Canadian · Validation
Charity registration number format checker.
A Canadian registered charity's number is its 9-digit CRA Business Number, followed by the program identifier RR, followed by a 4-digit reference number — for example 123456789RR0001. Check the shape here, then confirm registration on CRA's own List of Charities.
Important, up front: like the Business Number it's built from, CRA has never published a check-digit algorithm for the 9-digit root. This tool validates shape only — it cannot confirm a number was ever actually issued to a real charity. Use the CRA search linked below for that.
Inputs
Result
Enter a charity registration number and press Check.
How a charity registration number is structured
A registered Canadian charity's full number is built on the same 9-digit Business Number (BN) every CRA-registered organization gets, with the program identifier RR marking the registered-charity program account, followed by a 4-digit reference number — almost always 0001, since most charities register only one RR account. Put together: 123456789 + RR + 0001 = 123456789RR0001.
CRA's own search-tips page for the List of Charities describes the same two fields separately in its advanced search: enter the nine-digit BN in one field, and the four-digit RR reference number (usually 0001) in another.
No checksum exists on the number itself
Just like the plain Business Number, the 9-digit root has no published check digit. This tool can tell you a number is the right shape — 9 digits, then RR, then 4 digits — but it cannot tell you whether that root was ever actually issued, or whether the charity is still in good standing. Status, revocations, and annulments change over time and only CRA's own List of Charities reflects them.
Frequently asked questions
What does RR0001 mean?
RR is the CRA program identifier for a registered charity (or an organization that has applied for charitable status). 0001 is the 4-digit reference number for that specific program account — almost always 0001, since it's rare for one organization to hold more than one RR account.
I only have a 9-digit number — is that enough to check?
A bare 9-digit number is just the Business Number root, shared across every CRA program the organization is registered for. To search the List of Charities you'll want the full BN, or the organization's name — CRA's search accepts either.
Does a correctly-shaped number mean the charity is real and registered?
No. Shape only confirms the number could plausibly be a charity account — it says nothing about whether it was ever issued or whether the charity's registration is still active. Always confirm on CRA's List of Charities before donating if legitimacy matters to you.
Format check only — not a CRA lookup
This tool checks shape entirely in your browser. It does not query the CRA, and a shape-valid result is not proof the number was ever issued or that the charity is currently registered. Nothing you type is transmitted, stored, or logged. Use the CRA List of Charities link above for the real, live registration status.