Instant
The digit appears as you type the number.
Free tool
Calculate your NIT's check digit
About to invoice a company and missing the number after the hyphen? Calculate the check digit in seconds and keep your invoice from going out with a wrong NIT.
Fast. Simple. Accurate. And best of all, free.
This tool follows Colombian rules (DIAN algorithm). If your business is in another country, the result may not apply.
- Built for Colombia
- No sign-up
- Your data never leaves your browser
Instructions
Enter the NIT or cédula without the check digit. If you already have it, type it after a hyphen and we'll verify it.
Full NIT: --
DIAN algorithm
The same weights and modulo 11 from Administrative Order 4 of 1989.
Private
The number you enter never leaves your browser.
What is the check digit and why does it matter?
The check digit (DV) is the number after the hyphen in a person's or company's NIT. In 800.197.268-4, the DV is 4.
You need it to e-invoice companies, register suppliers and handle DIAN procedures. Many businesses get stuck because they don't have it and have to ask the customer for their RUT or look it up by hand. What a waste of time!
With this calculator you get it in seconds, free and with no sign-up.
How is it calculated?
Each digit of the NIT, from right to left, is multiplied by a prime number (3, 7, 13, 17…). The sum is divided by 11 and the remainder sets the DV: if it's 0 or 1, that's the digit; otherwise, it's 11 minus the remainder.
Where do I find it?
On the RUT: box 5 has the NIT and box 6 has the DV. If you don't have the RUT at hand, calculate it here with the NIT or cédula number.
Check digit=11 − remainder of [ Σ (each digit × its prime weight) ÷ 11 ]If the remainder is 0 or 1, the digit is the remainder itself.
Tiendana Enseña tip
Set up every customer and supplier record correctly from day one
Before the first invoice or the first purchase, ask for the updated RUT and copy the business name, the NIT with its check digit and the email for receiving invoices from it. Data captured correctly once saves you corrections every month.
Review your regular customers' records once a year: companies change their billing email, address or tax regime. A clean database means your invoices arrive on time and you get paid without them being sent back.
Did you know?
Because each position is multiplied by a different prime number, the check digit catches the vast majority of single-digit errors, as well as two swapped neighboring digits, which are the most common typing mistakes.
Step by step
How to calculate a NIT's check digit
Enter the number
Enter the NIT or cédula without the check digit; dots and spaces don't matter.
See the digit
The calculator applies the DIAN algorithm and shows you the DV instantly.
Verify it if you already have it
Type the digit after a hyphen, for example 800197268-4, and we'll tell you if it matches.
Copy the full NIT
Use the Copy NIT button and paste it into the invoice, the form or the customer record.
We answer your questions
Frequently asked questions
How is a NIT's check digit calculated?
Multiply each digit, from right to left, by the weights 3, 7, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 67 and 71; add up the results and divide by 11. If the remainder is 0 or 1, that's the DV; otherwise, the DV is 11 minus the remainder.
Does the cédula have a check digit?
Yes, when it's used as a NIT. For an individual registered in the RUT, the NIT is their cédula number, and the check digit is calculated with the same formula as a company's.
Where does a company's check digit appear?
On its RUT, next to the NIT, and on the invoices and certificates it issues, after the hyphen. If you don't have it at hand, calculate it here with the NIT number.
Can the check digit be 0?
Yes. The DV ranges from 0 to 9: it's 0 when the remainder of dividing by 11 is 0, and 1 when the remainder is 1 or 10.
Is the NIT written with dots and a hyphen?
In the calculator you can type it however you like: 800197268, 800.197.268 or 800 197 268 give the same result. On documents, the usual format is with thousands dots and the digit after the hyphen: 800.197.268-4.
How many digits can a NIT have for the check digit calculation?
The DIAN algorithm uses 15 weights, so it works for numbers of up to 15 digits. Company NITs usually have nine.
How do I check that a NIT and its digit are written correctly?
Type the full number with the hyphen, for example 901401753-7. The calculator recalculates the digit and tells you if the one you typed matches.
What happens if I invoice with the wrong check digit?
The invoice ends up with the buyer's ID written incorrectly, and your customer may ask you to correct it. The safest thing is to validate the NIT and its digit before issuing it; if it's already gone out, ask your accountant how to correct it.
Does the check digit confirm that a company exists?
No. It only confirms the number is written correctly. To know whether the company is active, ask for their updated RUT or check the RUT status on the DIAN's online services.
Is the NIT I look up saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and the number you enter isn't sent to any server.
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