficial owners to obligated entities and to the AFIP through the Registro de Beneficiarios Finales. Argentina does not have a single centralised public UBO register equivalent to EU member state registers; disclosure flows primarily through AFIP and UIF reporting channels. Argentina’s participation in GAFILAT and the OECD’s Global Forum on Transparency underpins ongoing alignment with FATF Recommendation 24 standards.

How current is the data in Argentina’s registries?

AFIP CUIT data updates within days of filed changes submitted by the taxpayer. IGJ records update on a filing-event basis; processing times for registered changes typically take 5-10 business days. Provincial registries vary. Historical filings prior to digitalisation (pre-2000s for many registries) may not be available online and require in-person archive access.

Is Argentina on the FATF grey list?

No. Argentina is not on the FATF Increased Monitoring list as of May 2026. It is a full FATF member country and a founding member of GAFILAT. Standard AML due diligence applies. For current standing and mutual evaluation reports, refer to fatf-gafi.org. Venezuela, which is on the FATF grey list as of May 2026, is a separate jurisdiction.

What is the difference between the IGJ and the provincial DPPJ?

The IGJ is the commercial registry authority for entities domiciled in Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA), as well as a federal authority for certain national-scope entities. The DPPJ (Dirección Provincial de Personas Jurídicas) or its equivalent in each province handles registrations for entities domiciled in that province. A company registered in Mendoza is at the Mendoza DPPJ; a company registered in CABA is at the IGJ. The AFIP CUIT record’s registered address confirms which authority holds the registration.

Last verified: May 2026. Sources: IGJ Argentina (argentina.gob.ar/justicia/igj), AFIP (afip.gob.ar), FATF (fatf-gafi.org), GAFILAT (gafilat.org). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.