How to Open a Company Online in Brazil (100% Digital)

You can open a company online in Brazil without leaving home: the Junta Comercial and the federal registration all run digitally through REDESIM, and the documents are signed with a gov.br account or a digital certificate (e-CPF). A MEI opens for free and on its own through the Portal do Empreendedor; any other model needs an accountant, and an online accounting service files the whole process remotely. With the paperwork complete, the CNPJ can come in a few business days — sometimes within about 48 hours.

How to open a company online in Brazil, step by step

For a MEI, the process is entirely on the Portal do Empreendedor and needs only a gov.br account. For an ME or an EPP, the sequence is:

1. Hire an online accounting service. Except for a MEI, an accountant is required by law from the opening; the online accounting service runs the rest of the steps for you.
2. Gather the documents. The accountant checks that everything is in order.
3. Define the CNAE. The activity code that frames the business.
4. Run the viability check. Confirms the activity is allowed at the address and the company name is free.
5. Choose the format. The size (MEI, ME or EPP) and the legal nature (EI, SLU, LTDA or S.A.).
6. Set the tax regime. Simples Nacional, Lucro Presumido or Lucro Real — now confirmed in the MAT step, before the CNPJ is issued.
7. Register at the Junta Comercial. The incorporation act is drawn up and filed digitally; approval issues the NIRE.
8. Get the state and municipal registrations. Inscrição Estadual at the SEFAZ and municipal registration for the ISS, where the activity requires them.
9. Request the alvará. The municipal operating licence.
10. Issue an e-CNPJ (A1) certificate. Used for the company’s tax operations.

What makes it 100% online

Every Junta Comercial now works digitally, so there is no need to appear in person. The incorporation act is signed electronically with a gov.br account or an e-CPF certificate, and the federal steps run through REDESIM. Since the MAT came into force, the tax regime is chosen before the CNPJ is released — a decision the online accounting service makes with you during the process.

What you need

• A gov.br account at silver or gold level, used to sign
• A digital certificate (e-CPF) for the partners, required in some states
• RG and CPF of the partners
• Proof of address, such as a property-tax (IPTU) document with the property registration
• The company’s data and the address of its headquarters

Doing it alone or with an accountant

Only a MEI can be opened alone and free, on the Portal do Empreendedor, with revenue up to R$ 81,000 a year and no partners. Every other model needs an accountant with an active CRC registration from day one, which is why most businesses use an online accounting service to file the whole thing digitally.

Time and cost

Done online with complete documents, the CNPJ can be issued in a few business days, sometimes in around 48 hours — though the average across states is longer. A MEI is free; for other models the opening is often included in a monthly plan that starts around R$ 150 to R$ 200, and in certain cities some services also cover the Junta Comercial fees and the digital certificate.

Frequently asked questions

Can you open a company 100% online in Brazil? Yes. The registration runs digitally through REDESIM, the incorporation act is signed with gov.br or an e-CPF, and the Juntas Comerciais no longer require an in-person visit.

What do you need to open a company online? A gov.br account at silver or gold level, and for most models a digital certificate (e-CPF), plus RG, CPF and proof of the business address. A MEI needs only the gov.br account on the Portal do Empreendedor.

How fast is it? With complete paperwork the CNPJ can come in a few business days, sometimes within about 48 hours, although the average time varies by state.

Can I open the company myself? Only as a MEI. For an ME, an EPP or any partnership, an accountant is required from the opening, and an online accounting service handles the online filing remotely.