JMBG

JMBG stands for Jedinstveni matični broj građana, the unique identification number used for citizens in several states of the former Yugoslavia, notably Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is issued by government civil registers and is intended to provide a single, persistent ID across public services and administrative procedures.

The JMBG is a 13-digit number that encodes personal and demographic information. The digits generally reflect the date of birth, a regional or birth sequence code, a unique individual number, and a final check digit. The first digits encode the person’s birth date, followed by a code related to birth location or administrative region and a serial component, with the last digit serving as a verification digit.

The final digit is a check digit used to validate the number. It is calculated from the preceding 12 digits using a fixed algorithm with a set of weights and a modulo operation, designed to detect common transcription errors and some fraudulent alterations.

Uses and significance: JMBG is used across civil registration, health care, education, taxation, social security, and other government services. It enables consistent identity management, reduces duplication in registries, and supports administrative processes that require unique identification of residents and registered persons.

Status: JMBG remains in use in Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, though some jurisdictions have introduced or adopted additional identity systems or national ID numbers. While its form and rules are defined by national legislation, the core concept is a single, lifelong identifier tied to a person’s birth and registration data.

See also: Personal identification numbers; civil registration systems.