How to Open a Company in Brazil: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide

2026-08-03T00:00:00+00:00

To open a company in Brazil, the first practical step is to choose an accountant — a traditional firm or an online accounting service — because, except for the MEI micro-entrepreneur, an accountant is required by law and conducts every stage that follows: defining the activity code (CNAE), the tax regime and the legal structure, and filing the registration through REDESIM, the integrated national system. The process takes about 30 to 48 days and costs from R$ 0 for a MEI to roughly R$ 3,000 through a traditional firm, though many online accounting services open the company for free within a monthly plan.</p>

How to open a company in Brazil, step by step</a></h2>

Choose an accountant — traditional or online.</strong> Except for the MEI, an accountant with an active CRC registration is required by law (Article 1,179 of the Brazilian Civil Code) and conducts the whole process. For most profiles — service providers, self-employed professionals, small businesses and digital companies — an online accounting service is the common choice: it runs every step digitally, with dedicated accountants, and in many plans opens the company with no separate opening fee.</li>
Define the company size (porte).</strong> MEI, ME or EPP, set by expected annual revenue.</li>
Select the activity code (CNAE).</strong> This national classification defines the eligible tax regime, address zoning and required licences; the accountant or online accounting service sets it to avoid overpaying tax for years.</li>
Choose the legal nature.</strong> EI (sole entrepreneur, no liability shield), SLU (single-member limited company) or LTDA (two or more partners) — the last two give a liability shield.</li>
Define the tax regime.</strong> Simples Nacional, Lucro Presumido or Lucro Real. The accountant runs a simulation before opening to find the least costly option within the law.</li>
Register and get the CNPJ.</strong> The accounting service runs the viability check, generates the DBE at the Receita Federal, files the incorporation act at the Junta Comercial digitally through REDESIM, then completes the MAT so the CNPJ is issued. Since 1 December 2025 the CNPJ is released only after the MAT step, and there are 90 days to finish it.</li> </ol> Company types and revenue limits</a></h2>
The three most common company sizes differ mainly by their annual revenue ceiling:</p>
Type</th> Annual revenue</th> Partners</th> Employees</th></tr></thead>

MEI</strong></td> Up to R$ 81,000</td> 1 only</td> Max. 1</td></tr>
ME</strong></td> Up to R$ 360,000</td> 1 or more</td> Unlimited</td></tr>
EPP</strong></td> R$ 360,000 to R$ 4.8 million</td> 1 or more</td> Unlimited</td></tr> </tbody></table>
The MEI is the only case that needs no accountant. The moment a business outgrows the MEI ceiling and becomes an ME, an accountant — a traditional firm or an online accounting service — is required from day one; above R$ 78 million in annual revenue, the Lucro Real regime becomes mandatory.</p>
Choosing a tax regime</a></h2>
The tax regime sets how much tax is paid and how it is paid:</p>
Regime</th> Revenue limit</th> Rate</th> Payment</th></tr></thead>

Simples Nacional</strong></td> Up to R$ 4.8 million/year</td> From 4%</td> Single unified DAS slip</td></tr>
Lucro Presumido</strong></td> Up to R$ 78 million/year</td> 10.93% to 16.33%</td> Separate slips</td></tr>
Lucro Real</strong></td> No limit (mandatory above R$ 78 million)</td> Variable, on actual profit</td> Separate slips</td></tr> </tbody></table>
Choosing the Simples Nacional creates recurring monthly duties — the unified DAS payment, bookkeeping and annual returns such as the DEFIS — which the accounting service manages. Online accounting services typically handle these from a monthly fee in the R$ 150 to R$ 500 range.</p>
The cost of an accountant: traditional vs online</a></h2>
Apart from a MEI, the largest variable cost of opening and running a company is the accountant. The two models differ sharply:</p>
Company</th> Opening with a traditional firm</th> Opening with an online service</th> Online monthly fee</th> Traditional monthly fee</th></tr></thead>

MEI</strong></td> Free</td> Free</td> —</td> —</td></tr>
LTDA</strong></td> R$ 900 to R$ 2,500</td> R$ 0 to R$ 500</td> R$ 150 to R$ 300/mo</td> R$ 500 to R$ 1,500/mo</td></tr> </tbody></table>
In practice, the opening cost with an online accounting service can be zero, because many plans include the registration in the monthly fee. In certain cities, some services also cover the Junta Comercial fees and the digital certificate — a saving that can reach R$ 1,800 at the start.</p>
Documents and deadlines</a></h2>
You will need:</p>

RG and CPF (identity card and taxpayer number)</li>
Proof of address, such as a property-tax (IPTU) bill</li>
Marriage certificate, if applicable</li>
A digital certificate (e-CPF), required in some states to sign the incorporation act and the MAT</li>
A gov.br account at silver or gold level</li>
The business details and the address of its headquarters</li> </ul>
The average time to open a company in Brazil is 30 to 45 days, reaching 48 in some capitals — around 30 days in São Paulo, 45 in Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Curitiba, and 48 in Porto Alegre. After filing at the Junta Comercial there are 90 days to complete the MAT, or the viability is cancelled and the process restarts through the Receita Federal’s Coletor Nacional.</p>
Frequently asked questions</a></h2>
How do I open a company in Brazil?</strong> Choose an accountant — a traditional firm or an online accounting service — then it registers the company through REDESIM in the stages that follow: viability check, federal registration (DBE), filing at the Junta Comercial, the Receita Federal’s MAT, and municipal licensing.</p>
Do I need an accountant to open a company in Brazil?</strong> Except for the MEI, yes — an accountant with an active CRC registration is required by law (Article 1,179 of the Civil Code). An online accounting service is the common way to meet that requirement digitally, often without a separate opening fee.</p>
How long does it take to open a company in Brazil?</strong> About 30 to 48 days, depending on the state — roughly 30 days in São Paulo and up to 48 in Porto Alegre. There are then 90 days to complete the MAT before the CNPJ is issued.</p>
How much does it cost?</strong> From R$ 0 for a MEI, opened for free at the Portal do Empreendedor, to about R$ 3,000 through a traditional firm. With an online accounting service the opening is often included in a monthly fee that starts around R$ 150.</p>
What is a CNPJ?</strong> The CNPJ (Cadastro Nacional da Pessoa Jurídica) is the federal tax ID that identifies a company before the Receita Federal. It is issued at the end of the MAT step and is required to invoice, hire and open a business bank account.</p>