Brazil · Company Registration
Entity types, registration process, required documents, costs, and official registries.
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Setting up from abroad
- Usual entity for foreign founders
- Ltda
- Non-resident can be sole director
- Yes
Official registry: gov.br
An administrator may live abroad, but must file a power of attorney naming a representative in Brazil who can accept service of process for at least three years after the mandate ends.
The common company is a Sociedade Limitada (Ltda); registration goes through the state commercial board (Junta Comercial) and requires a federal tax ID (CNPJ). A resident administrator or legal representative in Brazil is generally needed.
Companies are registered with the state commercial registry (Junta Comercial) and obtain a CNPJ from the Federal Revenue; the limited liability company (Ltda) is the common form.
- The Ltda (limited) and SA (corporation) are the main company forms.
- A CNPJ from the Federal Revenue is the company's tax identifier.
- Registration is increasingly integrated through the gov.br portals.
- 1
Choose the company type
The sociedade limitada (Ltda) is the common form, and a single person can form a single-member limited company (SLU). Each partner needs a Brazilian CPF; foreign partners appoint a resident attorney-in-fact.
- 2
Check the name and business object
Search the state Board of Trade (Junta Comercial) to clear the company name, and define the business object using CNAE activity codes.
- 3
Draft the articles of association
Prepare the contrato social setting out the partners, share capital, quotas and the administrator.
- 4
Register with the Junta Comercial
File the contrato social with the state Junta Comercial through the integrated Redesim / gov.br portal; you receive the company registration identifier (NIRE).
- 5
Obtain the CNPJ from Receita Federal
Register for the national corporate taxpayer number (CNPJ) with the Federal Revenue (Receita Federal), issued through the same integrated process.
- 6
Complete local registration and banking
Obtain the municipal registration and operating licence (alvará), a state registration (inscrição estadual) for the sale of goods, a digital certificate, then open a corporate bank account.
- Company type chosen (Ltda or single-member SLU)
- Brazilian CPF for each partner (+ resident attorney for foreigners)
- Business object / CNAE codes + name cleared
- Contrato social (articles of association)
- Junta Comercial registration → NIRE
- CNPJ from Receita Federal
- Municipal registration + operating licence (alvará)
- Digital certificate + corporate bank account
- Gov.br — Empresas & Negócios
Official business-registration portal.
- Receita Federal (CNPJ)
Federal tax registry — CNPJ.
Frequently asked questions
What is a CNPJ?
The federal taxpayer registry number for companies, required to operate, invoice and bank in Brazil.
Can a foreigner own a Brazilian company?
Yes — foreigners can own companies, but a resident administrator or legal representative in Brazil is generally required.
What company type is standard?
The Sociedade Limitada (Ltda) is the usual limited-liability form; a simplified individual company also exists.
Government portals
- gov.br — Brazilian Government Portal — Single portal for federal services, with the gov.br digital identity used across them.
- Receita Federal — CPF and CNPJ registration, income tax filing, and federal customs.
- Federal Police — Migration — Foreigner registration (CRNM), residence applications, passports and entry records.