CNES Health Facility Validator

What is a CNES number?

CNES stands for Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde (National Registry of Health Establishments). It is a 7-digit code that uniquely identifies every health facility in Brazil, maintained by DATASUS under the Ministério da Saúde. This page validates the format/structure of the code.

The CNES is a sequential registry number with no publicly documented check digit, so the validation here is structural (length and digits), not a check-digit calculation.

Which establishments have a CNES

• Hospitals, UBS (basic health units), clinics and outpatient centers.
• Laboratories, pharmacies and diagnostic services.
• Individual consultórios (private practices) and other care points.

Where the CNES is used

• SUS billing and production systems (SIA/SIH/BPA) and e-SUS APS.
• Registration of the professionals and equipment tied to the establishment.
• Prescriptions and TISS forms used by private health insurance.

You can look up any establishment at cnes.datasus.gov.br.

Common pitfalls

• Confusing the CNES with the establishment's CNPJ — they are different identifiers; a single CNPJ can relate to one or more CNES units.
• Dropping a leading zero — the code must keep all 7 digits.
• Assuming a valid format means the facility is active — only the DATASUS lookup confirms the current status.

FAQ

Is the CNES the same as the CNPJ? No. The CNPJ identifies the legal entity for tax purposes; the CNES is a health-specific identifier for the physical establishment.

Does the CNES have a check digit? There is no publicly documented check digit, so this tool validates the 7-digit structure only.

Where do I confirm an establishment? On the public DATASUS portal at cnes.datasus.gov.br.