How to send money to Uruguay in 2026: dollars without conversion to an account in 1-3 business days
Uruguay keeps the dollar alongside the peso, and since March 2026 home purchases go through banks. We cover account details without an international number, paying for a flat through a bank under law 20.469, the 12% tax on foreign income, the deposit guarantee and the ladder of sums at which the bank asks about the source of the money.
In short
- Uruguayan banks keep accounts in US dollars on a par with pesos.
- There is no international account number: you need the account number and the bank code.
- Since 19 March 2026 a flat is paid for by bank transfer at the notary.
- A deposit is protected up to $10,000 in dollars and $42,000 in pesos in one bank.
In detail
Money reaches Uruguay by ordinary bank transfer, and banks keep accounts in US dollars on a par with pesos, so dollars are credited without conversion. There is no international account number as in Europe: the payment goes by account number and bank code. Since 19 March 2026 a flat is paid for by bank transfer at the notary.
| Route | On 8 October 2026 | Recipient's currency | Time | What to give |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer in dollars to a dollar account | works | US dollars without conversion | 1-3 business days | the account number, an 8- or 11-character bank code, the recipient's name and address |
| Bank transfer in pesos or to a peso account | works | pesos at the recipient bank's rate | 1-3 business days | the same details and the payment purpose |
| Instant transfer between banks within Uruguay | works since 2021 | pesos or dollars | seconds | the recipient's account number at a Uruguayan bank |
| Transfer to a Uruguayan bank card | works | the currency of the account the card is issued on | as for a transfer to an account | the account number, not the card number |
| Paying the seller for a flat | bank transfer or bank cheque | dollars or pesos | on the day of signing at the notary | the means of payment is recorded in the deed |
The table was checked on 8 October 2026 against Uruguay's legislation database. Dollars on this page are at the Central Bank of Uruguay rate for 7 October 2026: 40.15 pesos per dollar, the indexed unit at 6.656 pesos, rounded up.
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Dollars or pesos: which currency to receive money in Uruguay
Uruguay is one of the few countries where the dollar officially lives alongside the local currency. Banks keep dollar accounts just like peso accounts, prices of flats and houses are quoted in dollars, and the seller is paid in dollars. So a transfer for buying a home is better kept in dollars from start to finish: each extra conversion into pesos and back costs the rate difference.
Pesos are needed for living: rent, utility bills and taxes. Many laws set thresholds not in pesos or dollars but in indexed units, which the central bank recalculates for inflation every day. In October 2026 one such unit is worth 6.656 pesos, that is $0.17, and all the legal sums in dollars on this page are converted at this rate.
Transfer details: account number, bank code, name
A Uruguayan account number is written exactly as the bank issued it: each bank has its own length, and there is no common international format. So the sender needs four things: the account number, the bank's 8- or 11-character code for international transfers, the recipient's name in Latin letters exactly as in the passport and their address. Dollars go through a US correspondent bank, whose code the Uruguayan bank gives in its instructions for incoming transfers.
Within the country money moves between banks in seconds: instant transfers have worked since early 2021, and in June 2023 the central bank required all banks to extend their hours at the same time.
Buying a flat in Uruguay from 2026: payment through a bank at the notary
Financial inclusion law 19.210, as amended by law 20.469 of 19 March 2026, routes home purchases through banks: the price of a flat is paid by bank transfer or bank cheque. The bank and the notary ask for proof of the source of the money, so it is convenient to gather the sender's account statement and documents on a property sale, income or inheritance before the transfer.
| Step | What happens | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer to the buyer's account in Uruguay | dollars are credited to a dollar account without conversion into pesos | the sender's account statement and source-of-funds documents |
| Signing at the notary | the same day the bank transfers the price to the seller or issues a bank cheque | the contract and the seller's account details |
| Entry in the deed | the notary records how and from where the payment came | the bank, the account number and the transfer amount |
| Registration of title | the property register records the transfer of title to the buyer | the deed with the payment entry |
Hence a simple rule: the money for the purchase is transferred in advance to an account in Uruguay, and the bank sends it to the seller on the day of signing. The property transfer tax is 2% of the cadastral value from the buyer and the same from the seller.
Buying a home in Montevideo or Punta del Este? Tell a manager about the deal: they will suggest how best to send the sum by the day of signing and which source-of-funds papers the bank and the notary will ask for. A price overview is in the cost of living in Uruguay.
We will help you send money to Uruguay
Mistakes cost more than fees: dollars converted into pesos and back, money reaching the notary after the day of signing, a flat paid for without the transfer recorded in the deed, a large sum in one deposit without working out the guarantee. We will help you avoid them: we will choose the route and currency of the transfer for your sum, gather the source-of-funds documents for the bank and the notary and carry out the transfer through licensed partners through to crediting.
Details and terms are with a manager in the chat: everything depends on the sum, the purpose of the transfer and the timing of the deal in Uruguay.
The 12% tax on foreign income: what 2026 changed
Transferring your own money to Uruguay is not taxed in itself. The tax concerns the income this money earns abroad. Since 1 January 2026 budget law 20.446 taxes a Uruguayan tax resident at 12% not only on foreign dividends and interest but also on rent from foreign property and gains from selling foreign assets. Since 2026 Uruguayan banks and brokers withhold this tax themselves.
A new resident can pay on foreign passive income under non-resident rules for 11 years, that is, pay nothing on it. The holiday conditions after 2026 are stricter than before; they are covered on the taxes in Uruguay page and in the article on Uruguayan tax residency. The country has no gift or inheritance tax: a gift from family to an account is not taxed, and when inheriting Uruguayan property only the property transfer tax is paid.
How much to keep in one Uruguayan bank
The Bank Savings Protection Corporation guarantees one person's deposits in one bank in two limits: up to $10,000 for deposits in foreign currency and up to $42,000 (250,000 indexed units) for deposits in pesos. The dollar limit has applied since May 2016, the peso limit since 2005.
For a large sum this means the guarantee covers only a small part. Money for a purchase is kept in the account briefly, until the day of the deal, and a long-term reserve is split between several banks.
A large transfer to Uruguay: the ladder of sums
In 2026 a bank in Uruguay checks the source of money under anti-money laundering law 19.574, and the larger the sum, the more detailed the questions.
| Amount | What the bank in Uruguay will ask | Which papers to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $10,000 | the sender, the recipient and the purpose | details and the payment purpose |
| $10,000 - $100,000 | where the money comes from and what it is for | an account statement, an income certificate or a sale contract |
| From $100,000 | the source of the whole sum and the deal it is for | the sale contract for a previous home, a tax return, a draft purchase contract |
The bank is asking you to explain where the money comes from, and the deal is already scheduled? A manager will tell you which documents a bank in Uruguay will accept and in what order to submit them. If the direct route is inconvenient for the timing, there are more workable options than it seems. Preparing the papers is covered in proof of source of funds and moving home sale proceeds abroad.
From Uruguay across South America and to the north
- Argentina: dollars to an account and a tax key across the River Plate.
- Brazil: a 0.38% tax on exchange and a payment purpose code.
- Paraguay: dollars to an account and an investor's permanent residence.
- Chile: pesos and a unit of account.
- USA: an account with a passport and taxes.
- Costa Rica: colones or dollars, foreign income tax-free.
How moving with money works overall is on the capital relocation page, and the residence permit is covered in Uruguay residence permit.
FAQ
Can you receive a transfer to a Uruguayan account in dollars?
How do you pay for a flat in Uruguay?
Does a Uruguayan account have an international number, as in Europe?
Does Uruguay tax income from money invested abroad?
What sum on a deposit in a Uruguayan bank does the state guarantee?
What tax does a flat buyer pay in Uruguay?
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We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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