Key facts: Brazil driving license for expats
- Test authority
- DETRAN — Departamento Estadual de Trânsito
- Official test language
- Portuguese
- Grace period
- 180 days from your date of entry into Brazil, on a valid foreign licence plus an International Driving Permit (required for licences from Vienna Convention 1968 countries)
- Processing time
- A few weeks, mostly determined by exam-scheduling availability at the state DETRAN; the digital CNH appears within about 24 hours of issuance and the physical card in roughly 3–4 business days. Spain and Italy cases take longer because the file is routed through SENATRAN.
- Theory test required
- Not for exchange
- Practical test required
- Yes (if no exchange agreement)
- Medical exam
- Required
- Total cost
- São Paulo: roughly R$250–400 in DETRAN and exam fees, plus the sworn translation. Costs vary significantly by state DETRAN.
Eligibility by nationality
EU/EEA citizens
Spain and Italy have an in-force reciprocal-recognition agreement with Brazil — Spanish and Italian licence holders swap their licence for a CNH without a driving test (the medical and psychological exams still apply). Holders of licences from any other EU/EEA state have no agreement and convert under the general rule of CONTRAN Resolução 1.020/2025: a medical exam and psychological evaluation, plus — for a "non-recognized" licence — a practical driving exam, though major states such as São Paulo waive the practical test for licences from Vienna Convention 1968 countries. No conversion route requires a written theory test.
US/UK citizens
The United States and the United Kingdom have no reciprocal-recognition agreement with Brazil, but both are Vienna Convention 1968 parties — so in major states the practical driving test is waived and conversion is a medical exam plus a psychological evaluation, with no theory test. The exact procedure and the practical-test waiver are decided by the state DETRAN where you are resident.
Other non-EU citizens
Brazil has an in-force reciprocal-recognition agreement with only three countries: Spain, Italy and Mozambique — their licence holders swap for a CNH with no driving test. Everyone else converts under the general two-track model: a medical exam and psychological evaluation for a recognized licence, with an added practical driving exam for a non-recognized licence (often waived in practice for Vienna Convention 1968 countries). No conversion route includes a theory test.
Students
You may drive on a valid foreign licence (with an International Driving Permit) for up to 180 days from your date of entry into Brazil. To convert to a CNH you need a CPF, a CRNM (foreigner ID) and legal residency — students staying beyond 180 days should start the conversion before the window closes.
Required documents
- Valid passport
- CPF (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas — tax number)
- CRNM / RNM (foreigner registration; legacy documents show RNE)
- Original foreign driving licence — valid and definitive (provisional/learner licences cannot be converted)
- Sworn translation (tradução juramentada) of the foreign licence — not required for licences from Portuguese-language countries
- Medical exam (exame de aptidão física e mental) certificate
- Psychological evaluation (exame psicotécnico) certificate
- Proof of address and the DETRAN scheduling protocol number
Costs breakdown
- Conversion/exam fee
- State DETRAN fees — in São Paulo (2026) the physical CNH costs R$126.79 plus R$11 postage; the digital CNH is free. Fees are set by each state DETRAN and vary.
- Medical exam
- São Paulo (2026): medical exam R$90 and psychological evaluation R$90; a practical driving exam, where required, is R$52.83
- Translation
- Sworn translation (tradução juramentada) by a registered sworn translator — roughly R$100–350 for a licence document; not required for licences from Portuguese-language countries
- Total estimated
- São Paulo: roughly R$250–400 in DETRAN and exam fees, plus the sworn translation. Costs vary significantly by state DETRAN.
License exchange agreements
Spain
ItalyMozambiqueNo agreement (full test required): Mercosur is NOT a licence-exchange agreement — Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela licence holders get no special benefit and convert under the same general rules as any other country. Holders of a "non-recognized" licence convert under CONTRAN Resolução 1.020/2025 Art. 103: a medical exam, a psychological evaluation and a practical driving exam. No conversion route requires a theory test.
Tips for expats in Brazil
- Converting a foreign licence never involves a theory test — the Portuguese theory exam only applies to foreigners obtaining a CNH from scratch.
- Brazil has an in-force reciprocal-recognition agreement with only three countries — Spain, Italy and Mozambique. Mercosur membership gives no licence-exchange benefit.
- The psychological evaluation (exame psicotécnico) is mandatory for every conversion — it is a Brazil-specific requirement under Art. 147 of the Código de Trânsito Brasileiro.
- A sworn translation (tradução juramentada) of the foreign licence is mandatory unless the licence is from a Portuguese-language country.
- Each state runs its own DETRAN — fees, document checklists, processing times and whether the practical test is waived all vary by state.
- The CNH is issued digitally in the Carteira Digital de Trânsito app (rebranded "CNH do Brasil") with the same legal value as the physical card, and is free.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to take a driving test to convert my foreign licence in Brazil?
It depends on your country. Holders of licences from Spain, Italy or Mozambique — the three countries with an in-force reciprocal-recognition agreement — swap for a CNH with no driving test. For other countries, a practical driving exam is required in principle (CONTRAN Resolução 1.020/2025 Art. 103), but major states such as São Paulo waive it for licences from Vienna Convention 1968 countries, which includes most of Europe, the USA and the UK. In every case you take a medical exam and a psychological evaluation — and never a written theory test.
Can Mercosur citizens (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay) exchange their licence easily in Brazil?
No — Mercosur is not a licence-exchange agreement. Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela licence holders get no special benefit and convert under the same general rules as any other country. Brazil has an in-force reciprocal-recognition agreement with only Spain, Italy and Mozambique.
How long can I drive in Brazil with my foreign licence?
You can drive on a valid foreign licence — together with an International Driving Permit if your licence is from a Vienna Convention 1968 country — for up to 180 days from your date of entry into Brazil. After 180 days of regular stay you must have converted to a CNH to keep driving legally.
What is the exame psicotécnico?
The exame psicotécnico is a psychological evaluation required under Art. 147 of the Código de Trânsito Brasileiro. It assesses reaction time, attention and emotional stability and is carried out by an accredited psychologist. It is mandatory for every foreign-licence conversion, alongside the medical exam.
Why do requirements and fees vary across Brazil?
Licensing is operated by each state's DETRAN (Departamento Estadual de Trânsito). The core rules are federal — set by CONTRAN Resolução 1.020/2025 and SENATRAN — but fees, document checklists, processing times and whether the practical driving test is waived all differ by state. Always check the DETRAN of the state where you are resident.