Canadian · Health numbers
RAMQ number validator.
A Quebec health insurance number (NAM) from RAMQ is 12 characters: four letters then eight digits built from the holder's name and birth date. Check the structure and see what each part means. Structure only; it cannot tell you the number was issued.
Short answer: 12 characters: 4 letters, then 8 digits. The letters are the first three of the family name and the first of the given name; the digits are birth year (2), birth month (2, plus 50 for biological sex female), birth day (2) and a 2-digit RAMQ administrative code.
Check a number
Result
Enter a number and press Check.
How the number is built
The Government of Quebec describes the numero d'assurance maladie (NAM) as: the first three letters of the family name, the first letter of the given name, the last two digits of the birth year, the birth month (increased by 50 for biological sex female), the birth day, and the RAMQ administrative code. Its worked example: BOUF 9401 1419 is male and BOUF 9451 1419 is female (birth month plus 50).
What this page checks
That the input is four letters followed by eight digits, that digits 5-6 are any two digits (year), digits 7-8 are a month of 01-12 or 51-62, digits 9-10 are a real day of that month, and digits 11-12 are any two digits (administrative code). February 29 is allowed because the two-digit year is ambiguous. RAMQ publishes no check digit, so none is checked.
Limits you should know about
The published description does not say how names shorter than three letters, accents or hyphens are handled, so this page does not try to match the letters against a name. A number that fails here may still be on a real card; a number that passes may still not have been issued. RAMQ is the only authority.
It reveals personal data
Because the NAM contains part of the name and the full birth date, treat it as sensitive. The decoding on this page happens locally in your browser.
Sources
- Gouvernement du Quebec, Ministere de la Sante et des Services sociaux, fact sheet on the X gender marker (composition of the NAM) (retrieved October 2026)
- RAMQ, info letter 2015-011 (NAM: "12 caracteres dont les 4 premiers sont des lettres et les 8 autres des chiffres") (retrieved October 2026)
- RAMQ, info letter 2019-030 (NAM "doit etre compose de 4 lettres suivies de 8 chiffres") (retrieved October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is the format of a RAMQ number?
Twelve characters: four letters followed by eight digits, per RAMQ's own info letters, for example BOUF 9401 1419.
What do the letters and digits in a RAMQ number mean?
First three letters of the family name, first letter of the given name, then birth year (2 digits), birth month, birth day and a RAMQ administrative code, according to the Government of Quebec.
Why is the month above 12 for some people?
The Government of Quebec says 50 is added to the birth month for biological sex female, so a month of 51-62 is a woman born in months 1-12.
Is there a RAMQ check digit?
No check-digit rule is published in the sources this page cites. The last two digits are described only as an administrative code.
Can this confirm my RAMQ coverage?
No. It checks structure only and never contacts RAMQ. Coverage questions go to RAMQ directly.
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.