← Part of the Dominican Republic money guide
Dominican Republicchecked Jul 2026Tipping in the Dominican Republic
In the Dominican Republic, a 10% service charge and an 18% tax are added to restaurant bills, so the total runs well above the menu. A small extra for your server is customary. Here is what you actually owe.
At a glance
On the bill
10% service + 18% tax
Your server
A small extra (5 to 10%) is customary
Resorts
Tips for staff are appreciated
How
US dollars or pesos
In the Dominican Republic, restaurant bills add a 10% service charge and an 18% tax (ITBIS), so the total runs well above the menu price. The 10% service is pooled among staff, so it is customary to leave a small extra of about 5 to 10% directly for your server for good service. At all-inclusive resorts, tips for helpful staff are appreciated. For taxis, agree the fare and round up. Tips can be in US dollars or pesos, both widely accepted.
The 10 and 18: service and tax
The thing to know is what the locals call the 10 and 18: restaurant bills add a 10% service charge plus an 18% tax (ITBIS) on top of the listed prices. So the total runs roughly 28% above the menu, which surprises visitors.
Read the bill so you understand the two charges. The 10% is the service charge; the 18% is government tax, not a tip.
A small extra for your server
Because the 10% service charge is pooled among staff and modest, it is customary to leave a small extra, about 5 to 10%, directly for your server for good service. This is the tip that actually reaches the person who served you.
At all-inclusive resorts, where meals are prepaid, tipping helpful bar staff, servers and housekeeping a small amount is appreciated and keeps service warm.
Taxis, and paying
For taxis, agree the fare first (they are not always metered) and round up for a courtesy. Tips can be in US dollars or Dominican pesos, both widely accepted, so small US bills work fine. For the wider picture, see the Dominican Republic money guide.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do you tip in the Dominican Republic?
Yes, a small extra. Bills already add a 10% service charge (plus 18% tax), but the 10% is pooled, so it is customary to leave about 5 to 10% directly for your server for good service.
What is the 10 and 18 in the Dominican Republic?
A 10% service charge and an 18% tax (ITBIS) added to restaurant bills, so the total runs roughly 28% above the menu price. The 10% is the service charge; the 18% is government tax, not a tip.
Do you tip at all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic?
It is appreciated. Meals are prepaid, but tipping helpful bar staff, servers and housekeeping a small amount is customary and keeps service warm. US dollars or pesos both work.
Can you tip in US dollars in the Dominican Republic?
Yes. Both US dollars and Dominican pesos are widely accepted for tips, so small US bills are fine.
More on Dominican Republic
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Taxis in the Dominican RepublicThe key thing in the Dominican Republic: taxis do not use meters, so you agree the fare before you get in. In the cities an app removes the guesswork, and for resorts a prebooked transfer is simplest. Here is how it works.
- Do I need cash in the Dominican Republic, or can I use cards?Short answer: cards at resorts and hotels, and peso cash for small vendors, taxis and corner stores. Dollars are accepted in tourist areas, but pesos give better value. Here is how to handle it.
- Do I need the E-Ticket for the Dominican Republic?Short answer: yes, and most people miss that you need it twice, once to arrive and once to leave. It is free and takes about ten minutes. Here is the official site and how not to pay for it.
- Common money scams in the Dominican Republic, and what they cost youThe Dominican Republic is safe for the great majority of visitors, most trips are resort-and-beach and entirely trouble free, and almost none of this is dramatic. The traps that actually take money off US travelers here are quiet ones: a card that leaves your table, a fare nobody agreed, a website charging for a free form, a bill that grew by a quarter between the menu and the checkout. Here is each one, what it costs, and how to sidestep it.
- Dominican Republic hotel taxes and fees, explainedShort answer: roughly 28% more than the rate you were quoted, which is a bigger jump than almost anywhere in the Caribbean. The unusual part is that both charges are fixed in law rather than set by the hotel, so for once the numbers are not a range. Here is what stacks, and what changes when your stay is all-inclusive.
- Staying connected in the Dominican Republic.If your week is an all-inclusive in Punta Cana, the resort wifi is probably all you need and we would rather tell you that than sell you something. If you are leaving the gate to drive, hike or move between towns, the answer changes.
- What does getting sick in the Dominican Republic cost a visitor?The Dominican Republic is one of the few countries where the US government states the money rule in a single sentence: medical care here requires upfront payment, even in emergencies. The second sentence it supplies is the size of the tail: a medical evacuation to the United States can cost well over 50,000 dollars.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- US State DepartmentDominican Republic country information
Our own readThe 10% service charge and 18% ITBIS on Dominican bills are standard, and the customary small extra for your server is our practical read from traveler reports and local guidance, not a single official table. Checked July 2026.
How we checkHow every guide is researched, checked and dated