diff --git a/asg/src/const_value.rs b/asg/src/const_value.rs
index 6f453839e1..fd0d48414a 100644
--- a/asg/src/const_value.rs
+++ b/asg/src/const_value.rs
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ pub enum ConstValue {
     Field(BigInt),
     Address(StrTendril),
     Boolean(bool),
+    Char(char),
 
     // compounds
     Tuple(Vec<ConstValue>),
@@ -302,6 +303,7 @@ impl ConstValue {
             ConstValue::Field(_) => Type::Field,
             ConstValue::Address(_) => Type::Address,
             ConstValue::Boolean(_) => Type::Boolean,
+            ConstValue::Char(_) => Type::Char,
             ConstValue::Tuple(sub_consts) => {
                 Type::Tuple(sub_consts.iter().map(|x| x.get_type()).collect::<Option<Vec<Type>>>()?)
             }
diff --git a/asg/src/error/mod.rs b/asg/src/error/mod.rs
index 7e2170b2d3..8b3eccc9d1 100644
--- a/asg/src/error/mod.rs
+++ b/asg/src/error/mod.rs
@@ -247,6 +247,10 @@ impl AsgConvertError {
         Self::new_from_span(format!("failed to parse boolean value '{}'", value), span)
     }
 
+    pub fn invalid_char(value: &str, span: &Span) -> Self {
+        Self::new_from_span(format!("failed to parse char value '{}'", value), span)
+    }
+
     pub fn invalid_int(value: &str, span: &Span) -> Self {
         Self::new_from_span(format!("failed to parse int value '{}'", value), span)
     }
diff --git a/asg/src/expression/constant.rs b/asg/src/expression/constant.rs
index 2f30d672dc..52f6cea11f 100644
--- a/asg/src/expression/constant.rs
+++ b/asg/src/expression/constant.rs
@@ -118,6 +118,23 @@ impl<'a> FromAst<'a, leo_ast::ValueExpression> for Constant<'a> {
                     ),
                 }
             }
+            Char(value, span) => {
+                match expected_type.map(PartialType::full).flatten() {
+                    Some(Type::Char) | None => (),
+                    Some(x) => {
+                        return Err(AsgConvertError::unexpected_type(
+                            &x.to_string(),
+                            Some(&*Type::Char.to_string()),
+                            span,
+                        ));
+                    }
+                }
+                Constant {
+                    parent: Cell::new(None),
+                    span: Some(span.clone()),
+                    value: ConstValue::Field(value.parse().map_err(|_| AsgConvertError::invalid_char(&value, span))?),
+                }
+            }
             Field(value, span) => {
                 match expected_type.map(PartialType::full).flatten() {
                     Some(Type::Field) | None => (),
@@ -215,6 +232,9 @@ impl<'a> Into<leo_ast::ValueExpression> for &Constant<'a> {
             ConstValue::Boolean(value) => {
                 leo_ast::ValueExpression::Boolean(value.to_string().into(), self.span.clone().unwrap_or_default())
             }
+            ConstValue::Char(value) => {
+                leo_ast::ValueExpression::Char(value.to_string().into(), self.span.clone().unwrap_or_default())
+            }
             ConstValue::Field(value) => {
                 leo_ast::ValueExpression::Field(value.to_string().into(), self.span.clone().unwrap_or_default())
             }
diff --git a/asg/src/scope.rs b/asg/src/scope.rs
index 1c4bcb98ca..0582aa13c0 100644
--- a/asg/src/scope.rs
+++ b/asg/src/scope.rs
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ impl<'a> Scope<'a> {
         Ok(match type_ {
             Address => Type::Address,
             Boolean => Type::Boolean,
+            Char => Type::Char,
             Field => Type::Field,
             Group => Type::Group,
             IntegerType(int_type) => Type::Integer(int_type.clone()),
diff --git a/asg/src/type_.rs b/asg/src/type_.rs
index b578f0d9b8..268eb65730 100644
--- a/asg/src/type_.rs
+++ b/asg/src/type_.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ pub enum Type<'a> {
     // Data types
     Address,
     Boolean,
+    Char,
     Field,
     Group,
     Integer(IntegerType),
@@ -134,6 +135,7 @@ impl<'a> fmt::Display for Type<'a> {
         match self {
             Type::Address => write!(f, "address"),
             Type::Boolean => write!(f, "bool"),
+            Type::Char => write!(f, "char"),
             Type::Field => write!(f, "field"),
             Type::Group => write!(f, "group"),
             Type::Integer(sub_type) => sub_type.fmt(f),
@@ -199,6 +201,7 @@ impl<'a> Into<leo_ast::Type> for &Type<'a> {
         match self {
             Address => leo_ast::Type::Address,
             Boolean => leo_ast::Type::Boolean,
+            Char => leo_ast::Type::Char,
             Field => leo_ast::Type::Field,
             Group => leo_ast::Type::Group,
             Integer(int_type) => leo_ast::Type::IntegerType(int_type.clone()),
diff --git a/ast/src/expression/value.rs b/ast/src/expression/value.rs
index 9b3ceda943..14bd2ca687 100644
--- a/ast/src/expression/value.rs
+++ b/ast/src/expression/value.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pub enum ValueExpression {
     // todo: deserialize values here
     Address(#[serde(with = "crate::common::tendril_json")] StrTendril, Span),
     Boolean(#[serde(with = "crate::common::tendril_json")] StrTendril, Span),
+    Char(#[serde(with = "crate::common::tendril_json")] StrTendril, Span),
     Field(#[serde(with = "crate::common::tendril_json")] StrTendril, Span),
     Group(Box<GroupValue>),
     Implicit(#[serde(with = "crate::common::tendril_json")] StrTendril, Span),
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for ValueExpression {
         match &self {
             Address(address, _) => write!(f, "{}", address),
             Boolean(boolean, _) => write!(f, "{}", boolean),
+            Char(character, _) => write!(f, "{}", character),
             Field(field, _) => write!(f, "{}", field),
             Implicit(implicit, _) => write!(f, "{}", implicit),
             Integer(value, type_, _) => write!(f, "{}{}", value, type_),
@@ -52,7 +54,12 @@ impl Node for ValueExpression {
     fn span(&self) -> &Span {
         use ValueExpression::*;
         match &self {
-            Address(_, span) | Boolean(_, span) | Field(_, span) | Implicit(_, span) | Integer(_, _, span) => span,
+            Address(_, span)
+            | Boolean(_, span)
+            | Char(_, span)
+            | Field(_, span)
+            | Implicit(_, span)
+            | Integer(_, _, span) => span,
             Group(group) => match &**group {
                 GroupValue::Single(_, span) | GroupValue::Tuple(GroupTuple { span, .. }) => span,
             },
@@ -62,9 +69,12 @@ impl Node for ValueExpression {
     fn set_span(&mut self, new_span: Span) {
         use ValueExpression::*;
         match self {
-            Address(_, span) | Boolean(_, span) | Field(_, span) | Implicit(_, span) | Integer(_, _, span) => {
-                *span = new_span
-            }
+            Address(_, span)
+            | Boolean(_, span)
+            | Char(_, span)
+            | Field(_, span)
+            | Implicit(_, span)
+            | Integer(_, _, span) => *span = new_span,
             Group(group) => match &mut **group {
                 GroupValue::Single(_, span) | GroupValue::Tuple(GroupTuple { span, .. }) => *span = new_span,
             },
diff --git a/ast/src/input/input_value.rs b/ast/src/input/input_value.rs
index daa4194dc9..12b6407f7d 100644
--- a/ast/src/input/input_value.rs
+++ b/ast/src/input/input_value.rs
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ impl InputValue {
         match data_type {
             DataType::Address(_) => Err(InputParserError::implicit_type(data_type, implicit)),
             DataType::Boolean(_) => Err(InputParserError::implicit_type(data_type, implicit)),
+            DataType::Char(_) => Err(InputParserError::implicit_type(data_type, implicit)),
             DataType::Integer(integer_type) => Ok(InputValue::from_number(integer_type, implicit.to_string())),
             DataType::Group(_) => Err(InputParserError::implicit_group(implicit)),
             DataType::Field(_) => Ok(InputValue::Field(implicit.to_string())),
diff --git a/ast/src/types/type_.rs b/ast/src/types/type_.rs
index f919ce8df2..fb4ad87522 100644
--- a/ast/src/types/type_.rs
+++ b/ast/src/types/type_.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ pub enum Type {
     // Data types
     Address,
     Boolean,
+    Char,
     Field,
     Group,
     IntegerType(IntegerType),
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ impl Type {
         match (self, other) {
             (Type::Address, Type::Address) => true,
             (Type::Boolean, Type::Boolean) => true,
+            (Type::Char, Type::Char) => true,
             (Type::Field, Type::Field) => true,
             (Type::Group, Type::Group) => true,
             (Type::IntegerType(left), Type::IntegerType(right)) => left.eq(&right),
@@ -108,6 +110,7 @@ impl From<InputDataType> for Type {
         match data_type {
             InputDataType::Address(_type) => Type::Address,
             InputDataType::Boolean(_type) => Type::Boolean,
+            InputDataType::Char(_type) => Type::Char,
             InputDataType::Field(_type) => Type::Field,
             InputDataType::Group(_type) => Type::Group,
             InputDataType::Integer(type_) => Type::IntegerType(IntegerType::from(type_)),
@@ -147,6 +150,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for Type {
         match *self {
             Type::Address => write!(f, "address"),
             Type::Boolean => write!(f, "bool"),
+            Type::Char => write!(f, "char"),
             Type::Field => write!(f, "field"),
             Type::Group => write!(f, "group"),
             Type::IntegerType(ref integer_type) => write!(f, "{}", integer_type),
diff --git a/compiler/src/expression/expression.rs b/compiler/src/expression/expression.rs
index 14e31b4883..b415df644d 100644
--- a/compiler/src/expression/expression.rs
+++ b/compiler/src/expression/expression.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ impl<'a, F: PrimeField, G: GroupType<F>> ConstrainedProgram<'a, F, G> {
         Ok(match value {
             ConstValue::Address(value) => ConstrainedValue::Address(Address::constant(value.to_string(), span)?),
             ConstValue::Boolean(value) => ConstrainedValue::Boolean(Boolean::Constant(*value)),
+            ConstValue::Char(value) => {
+                ConstrainedValue::Field(FieldType::constant(format!("{}", *value as u32), span)?)
+            }
             ConstValue::Field(value) => ConstrainedValue::Field(FieldType::constant(value.to_string(), span)?),
             ConstValue::Group(value) => ConstrainedValue::Group(G::constant(value, span)?),
             ConstValue::Int(value) => ConstrainedValue::Integer(Integer::new(value)),
diff --git a/input/src/leo-input.pest b/input/src/leo-input.pest
index 064dc40584..6e14499d15 100644
--- a/input/src/leo-input.pest
+++ b/input/src/leo-input.pest
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ type_integer_signed = {
     | type_i128
 }
 
+// Declared in types/char_type.rs
+type_char = { "char" }
+
 // Declared in types/field_type.rs
 type_field = { "field" }
 
diff --git a/input/src/types/char_type.rs b/input/src/types/char_type.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..56e20a68e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/input/src/types/char_type.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2019-2021 Aleo Systems Inc.
+// This file is part of the Leo library.
+
+// The Leo library is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+
+// The Leo library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with the Leo library. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+use crate::ast::Rule;
+
+use pest_ast::FromPest;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, FromPest, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[pest_ast(rule(Rule::type_char))]
+pub struct CharType {}
diff --git a/input/src/types/data_type.rs b/input/src/types/data_type.rs
index ecb82e3bda..a0977be017 100644
--- a/input/src/types/data_type.rs
+++ b/input/src/types/data_type.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 use crate::{
     ast::Rule,
-    types::{BooleanType, FieldType, GroupType, IntegerType},
+    types::{BooleanType, CharType, FieldType, GroupType, IntegerType},
 };
 
 use crate::types::AddressType;
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ use pest_ast::FromPest;
 pub enum DataType {
     Address(AddressType),
     Boolean(BooleanType),
+    Char(CharType),
     Field(FieldType),
     Group(GroupType),
     Integer(IntegerType),
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for DataType {
         match self {
             DataType::Address(_) => write!(f, "address"),
             DataType::Boolean(_) => write!(f, "bool"),
+            DataType::Char(_) => write!(f, "char"),
             DataType::Field(_) => write!(f, "field"),
             DataType::Group(_) => write!(f, "group"),
             DataType::Integer(ref integer) => write!(f, "{}", integer),
diff --git a/input/src/types/mod.rs b/input/src/types/mod.rs
index 54e309a43b..3f8bb810f8 100644
--- a/input/src/types/mod.rs
+++ b/input/src/types/mod.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ pub use array_type::*;
 pub mod boolean_type;
 pub use boolean_type::*;
 
+pub mod char_type;
+pub use char_type::*;
+
 pub mod data_type;
 pub use data_type::*;