Driving Permit for Brazil
Driving in Brazil with a foreign license? You may generally drive up to 180 days on your valid home license, but an IDP is strongly recommended and often required at rental desks in Brazil.
- Drive on
- Right
- Convention
- 1968 Vienna
- IDP validity
- 180 days
- Processing time
- 24 hours
Do you need an IDP to drive in Brazil?
Planning on driving in Brazil with a foreign license? The good news is that visitors can generally drive on a valid license issued in their home country for up to 180 days from the date of entry, so a short-stay tourist does not typically need a Brazilian CNH (Carteira Nacional de Habilitacao). Brazil drives on the right, and while the law does not always compel foreigners to carry an International Driving Permit, an IDP is strongly recommended for anyone whose license is not in Portuguese. Brazil is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, so the IDP is a globally standardized document that accompanies and translates your original license. Note that US authorities specifically advise US citizens to carry an Inter-American Driving Permit alongside a US license when driving in Brazil, so requirements can vary by nationality.
In practice, an IDP resolves the two situations where a foreign license alone can cause friction. The first is the rental desk: major agencies such as Localiza, Hertz and Avis commonly ask for an IDP alongside your passport, physical home license and a credit card in your name, and an IDP is effectively required for drivers whose license uses a non-Latin script. The second is a roadside police check, where officers may not read your home-country license; a standardized IDP makes verification quicker and helps you avoid confusion. Note that the IDP is never a stand-alone document — you must carry it together with your valid original license and your passport showing the entry stamp.
Brazil enforces strict driving laws. The country operates a zero-tolerance drink-driving policy known as the Lei Seca ("Dry Law"), meaning effectively no measurable alcohol is permitted, and breathalyzer checkpoints are common in cities. Seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants, child seats are required for young children, and daytime running lights or headlights are required on federal highways. Rental companies typically set a minimum age of 21 (with young-driver surcharges commonly applied under 25), and the minimum legal driving age in Brazil is 18. Securing your IDP before you travel is a simple way to help keep both rental desks and traffic police satisfied.
Brazil recognises the IDP under the 1968 Vienna Convention.
Brazil is a signatory to the 1968 Vienna Convention. In practice, an IDP issued by another signatory country is recognised for your permitted visitor stay — in Brazil, plan on 180 days.
What you need to drive in Brazil
Have these ready before you pick up the keys.
Valid home license.
Passport.
Foreign visitors may generally drive in Brazil on a valid home-country driver's license for up to 180 days from their date of entry; longer stays or residency require a Brazilian CNH.
An IDP is generally recommended rather than universally mandatory, but it is often required at car rental desks and is effectively required for licenses not written in the Latin alphabet.
The IDP must always be carried together with your original valid national license and your passport — it is a translation, not a replacement.
Brazil is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic; US citizens are specifically advised by US authorities to carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with their US license.
The minimum legal driving age in Brazil is 18, while rental companies typically require drivers to be at least 21, often with surcharges for those under 25.
Brazil drives on the right-hand side of the road, and seatbelts are mandatory for all vehicle occupants.
What to know before you turn the key
Brazil drives on the right — the driver sits on the left, and roundabouts flow anti-clockwise.
Carry your IDP and your original license together — rental desks and police checks will ask for both documents.
Zero tolerance for alcohol.
Brazil enforces a zero-tolerance drink-driving rule under the Lei Seca ("Dry Law"), with roadside breathalyzer checkpoints and penalties that can include heavy fines, license suspension and, in more serious cases, criminal charges.
Signs you'll meet on the road
Eight internationally recognised signs — including which side of the road Brazil keeps.
Common questions about driving in Brazil
Drive Brazil, confidently.
Apply online in minutes and get instant digital access to your IDP translation — with an IDP PVC card option if you want one in your wallet.