What is the "tarjeta" dollar rate and when does it apply?

Last verified: 26 Oct 2026 · Status: Changing

Short answer. The "tarjeta" (card) dollar is the bank's official selling rate plus a 30% income tax perception (ARCA RG 5617/2024, art. 6). It applies when an Argentine resident pays foreign currency card spending, foreign services, travel packages or international tickets in pesos. The PAIS tax ended on 22 December 2024. Paying the card in dollars avoids the 30%.

As of 26 Oct 2026. Rules in force at that date.

Key rules

What is charged. A perception (advance tax collection) of 30% on the peso amount of each covered operation (RG 5617/2024, art. 6). It is a tax credit, not a separate exchange rate.
Covered operations. Foreign purchases paid with Argentine cards, including cash withdrawals abroad and online purchases in foreign currency (art. 1 b); non resident services paid by card, such as streaming and app subscriptions (art. 1 c); services abroad bought through Argentine travel agencies (art. 1 d); and international passenger tickets, on the price net of taxes (arts. 1 e and 6 b).
Only the peso part. The perception applies "to the extent and in the proportion" that the operation is paid in pesos and requires access to the FX market (art. 1, last paragraph). Pay the card balance with your own dollars and nothing is charged.
Who bears it. Income tax residents, individuals and companies (art. 3), charged by the card statement collector (art. 4 b). Foreigners using cards issued abroad are outside the regime: they are not residents under art. 3 and no Argentine collector settles their statement.
When. Credit cards: when the statement is paid. Debit cards: on the debit date (art. 5 b and c).
It is creditable. The 30% is a payment on account of income tax, or of wealth tax for Monotributo taxpayers and people outside income tax (art. 7). Others can ask ARCA for a refund after year end (arts. 8 to 10).
Exclusions. Health services, medicines, books, educational platforms and educational software (art. 2 a); land transport to neighbouring countries (art. 2 d); services through platforms on ARCA's list (art. 2 f, added by RG 5677/2025). ARCA keeps the list of platforms; we have not reproduced it, so check whether a given service is on it; and spending in or bound for the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (art. 1).
No PAIS tax. The PAIS tax applied "until 22 December 2024 inclusive" (RG 5617/2024, recitals). The 30% perception survived it.
Status. Infoleg lists only two amendments to RG 5617: RG 5672/2025 (BO 14 Apr 2025, which removed the 30% on individuals' dollar purchases for holding) and RG 5677/2025 (BO 16 Apr 2025) (list retrieved 26 Oct 2026). RG 5617 has no expiry date. No later amending ARCA resolution was found on Infoleg at 26 Oct 2026.
Conversion rate. Bank issuers convert at most at their own selling rate when you pay; nonbank issuers use Banco Nación's electronic selling rate. You may always pay the dollar balance in dollars (BCRA "Exterior y Cambios", points 4.1.3.1 and 4.1.3.2).

What changes the answer

Your tax status. Income tax filers credit it against income tax, Monotributo taxpayers against wealth tax; others need a refund with CUIT, Clave Fiscal, a registered CBU and an electronic tax domicile (arts. 7 and 9).
What you buy. Health, medicines, books, educational platforms, land travel to neighbouring countries and listed platforms are excluded (art. 2).
Digital services VAT. Foreign digital services such as streaming bear 21% VAT, collected by the card issuer, on top of the 30% (VAT Law, arts. 1 e, 27 unnumbered article and 28). Some provinces may also collect gross income tax on these services; check your province.
Debit cards. Choose a dollar account as the debit account; banks must offer that choice and default to the dollar account if you have one (BCRA, point 4.1.2).

Worked examples

A resident buys US$ 100 from a foreign online store on a credit card. The bank's selling rate is taken as the BCRA retail selling average of ARS 1,549.77 on 23 Oct 2026 (BCRA series 4), and each bank's own rate differs. Dollars are valued at dólar MEP ARS 1,563.90 per US$ on 23 Oct 2026, the dólar MEP selling rate, dolarapi.com, see /data/mep/. Live card rate: /data/tarjeta/.

Step or item	Time	Cost ARS	Cost USD (MEP)
A1. Purchase converted at selling rate (100 × 1,549.77)	Statement payment date	154,977.00	99.10
A2. 30% perception (154,977 × 0.30)	Same date	46,493.10	29.73
A3. Total paid in pesos	Same date	201,470.10	128.83
B1. Buy US$ 100 by MEP and pay the card in dollars	Before the statement due date	156,390.00	100.00
B2. Perception	n/a	0	0

Step by step:

Paid in pesos: 100 × 1,549.77 = ARS 154,977. Add 30%: 154,977 × 1.30 = ARS 201,470.10, an effective rate of ARS 2,014.70 per dollar.
Paid with own dollars: the 30% does not apply (RG 5617, art. 1, last paragraph). Buying the US$ 100 by MEP costs 100 × 1,563.90 = ARS 156,390.
Difference: 201,470.10 − 156,390 = ARS 45,080.10, about US$ 28.83 at MEP.
If you file income tax and can use the credit, the ARS 46,493.10 reduces your tax bill (art. 7), so the real cost is ARS 154,977, with cash tied up until the annual return.
Since 14 April 2025 individuals can buy dollars at their bank without the 30% (RG 5617, art. 2 e), roughly ARS 154,977 at the retail average.

Cost to do it: paying in dollars needs a dollar account and dollars bought before the due date (MEP broker fees and settlement time vary by broker). Paying in pesos costs 30% upfront, recovered only at the annual return or by refund after year end.

Practical traps

Partial dollar payments. Any part of the dollar balance paid in pesos bears 30% in proportion (art. 1, last paragraph).
Cash withdrawals abroad from a peso account. They count as banknote purchases (BCRA, point 4.1.1) and bear the 30% (RG 5617, art. 1 b).
Travel paid in installments. For agencies and airlines the full perception is charged with the first payment (art. 5 d).

FAQ

Is the "tarjeta" dollar a separate exchange rate? No. It is the official selling rate times 1.30. The 30% is a tax credit, not a market price.

Does a tourist with a foreign card pay it? No. RG 5617 applies to Argentine residents (art. 3) and is collected by local card statement collectors (art. 4 b).

Is there still a 45% or 25% tier? No. Those tiers sat in RG 4815/2020, abrogated by RG 5617 (art. 18).