Canadian · Health numbers
Health card number format by province.
How many digits is a Canadian health card number? It depends on the province. This page lists what each government actually states, flags the provinces that do not publish a digit count, and lets you see which formats a number could fit.
Short answer: Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan use 9 digits; PEI uses 8; Ontario and BC use 10; Quebec uses 4 letters plus 8 digits. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia publish no digit count that we could find, and Newfoundland and Labrador's length is unsettled.
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| Province | Number | Format stated by the government | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | ULI / PHN | 9 digits, 99999-9999 | guide |
| British Columbia | PHN | 10 digits, first digit 9, Mod 11 check digit | validator |
| Manitoba | PHIN | 9 digits (separate 6-character registration number) | guide |
| New Brunswick | Medicare number | Digit count not stated in any government page found. A Department of Health billing manual uses the placeholder 111111126, which is not a statement of format. | NB billing manual |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | MCP number | Claim field holds 12 digits; the Department notes that most cards have fewer than 12. A 2008 notice calls it a "twelve digit" number. Treat length as unsettled. | MCP physician manual |
| Nova Scotia | MSI health card number | Digit count not stated on the MSI pages found. Check the card. | MSI health cards |
| Ontario | OHIP health card number | 10 digits plus a 1-2 letter version code, MOD 10 check digit | validator |
| Prince Edward Island | Personal Health Number | 8 digits | guide |
| Quebec | RAMQ number (NAM) | 12 characters: 4 letters + 8 digits | validator |
| Saskatchewan | HSN | 9 digits | guide |
Why some rows say "not stated"
We only list a length when a government source says it. For New Brunswick and Nova Scotia we could not find one, so we do not guess. For Newfoundland and Labrador the physician manual says the claim field holds 12 digits but that most cards carry fewer; the 2008 MCP newsletter calls it a twelve-digit number. The card itself is the authority.
Ontario and BC
Both are ten digits and both have dedicated validators on this site that apply the published check-digit rules. Use those rather than this length guide.
Shape is not proof
Matching a length narrows the field to a few provinces; it never proves a number was issued. Only the province can confirm coverage.
Sources
- Alberta Health employer guide (archived copy, 2006) (retrieved October 2026)
- Manitoba Health online forms (PHIN - nine digits) (retrieved October 2026)
- Government of Saskatchewan, Seniors' Drug Plan (nine-digit HSN) (retrieved October 2026)
- Government of PEI, PEI Health Card (eight-digit Personal Health Number) (retrieved October 2026)
- RAMQ info letter 2015-011 (12 characters, 4 letters then 8 digits) (retrieved October 2026)
- Newfoundland and Labrador, Medical Care Plan physician information manual (retrieved October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How many digits is a health card number in Canada?
It varies by province: 8 in PEI, 9 in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 10 in Ontario and BC, and 4 letters plus 8 digits in Quebec.
Which provinces do not publish a health number length?
We found no government statement of the digit count for New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador's sources disagree, so the table says so instead of guessing.
Can I tell the province from the number?
Only partly. Several provinces share nine digits, so length alone cannot identify the issuer.
Can this tell me if my health card number is valid?
No. This page checks shape only and never contacts any provincial plan.
Format check only — not a verification
This page checks the shape of a number only. It does not query, copy or proxy any provincial register, cannot confirm that a number was issued, belongs to anyone or is current, and does not verify identity or coverage. Anything you type stays in your browser. Rules change, so confirm against the sources cited above before relying on it.