Concept · Dominican Republic

Barrio.do

A free, Spanish-first community app for every Dominican town. Residents find and support local businesses. Businesses sell, get paid and issue DGII-valid electronic invoices from their phone. Towns get a digital front door. Sponsors carry the cost, so nobody pays to use it.

Free for residents Free for businesses Sponsor-supported Works offline WhatsApp sharing
By Ross Baker, founder of NeulincSeptember 20267 min read
What it looks like

Four screens that carry the idea

Barrio.do
San Francisco de Macorís
Oferta cerca de ti
Colmado Doña MeryAbierto
Arroz 10 lb a RD$395 hasta el sábado
TablónSe busca electricista para inversorLos Jardines · hace 20 min · 4 respuestas
AyuntamientoRecogida de basura: martes y viernesAviso oficial
Tu tarjeta
Barbería El Tigre7 / 10 cortes
InicioNegociosTablónAsistentePerfil
Resident homeNearby deals, the community board, official notices and loyalty cards in one feed.
Mi negocio
Colmado Doña Mery
Ventas de hoy
RD$18,420
63 ventas · 41 QR · 22 efectivo
Facturación electrónica
63 e-CF emitidosAl día
Resumen a DGII3 en cola
Recibidas de suplidores
4 facturas nuevasAcuse enviado
+ Nueva venta
HoyVenderFacturasOfertasMás
Business homeSales, invoice status and supplier invoices at a glance. Queued items send when signal returns.
Venta
Consumidor final
Arroz 10 lb × 1RD$395
Aceite 1 gal × 1RD$690
ITBIS incluidocalculado
TotalRD$1,085
E320000000764Firmado
Factura de consumo · recibo por WhatsApp
Cobrar con QR
HoyVenderFacturasOfertasMás
One tap, three jobsThe sale, the payment QR and the signed invoice happen together. The owner never picks a form.
Asistente
Trámites y negocios
¿Cómo saco el RNC para mi salón?
Te guío en 3 pasos. Todo se hace en línea con tu cédula.
1Registro en la Oficina Virtual de la DGII
2Elegir régimen simplificado si aplica
3Activar facturación en Barrio.do
¿Y el permiso del ayuntamiento?
Aquí está el formulario y los horarios de la oficina de uso de suelo.
InicioNegociosTablónAsistentePerfil
AI assistantAnswers permit, tax and "what's open now" questions in plain Spanish, from verified local data.
Features

Who gets what

Residents

  • Business directory with hours, open-now and reviews
  • Deals and QR loyalty cards
  • Community board: buy/sell, jobs, services, housing, lost & found
  • Official town notices and polls
  • Digital receipts for every purchase

Businesses

  • Free listing, profile, deals, posts and video links
  • Phone point of sale with offline mode
  • Electronic invoices issued and sent automatically
  • Supplier invoice inbox with automatic receipts
  • QR payments once the instant-payment system goes live
  • Monthly sales and purchase reports ready for the accountant

Town hall

  • Channel for notices, collection days and emergencies
  • AI permit and license navigator
  • Resident problem reports with photos and map pins
  • Anonymous local economy dashboard: active businesses, formalization

Diaspora

  • Follow your hometown from New York or New Jersey
  • Buy gift cards or colmado credit for family
  • Discover and support hometown businesses
Tax requirements

How it meets what the DGII asks for

The owner makes a sale. The app handles every step the law requires behind it.

1 · Sell

Tap items

Or type an amount. Cash, card or QR.

2 · Classify

Right type

E32 for consumers, E31 when the buyer gives an RNC.

3 · Sign

Certificate

Signed with the business's own digital certificate.

4 · Report

To DGII

Full invoice or consumer summary, queued if offline.

5 · Keep

10 years

Stored and exportable for audits.

What the DGII requiresWhat Barrio.do does
Be authorized to issue e-CF by 15 Nov 2026 (small, micro, unclassified)Ley 32-23, DGII calendarGuided sign-up: checks RNC status, completes the authorization request, and runs the certification tests on the owner's behalf. Barrio.do operates as, or through, a certified invoicing provider.
A digital certificate for signingIssued via INDOTEL-authorized providersObtains the certificate during onboarding, stores it securely, and renews it before it expires.
Correct invoice type for each sale10 types, E31 to E47Picks the type automatically. Asks for buyer RNC only when needed, including consumer sales of RD$250,000 or more. Covers credit notes, returns and purchases from informal suppliers (E41) and minor expenses (E43).
Send to the DGIIConsumer sales under RD$250,000 go as a summary (RFCE)Sends each invoice or summary through the DGII web services. During blackouts or no signal, it queues and sends when back online, using the contingency rules.
Give the customer a printed or digital copyRepresentación impresa with security codeSends a receipt with the verification QR by WhatsApp or SMS, or prints to a cheap Bluetooth printer.
Acknowledge and approve invoices received from suppliersAcuse de recibo and aprobación comercialSupplier invoices land in an inbox. Receipt is acknowledged automatically; the owner approves or rejects with one tap.
Keep invoices 10 yearsThe free DGII tool keeps them about 2 yearsStores every issued and received invoice for 10 years, with export for the accountant or an audit.
Monthly reporting of sales and purchasesPrepares the monthly sales and purchase files from the invoice history for the owner or accountant to review and submit.

What free means for compliance

  • To issue invoices for other businesses, Barrio.do has to be, or partner with, a DGII-certified invoicing provider. Partnering is the fastest route before the November deadline.
  • Businesses without an RNC are not required to issue e-CF. For them the app starts as a free listing and point of sale, and the assistant walks them through getting an RNC when they are ready. That is the formalization path.
  • The tax credit for implementation costs targets spending a business actually makes. With a free app there is little to claim, which makes the offer simple.
  • Each business stays legally responsible for its invoices. The app reduces the work but does not transfer the obligation. Confirm the final model with a Dominican tax advisor.
How it stays free

Sponsors pay because they want what the app creates

Banks and fintechs

New accounts and QR payment volume from businesses that were cash-only.

Telecoms

Branding plus zero-rated data, so using the app costs residents nothing.

Municipal contracts

Town halls pay for the notice channel, permit navigator and reports feature.

Approved local ads

Reviewed placements from businesses and brands. No third-party ad networks.

Development programs

Formalization and digital-inclusion grants aligned with Agenda Digital 2030.

Outcomes

What a one-town pilot should prove in 12 months

300+

Businesses issuing e-CF through the app

50+

Informal businesses that registered an RNC

25%

Share of adult residents active monthly

40%

Business sales paid digitally, once QR payments launch

Targets are pilot goals for planning, not forecasts.