If you live in Washington Heights, the Bronx, or Paterson, New Jersey, you already know how this works: it’s the 20th of the month, your mom texted, and it’s time to send money to the Dominican Republic from the USA. Not optional. It’s what keeps the family going.
In 2024, Dominicans abroad sent more than $10.7 billion to the Dominican Republic, according to the Central Bank. The United States is the source of about 80% of that money. That figure isn’t a market opportunity. It’s the result of millions of people, like you, working hard and taking care of their families from thousands of miles away.
This guide explains how to send money to the Dominican Republic from the USA with ShareMoney: what delivery methods are available, what the transfer actually costs, and how to make sure every dollar arrives where it needs to go, without surprises.
What to Know Before You Send
The real cost of a transfer has two parts, not one. The fee you see on screen is only half of it. The other half is the exchange rate margin: the difference between the market rate and what the service actually applies. ShareMoney shows you the exchange rate before you confirm, so you can compare it against any other service before committing. No surprises at the last step.
Since January 2026, remittances paid in cash, check, or money order are subject to a federal 1% tax. If you send with a debit card, credit card, or bank account through ShareMoney, your transfer is exempt. That’s a real advantage over physical agencies where customers pay in cash. For a deeper look at how digital transfers work, this article on how to send money online using a debit card covers it step by step.
Have the recipient’s details ready before you open the app. For bank deposit: full name, bank name, and account number. For cash pickup: full name and phone number. For home delivery: full name and exact address. Having this ready cuts the process to under three minutes.
Delivery Methods Available in the Dominican Republic
ShareMoney offers three ways for your family to receive the money. Which one to use depends on how your recipient prefers to receive it.
Bank Deposit
The money goes directly to the recipient’s bank account. Deposits typically arrive within 15 minutes. ShareMoney works with the country’s main banks: Banco Popular Dominicano, BHD León, Banco de Reservas (Banreservas), Scotiabank RD, and Banco Caribe, among others.
The most convenient option if your family member has an active bank account. They don’t need to leave the house. The money appears in their banking app or at the nearest ATM.
Cash Pickup: Caribe Express and Banco BHD
For families without a bank account, cash pickup remains the most reliable way to receive. ShareMoney works with two networks: Caribe Express and Banco BHD. Funds are available in about 30 minutes.
For many Dominican families, Caribe Express is more than a pickup location. It’s where your grandmother went for years to collect what arrived from New York. Naming it isn’t marketing. It’s emotional geography for the diaspora. The recipient shows up with their national ID and the reference number you send them, and receives the cash. No bank account needed.
Home Delivery
ShareMoney also offers cash delivery directly to the recipient’s home address, with an estimated delivery time of up to six hours. This service is available for any home address in the Dominican Republic.
Useful for older relatives who prefer not to go out, or for areas where the nearest pickup point is far. If your family member rarely goes out in the afternoons, home delivery solves the problem without them having to move.
What It Actually Costs to Send Money to the Dominican Republic
The real cost of a transfer has two parts: the visible fee and the exchange rate margin. Some services charge zero commission but offset it with a worse exchange rate. Others do the opposite.
With ShareMoney, the applied exchange rate is shown before you confirm. No hidden fees appear at the last step. If it’s your first time, the transfer is completely free: no commission and a preferential exchange rate on your first transfer of up to $500 with a debit card.
Prices vary by payment method (debit card, credit card, or bank account) and amount sent. The fastest way to see exactly how much arrives is to open the app, enter the dollar amount, and see the Dominican peso amount before tapping send.
How to Send Money to the Dominican Republic from the USA with ShareMoney: Step by Step
The process takes under five minutes if you have the recipient’s details ready.
- Download the app. Available for iOS and Android at the same link: Download ShareMoney. The link detects your device automatically.
- Create your account. You’ll need your email, full name, date of birth, and US address. Verification takes a few minutes.
- Select the Dominican Republic as your destination. Enter the amount in dollars. The app shows in real time how many Dominican pesos your recipient will receive, with the applied exchange rate and fee broken down.
- Choose the delivery method. Bank deposit, cash pickup, or home delivery. Enter the recipient’s details for whichever method you select.
- Select how you’re paying. Visa or Mastercard debit card, credit card, or bank account (ACH). Confirm the transfer.
- Track the transfer. The app notifies you when the recipient can pick up or when the deposit reaches the bank. Your recipient also gets a notification if they have a phone number on file.
Is It Safe to Send Money to the Dominican Republic Online?
Yes, as long as you use a licensed and regulated service in the US. ShareMoney operates under money transmission licenses in 49 states, with NMLS #899521. That means it’s supervised by the relevant state and federal financial regulators.
Transfers travel encrypted. ShareMoney doesn’t store your full card details on its servers. It works with certified payment processors. If anything goes wrong along the way, customer support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in Spanish.
One practical tip: never share your transfer confirmation number with anyone other than the direct recipient. That number is what allows cash to be collected at a pickup location.
5 Tips to Send More Money Home
- Use your first transfer free. If you’ve never used ShareMoney, your first transfer of up to $500 has no commission and includes a preferential exchange rate. Use it for an amount that’s worth it.
- Check the exchange rate before sending. The Dominican peso fluctuates. Opening the app and comparing the rate with xe.com takes 30 seconds. If the difference is small, it’s not worth waiting. If it’s significant, you can adjust your timing.
- Pay with a debit card instead of cash. Transfers paid with a debit card are exempt from the 1% federal tax that applies to cash remittances since January 2026. It’s not much on a single transfer, but over 12 months it adds up.
- Confirm the bank details with your recipient before sending. A wrong account number can delay the transfer by days. Ask your family member to send you a photo of their account statement or card with the correct number.
- Turn on app notifications. ShareMoney alerts you when the transfer arrives. Your recipient doesn’t have to spend the morning waiting by their phone for confirmation.
Dominican Christmas and Remittances
In December, remittances to the Dominican Republic aren’t just money. They’re the parranda, the pasteles, the lechón in the backyard, the family gathered after months apart. They’re what makes Dominican Christmas sound the same on both sides of the ocean.
December is the highest-volume transfer month of the year for nearly every remittance corridor that serves the Dominican community. Dominicans in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Massachusetts send more during those weeks than at any other time of year. Not just for gifts, but to have the house ready, for the trip of someone who might come back for a few days, so the grandmother has what she needs.
If you’re planning to send for the holidays, do it early. The weeks between December 15 and 24 concentrate the highest transfer volume, and while ShareMoney’s processing times remain stable, your family can plan their spending more calmly if the money arrives ahead of time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for the money to arrive?
It depends on the method. Bank deposits typically arrive within 15 minutes. Cash pickup at Caribe Express or Banco BHD is available in about 30 minutes. Home delivery takes up to six hours and is available for any address in the Dominican Republic.
Which Dominican banks receive deposits from ShareMoney?
Banco Popular Dominicano, BHD León, Banco de Reservas (Banreservas), Scotiabank RD, and Banco Caribe, among others. If you’re unsure whether your recipient’s bank is on the list, you can verify it in the app when entering the recipient’s details.
Do I need a US bank account to send?
No. You can pay with a Visa or Mastercard debit or credit card without linking a bank account. If you do have a bank account, you can also pay by ACH bank transfer.
How much can I send?
The limit is $2,999.99 every 24 hours or every 15 days, and up to $9,999.99 within a 180-day period. For special cases or amounts outside these ranges, customer support can guide you directly.
Does the new federal 1% tax affect my transfers to the DR?
No, if you send through the ShareMoney app using a card or bank account. The 1% tax in effect since January 2026 applies only to transfers paid in cash, check, or money order. Digital transfers are exempt.
Is ShareMoney safe if I’ve never used it?
Yes. ShareMoney has been operating since 2014, has over 4,000 Trustpilot reviews with a 4.6 out of 5 rating, and is licensed in 49 US states. Spanish-language customer support is available 24 hours a day.
Your First Transfer to the Dominican Republic Is Free
You’ve been the bridge between your life here and your family there for years. The sending part should be the easiest piece.
With ShareMoney, your first transfer to the Dominican Republic has no commission. Up to $500 with a debit card, at no cost, with a preferential exchange rate. Download the app, add your recipient, and send.
Your first transfer to the Dominican Republic is free. Download ShareMoney and send up to $500 with no fee.
