Submitted by James Forsyth
Disclaimer: The following is a personal account of buying a car from a company dealership in Brasilia. Please note that this process may differ depending on your circumstances.
It is recommended that you download the Carteira digital de Trânsito at the beginning of the buying process. This will keep you informed about the progress of your registration process and notify you when it is complete.
Firstly, it is important to note that you cannot buy a car without a CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física), which is the Brazilian taxation number. Nothing runs here in Brazil without a CPF.
The process of buying a car from a company dealership is relatively simple, especially if you pay in cash (via bank transfer). However, if you require financing, the dealership can set this up for you. Corporate companies do not accept cash payments.
Before making any payments, it is crucial to inspect the car you are interested in purchasing. If you are not confident in your Portuguese or motor skills, consider bringing a friend or hiring a local mechanic to do a report for you.
If you found a car that you are interested in, look up the Fipe, which displays average vehicle prices
in the national market. This serves only as a parameter for negotiations or evaluations.
Then, negotiate the price with the dealership. Depending on the current financial state in Brazil, the vehicle price may be higher or lower than the Fipe value. Also try to get the IPVA (Imposto sobre a Propriedade de Veículos Automotores) included. This is a yearly tax collected annually by state governments.
If you agree on a price, ensure there are no outstanding fines or other fees payable by visiting the gov.br website. Please note that you have to register with your CPF to access the website.
You will need the Renavam number, the number plate (Placa), and your CPF.
After agreeing on a price and payment method, the dealership will print a document (Contrato de compra e venda de ativo fixo) for you to sign. The document will be in Portuguese, so do not hesitate to translate it or use a friend or translator. Ensure that the details for the car are correct and check the chassi number on the contract. This number is typically found on the passenger side by lifting a small piece of carpet, and the main windows (front and rear screen) should have the last 8 digits of the chassi number printed on them (e.g., 12345678XXX123456 - XX123456 should be marked on the windows). Once you checked all the document details, sign the contract and the dealership will print you a copy.
After the payment is confirmed by the dealership, you must wait a few days to collect the car. From the day you collect the car, you will be responsible for any speeding fines.
When you pick up the car, you should be given two documents: Certificado de registro e licenciamento veículo and Termo de garantia de veículo usado usually 3 months.
Once the financial step is complete, the dealership will give you the Autorizaçao para transferência de properiedade de veículo document, which they will post to you for having it signed at a Cartório. This process can take up to 15 days.
After receiving the document, take it to a Cartório, in my case Cartório Asa Norte (SEPN QD 504) with the following documents:
· Certificado de registro e licenciamento veículo,
· Contrato de compra e venda de ativo fixo,
· your driving license,
· proof of address,
· and the Autorizaçao para transferência de properiedade de veículo. Do not sign it at home; this will be done at the Cartório, which will stamp your document.
Pay the fee (R$16 at the time) and take your document home to scan. Send it to the dealership, which will submit it to DETRAN. Once DETRAN receives the document and logs it into the system, you will need to pay DETRAN R$219 for registration and the application fee to obtain the address of the selected surveyor who will carry out the survey. This process can take 5 to 10 days.
Afterwards, take your car along with all the documents previously mentioned to Pontual Vistoria LTDA, located at SCIA QUADRA 15 CONJUNTO 05 LOTE 4, Cidade do Automóvel, Brasília - DF, 71250-025, where they will inspect the vehicle. If any issues are found, they will notify you to fix them before they complete your documentation for a fee of R$119.
Once the inspection is done, they will provide you with the Vistoria de identificação veicular. In my case, I sent a scanned copy of this document to the dealer, who then submitted it to DETRAN.
Once that all is done, the car is duly registered in your name.