Paraguay Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify a Paraguayan Business

TL;DR. Paraguay’s commercial registry function sits within the Direccion General de los Registros Publicos (DGRP), which operates under the Corte Suprema de Justicia. Online search access is available at dgrp.gov.py but is limited in scope; the RUC from the Ministerio de Hacienda is the most practical public-access entry point for entity lookup. The interface is Spanish-only, Paraguay is not on the FATF grey list, and the registry is accessible to foreign buyers without a local ID for basic searches.

What is the official Paraguay business registry?

Paraguay’s commercial and civil registries are administered by the Direccion General de los Registros Publicos (DGRP), a body under the Corte Suprema de Justicia (Supreme Court of Justice). This placement under the judiciary reflects Paraguay’s civil-law tradition, where public registries are considered court-administered instruments of legal certainty rather than administrative databases.

The DGRP maintains several registers: the Registro de Personas Juridicas y Asociaciones (legal persons and associations), the Registro de Inmuebles (real property), the Registro de Marcas y Senales (marks and signals), and the commercial registration function. Commercial entities in Paraguay are registered through a process that involves notarization, inscription at the DGRP, and publication. The DGRP’s primary website is at dgrp.gov.py.

The legal framework is the Ley 1183/1985 (Codigo Civil de Paraguay), the Ley 1034/1983 (Ley del Comerciante), and subsequent regulations governing each registry segment. Commercial companies (Sociedad Anonima, Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, and others) are registered with the Registro de Personas Juridicas y Asociaciones section of the DGRP.

Paraguay’s economy includes a large informal sector and a material maquila (export manufacturing) industry. Maquila companies are separately registered under the Consejo Nacional de las Industrias Maquiladoras de Exportacion (CNIME) in addition to DGRP inscription.

What can you search?

The DGRP portal provides several search access points:

• Entry consultation (Consulta por Entrada): search by registry entry reference number
• Personal annotations lookup (linked to SIGRE system)

For company-specific searches, the most practical public access point is through the RUC system administered by the Ministerio de Hacienda at ruc.com.py, which returns entity name, RUC, tax category, and status for any registered Paraguayan entity at no charge. The DGRP itself does not provide a full free company name search comparable to Ecuador’s SUPERCIAS portal.

The DIRGE (Directorio General de Empresas y Establecimientos), maintained by the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE) at ine.gov.py/dirge, provides a directory of Paraguayan companies with identification data, geographic location, and economic activity classification. This is a statistical directory, not the authoritative legal registry, but is useful for initial identification.

Data available through formal DGRP searches includes: corporate name, entity type, inscription number, date of inscription, registered agent or legal representative, corporate purpose, and capital (for entities where capital is declared in the constitutive instrument).

How much does it cost?

All fees are indicative for 2025-2026 based on published DGRP information and intermediary reports. PYG/USD conversion: approximately 1 USD = 7,700 PYG (approximate rate as of May 2026; verify at Banco Central del Paraguay, bcp.gov.py). Full certified extracts and notarized copies involve additional notarial charges.

Do you need a local account or ID?

For the free RUC lookup at ruc.com.py, no account or ID is required. The DGRP online consultation system (entry lookups through the portal) does not require local identification for basic searches. For certified copies and formal document requests from the DGRP, the process typically requires either in-person attendance at a DGRP office or appointment of a local attorney or legal representative who can submit the request.

Foreign buyers without a Paraguayan presence will generally need a local legal representative to obtain certified documents. The DGRP has expanded some online services, but document issuance for formal purposes remains primarily in-person or intermediary-dependent.

Is the website in English?

No. The DGRP portal and all related government interfaces are in Spanish only. No English-language version is available. Company names, corporate documents, and registry records are in Spanish. Foreign compliance buyers require translation for document review.

What’s the turnaround time?

For free RUC and DIRGE directory searches: results are instant. For DGRP entry consultations: near-instant through the online portal where the entry reference is known. For certified extracts and formal documents: 3-7 business days is typical, subject to DGRP office workload. The main DGRP office hours are Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM (Asuncion local time). Regional DGRP offices operate similar hours. Factor the shortened daily operating window into processing time estimates for urgent requests.

Is there an API?

No. The DGRP does not publish an API for registry data access. The RUC lookup at ruc.com.py is a web interface only. No bulk-data program or programmatic access is available from any of the relevant Paraguayan registry systems.

What you legally cannot do

DGRP terms of service and Paraguayan law prohibit bulk extraction or automated scraping of registry data. Registry records may be used for legitimate commercial and legal due diligence purposes. Redistribution of registry data commercially without DGRP authorization is not permitted.

Paraguay does not yet have a general data protection law equivalent to GDPR in force. Personal data of directors and shareholders in registry records should be handled in accordance with the receiving party’s applicable data protection obligations and stated processing purposes.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• Start with the RUC. The RUC (Registro Unico de Contribuyente) is Paraguay’s taxpayer and entity identifier, managed by the DNIT (Direccion Nacional de Ingresos Tributarios, formerly SET). For legal entities, the RUC is an 8-digit number followed by a check digit (e.g., 80012345-6). The free lookup at ruc.com.py confirms entity name, status, and tax category. This is the fastest initial verification step for any Paraguayan entity.
• DGRP entry number for follow-through. Once you have the RUC and entity name, request the DGRP inscription entry number from your local representative to access the full constitutive instrument and subsequent amendments.
• Maquila companies have dual registration. A Paraguayan maquila entity will be registered at both the DGRP (as a commercial company) and at CNIME (as a maquila operator). For counterparties in the maquila sector, check both registries for a complete picture.
• Paraguay is not on the FATF grey list. As of February 2026, Paraguay is not subject to FATF increased monitoring. Paraguay is a GAFILAT member and has completed mutual evaluation follow-up procedures. Standard due diligence applies; enhanced CDD requirements for grey-listed jurisdiction counterparties are not triggered. Verify current FATF status at fatf-gafi.org. For the full due diligence framework applicable to LatAm counterparties, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.
• Informal economy caution. Paraguay has a large informal sector and historically has been a transit point for illicit trade flows in the tri-border area (Ciudad del Este, Foz do Iguacu, Puerto Iguazu). For counterparties in border trade or import/export activities, apply enhanced scrutiny on transaction purpose, counterparty identity, and source of funds regardless of FATF status.
• Status of registered agent. Paraguayan companies are required to maintain a registered legal representative (apoderado) whose details are inscribed at the DGRP. Changes in the registered agent require DGRP filing and are an important verification point for KYC purposes.

Alternatives if you cannot access the DGRP directly

• Aggregator search (free, indicative only): OpenCorporates indexes some Paraguayan company filings but coverage is limited and lags official data. Suitable for initial name confirmation only.
• RUC portal (ruc.com.py): Free lookup by RUC or company name, returning basic entity status. This is the most accessible entry point for foreign buyers and a necessary first step before any DGRP engagement.
• DIRGE (ine.gov.py/dirge): INE’s company directory for sector and location data. Not a registry substitute, but useful for initial due diligence mapping.

Local data suppliers

• Info-Clipper (info-clipper.com). International commercial data provider offering company reports for Paraguayan entities sourced through local registry networks, including basic profile and officer data.

Use the DGRP and RUC for the authoritative legal and tax registration record. Use a commercial data provider when you need ready-formatted reports or when in-person DGRP access is impractical.

FAQ

Can a foreign company access the Paraguay registry directly?

Foreign buyers can access the free RUC lookup at ruc.com.py and the DGRP online entry consultation without local identification. Certified documents and formal registry extracts from the DGRP typically require either in-person attendance or engagement of a local legal representative. There is no fully self-service foreign buyer access path for certified documents.

What is the RUC number in Paraguay?

The RUC (Registro Unico de Contribuyente) is Paraguay’s taxpayer identifier for both individuals and legal entities, administered by the DNIT. For companies, the RUC is typically 8 digits plus a check digit (format: XXXXXXXX-X). It is used across tax, customs, and registry systems and is the most reliable identifier for cross-system verification of Paraguayan entities.

What entity types are registered with the DGRP?

The DGRP Registro de Personas Juridicas registers: Sociedad Anonima (S.A.), Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (S.R.L.), Sociedad en Comandita Simple, Sociedad en Nombre Colectivo, branches of foreign companies, civil associations, foundations, and cooperatives. Not-for-profit entities register in the same system but under different classification codes.

Does Paraguay have a beneficial ownership (UBO) registry?

Paraguay does not maintain a public UBO registry. Beneficial ownership disclosure requirements exist under anti-money laundering regulations, but these disclosures are not systematically published. The DGRP registers legal shareholders in the constitutive instrument but does not maintain a separate UBO database. As a GAFILAT member, Paraguay is subject to FATF Recommendation 24 on beneficial ownership transparency, and domestic AML law requires financial institutions to collect UBO data on clients.

How current is the data in the DGRP?

DGRP records update as corporate instruments are filed and inscribed. The inscription process requires notarized instruments, DGRP filing, and gazette publication. This sequence creates a processing lag of typically 1-3 weeks between a corporate event occurring (such as a director change) and the DGRP record reflecting the change. For time-sensitive due diligence, always request the most recently available certified extract rather than relying on publicly visible portal data.

Is Paraguay on the FATF grey list?

No. Paraguay is not on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring as of February 2026. Paraguay is a GAFILAT member and has progressed through its mutual evaluation follow-up cycle. Standard due diligence procedures apply for Paraguayan counterparties. Verify current status at fatf-gafi.org.

What is the difference between the registry and tax/financial filings?

The DGRP holds the legal registration of corporate entities (constitutive instruments, director appointments, capital changes). The DNIT (Ministerio de Hacienda) holds RUC registration and tax return data. Annual financial statements for Paraguayan companies are submitted to the DNIT for tax purposes and are not publicly accessible. This means financial data on Paraguayan private companies is generally not available through the registry system.

Last verified: May 2026. Source: DGRP Paraguay (dgrp.gov.py), DNIT RUC portal (ruc.com.py), FATF Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring February 2026 (fatf-gafi.org), Banco Central del Paraguay (bcp.gov.py). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.