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Currency symbol

Brazilian real Symbol (R$)

R$ is the symbol for the Brazilian real, currency code BRL. Click it below to copy it, then paste it into your invoice, spreadsheet, price list or message.

The Brazilian real is used in Brazil. Its subunit is the centavo.

Written as two ordinary characters, R then $.

Brazilian real symbol codes

DetailValueNotesCopy
SymbolR$The Brazilian real sign
ISO 4217 codeBRLUse this in accounting systems and APIs
CharactersR + $Written as ordinary letters, no special character needed
Where it goesR$100The symbol goes in front of the amount, with no space: R$1,250.00.

Other currency symbols

See the full list on the currency symbols page.

How to type the Brazilian real symbol

R$ is written with ordinary keyboard characters (R, $), so no special code is needed. Type it exactly as shown.

On a phone, the letters are on the standard keyboard, so nothing extra is required.

In HTML, write the characters directly. In a UTF-8 document you can simply paste R$ into the source and it will display correctly.

Formatting BRL amounts correctly

The symbol goes in front of the amount, with no space: R$1,250.00.

Thousands separators and decimal marks change by country as well. Getting the symbol right and the separators wrong still looks wrong, so check both when you are writing for an audience in Brazil.

In a spreadsheet, do not type the symbol into the cell. Format the cell as currency and pick BRL instead, so the value stays a number you can calculate with.

Using R$ in Excel and Google Sheets

In Excel, select the cells, press CTRL + 1, choose Currency or Accounting, then pick the Brazilian real from the symbol list. Accounting format lines the symbols up down the column, which is what you want on an invoice.

In Google Sheets, use Format, then Number, then Custom currency, and search for BRL. Sheets keeps the cell numeric, so SUM and other formulas keep working.

Why R$ sometimes shows as a box

A box, a question mark or two odd letters means the font or the encoding is at fault, not the character. Make sure the document is saved as UTF-8 and use a font with wide coverage such as Arial, Segoe UI, Noto Sans or Helvetica.

Because this symbol is made of ordinary letters, it displays everywhere, which is one reason it is written that way.

Frequently asked questions

How do I copy the Brazilian real symbol?

Click the large R$ at the top of this page. It goes straight to your clipboard, then press CTRL + V (CMD + V on a Mac) to paste it.

What is the currency code for the Brazilian real?

BRL. That is its ISO 4217 code, and it is what banks, payment systems and APIs expect.

Does R$ go before or after the number?

The symbol goes in front of the amount, with no space: R$1,250.00.

Can I use R$ in a filename or a URL?

Avoid it. Currency symbols are legal in many filenames but they are percent-encoded in URLs and can break older systems. Use the BRL code instead.

Related symbol pages