Who this guide is for
This guide is for foreign companies and investors that will open a company in Brazil and want to know, before they start, which bodies are part of the process.
Short answer. Opening a company in Brazil involves registrations with different bodies: the Commercial Registry, the Receita Federal, the municipality, the Central Bank and, in some sectors, the professional council. Each has its own function, and one does not replace another.
Move Advisory tells you what is needed and in what order, and handles the Brazilian side of the registrations that the activity requires. The parent's decisions and the documents issued abroad stay with the parent.
General information as of October 2026. Confirm your case with your advisors.
The map of registrations
| Body | Registration | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Registry (Junta Comercial) | Registration of the company and its articles of association | Documents of the foreign partner with apostille and sworn translation, when required |
| Receita Federal | CNPJ of the company and of the foreign company that is a partner; CPF of an individual partner | A foreign company that is a partner needs a representative in Brazil |
| City hall | City registration | The municipality defines the ISS and the local rules |
| Central Bank | Declaration of the foreign investment (SCE-IED) | The Brazilian company is the one that reports |
| Professional council | Registration of the regulated activity | Depends on the activity, for example in healthcare |
1. Commercial Registry
It is where the company is born. The foreign partner's documents usually go through a notary, apostille and sworn translation. See our guides on opening a company and on apostille and power of attorney.
2. Receita Federal
It issues the CNPJ. The registration identifies whether the partner or administrator lives abroad. An individual needs a CPF, and a foreign company that is a partner needs a CNPJ and a representative in Brazil (Normative Instruction RFB 1,863/2018, article 7, paragraph 1).
3. Municipality
The city hall grants the city registration. The company's address defines the municipality and the incidence of the ISS. See our guide on the registered address.
4. Central Bank
The foreign investment is reported in the SCE-IED, which also follows the movements and the periodic declarations. See our guide on the SCE-IED.
5. Professional council: the healthcare example
A health platform must be registered with the medical council and follow the council's rules. The technical director must be a qualified and registered physician, and clinical care is provided only by professionals registered with the council. See our guide on health platforms. In other sectors, the registration depends on the activity.
The order
- Diagnosis: structure, regime and sector registrations.
- Documents of the partner abroad and power of attorney.
- Commercial Registry and CNPJ.
- Municipality.
- Central Bank and business account.
- Professional council, when there is one.
The total time depends mainly on the apostille, the sworn translation and the professional council. For a simple structure we plan 45 to 90 days.
What stays with the parent and what stays with Move
The parent decides the structure and provides the documents issued abroad. Move handles the registrations and the declarations on the Brazilian side.
Legal basis and sources
Rules and guidance used in this guide, checked in October 2026:
- Normative Instruction RFB 1,863/2018.
- BCB Resolution 278/2022.
- DREI Normative Instruction 81/2020.
- Apostille Convention (Decree 8,660/2016).
- Our guides on each topic.
How we work
Move Advisory is the consulting area of Move Online, an accounting firm in São Paulo founded in 2017. We indicate the registrations and the order, and handle the Brazilian side. See the services page.