19.04.2008
Foreigners Driving in Brazil
Foreign driver’s licenses can be used for up to six months in Brazil in combination with an official translation into Portuguese stamped by the traffic authority DETRAN of the state where you are living. In case you use an Intl. driver’s license it’s good to get an official translation into Portuguese of it and a stamp from the DETRAN too, because usually the Intl. driver’s license is not in Portuguese.If you stay more than six months in Brazil you have to apply for a temporary driver’s license for foreigners, valid for one year. In case you are still waiting for your CIE, temporary driver’s license can be extended for another year. You have to apply for the driver’s license at the office of the local state’s traffic authority DETRAN.
For the temporary driver’s license for foreigners you need the following documents:
* Passport (original + Xerox of the page with the personal data’s)
* Your national driver’s license (original + Xerox)
* Official translation of your national driver license (original + Xerox)
* Result of the medical exam (from a doctor indicated by the DETRAN)
* Prove of residence in Brazil (original + Xerox) phone or light bill
* CPF (original + Xerox) if you have already one
You will receive a payment form to pay the administration fee (aprox. R$ 13) in a bank indicated by DETRAN. After you have paid the fee you can hand in the documents. If everything is correct they will issue immediately the temporary driver license.
The regulations about temporary driver’s license may be different in each state (e.g. in the state of Rio de Janeiro and some other, they do not issue temporary licenses).
Once you have the CIE you can apply for a Brazilian driver’s license. You will need to present the same documents as mentioned above and the fee will be aprox. R$ 53. It is very important that you keep the result of the medical exam in a save place, because the exam is valid for five years. The Brazilian driver’s license will be valid according to the medical exam, (e.g. if you made the medical exam in 2000 for a temporary driver’s license and it will be valid until 2005. According to this a Brazilian driver’s license issued in 2001 will be also valid until 2005.)
When the driver’s license expires you have to make a new medical exam to apply for a new license valid for another five years. The fee for the medical exam is aprox. R$ 60. The new driver’s license will be issued within two weeks.
You can find the homepage of the DETRAN responsible for your state of residence on the this site: www.denatran.gov.br/links.htm
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