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Financial consumer protection and credit bureaus in the Dominican Republic

Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Changing

A new user protection regulation took effect on publication on 12 October 2026. Entities answer complaints in 30 days, extendable to 45 where evidence from third parties is needed; users then have 90 days to go to the Superintendencia de Bancos. Abusive clauses include forced arbitration. Credit bureaus need a Junta Monetaria licence and give free reports four times a year.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.9007 per US dollar for 29 October 2026, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Entity deadline to resolve a claim30 calendar daysResolución JM 260319-03 art. 40, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Free credit reports a year4 reportsLey 172-13 art. 11, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Credit bureau licenceJunta Monetaria textLey 172-13 art. 32, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Reference selling rate used for USD conversions60.9007 DOP per USDBanco Central reference rate, as of 2026-10-29 · in force

The rule

1. The regulation took effect on publication and replaces the 2006 text. It was published on 12 October 2026.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 139 and art. 144, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: Modificación integral approved on 19 March 2026 and published 12 October 2026. It replaces the 2006 regulation, amended in 2015.
2. The Superintendencia may grant an entity up to one year from publication to adjust specific provisions, on a justified request with a plan. The rest applies at once.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 141, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
3. It binds banks, credit corporations, associations, public entities, exchange and remittance agents, credit bureaus and trustee companies linked to financial entities.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 3, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
4. Abusive clauses include sharing data without consent, excluding liability, mandatory arbitration or conciliation in adhesion contracts, reversing the burden of proof, unilateral changes to non variable terms, and forced tying.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 25, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
5. For an indispensable third party product, such as insurance covering the entity's risk, the user must get a list of at least three providers.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 25 literal h, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
6. Tying products is prohibited where it restricts choice or switching or forces an unneeded secondary product.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 105, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
7. Users have up to four years to claim to the entity, from the event or from when they learned of it.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 35, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
8. Entities must resolve claims within 30 calendar days, up to 45 in complex cases needing third party information, with notice to the user.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 40, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
9. If the entity is late or the user is unhappy, the user has 90 calendar days to go to the Superintendencia, which decides in 60 calendar days, with extension up to one month.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 45, art. 49 and art. 56, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
10. A claim does not suspend payment of agreed amounts, unless it concerns unrecognized charges or a listed exception.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 53, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
11. Appeals are filed within 30 working days of the decision.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 62, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
12. Adhesion contract models and changes need prior Superintendencia approval, which it gives or refuses in 30 calendar days, and any doubt on a clause is read in favour of the user.Reglamento de Protección al Usuario, Resolución JM 260319-03, art. 23 and art. 124 paragraph, 2026-03-19 official text · verified 2026-10-30
13. Breaches of the user protection rules carry administrative sanctions, without prejudice to civil actions by the injured party.Ley 183-02 Monetaria y Financiera, art. 53, 2002-11-21 official text · verified 2026-10-30
14. Banks and regulated parties take part in the Superintendencia risk information system, and history is kept for at least 10 years from notice.Ley 183-02 Monetaria y Financiera, art. 56 literal a, 2002-11-21 official text · verified 2026-10-30
15. Credit bureaus (Sociedades de Información Crediticia) need Junta Monetaria authorization.Ley 172-13 de Protección de Datos, art. 31 and art. 32, 2013-12-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
16. Data subjects get free reports four times a year at intervals of at least three months, delivered within five working days.Ley 172-13 de Protección de Datos, art. 11 and art. 12, 2013-12-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
17. A creditor must first request payment, and data on payment or default may then be reported.Ley 172-13 de Protección de Datos, art. 47, 2013-12-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
18. Twelve months after cancellation of a legal or uncollectable debt, the bureau may not show those labels.Ley 172-13 de Protección de Datos, art. 68, 2013-12-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
19. Consent is not needed for data arising from commercial, employment or contractual relations, and in other listed cases.Ley 172-13 de Protección de Datos, art. 27, 2013-12-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Worked example

  • A client disputes a RD$50,000 (US$821.01) card charge on 1 November. The bank has until 1 December (30 days), or 16 December if complex. The client then has 90 days to go to the Superintendencia, which has 60 days to decide. The client need not pay the unrecognized charge in the meantime.

Step by step

  1. Review standard contracts against art. 25 and art. 105.
  2. Ask for an adjustment period if needed, with a plan.
  3. Update complaint procedures to the 30 and 45 day limits.
  4. Wait for the instructivo due within six months of publication (art. 140).
  5. Check bureau reporting and privacy notices.

Common traps

  • The recitals restate that a new rule does not change the legal effects of contracts signed earlier, but new products and changes must meet the new text.
  • Forced arbitration in adhesion contracts is an abusive clause, so a commercial arbitration clause in a user contract may fail.
  • Rules aimed at users of regulated entities do not automatically apply to non regulated lenders, who remain under the general consumer law.
  • Fees must be justified and reported (art. 115 and art. 143).

Sources

Related pages

Related: Dominican Republic country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X

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