Can't Exchange Foreign Driver's License for Brazilian CNH

10/26/23 @UhOhDetran. Good morning.   Unfortunately, you're not the first Canadian member to report problems in obtaining a Brazilian license on the basis of a Canadian one.  It doesn't make sense, but it happens.  I'm on my phone now, but when I can get to my computer I'll look back in older threads to see whether anyone's already solved the puzzle.

In the meantime, be sure to maintain a valid Canadian license if you possibly can; if your license expires they'll reject you for that, and that will probably be the end of the story.

1.Just keep your Canadian Driver's license expiration up to date for as long as you can. And carry alongside your receipts and paperwork for the Brazilian license application. Including paid receipts. 

2.Driver's here seldom ever get pulled over. It ain't like North America where they pull you by the curbside for a broken tailight.  So do not break sweat.  At worse, a camera will snapshot your plate for crossing a red light or going over the speed limit.

3.Chances are, if you are pulled aside, a blitz maybe, they will ask for your license. They see a foreign license, they won't bother taking your sweet time and likely will waiver you through. 

4.Next time, hire a Despachante by the Driving School, to get these affairs sorted out. It's a small fee to avoid a lot of headaches chasing rubber stamp idiots.   Let someone else, more apt for the job, to handle these triffles for you.

10/26/23 @UhOhDetran.  I've found that thread.  It make for grim reading.  This Canadian ran into a seemingly impenetrable roadblock because DETRAN-SP wouldn't accept the equivalence of a Canadian Class 5 license with a Brazilian Categoria B.  Maybe some Canadian members can provide some more current information:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=884697

Thanks guys. BTW, if anyone knows of a Despachante that I can still contact, I'm all ears. Unfortunately, my license is expiring so that if I can't get this sorted out, basically I'll have to leave Brazil for a while to get everything renewed in Canada.

@abthree: Thank you for the link. The reading is indeed GRIM. However, my situation is a bit different than the person's there. My license is from Ontario, and it does indeed state on my license (which I got translated juramentada) that "automobile (max 11,000kg) with towed vehicle (max 4600kg)". Hence, my license does state the type of vehicle that I can drive. At the Poupatempo, the selected Class B for me I think.

Of course, the Detran also didn't ask me for any sort of documentation in the last 134 days so yeah, I am not hopeful. I read the Detran is corrupt and prejudiced against immigrants and now I certainly believe it.

I also forgot to say that on August 10, 2023, I got an email from a person at the Poupatempo saying that "Informamos que a Central retornou com o processo sem nenhuma anotação, reenviamos para prosseguir com o processo de emissão."

This was encouraging because I thought it meant that my documents were fine but I guess I was wrong,

    Thanks guys. BTW, if anyone knows of a Despachante that I can still contact, I'm all ears. Unfortunately, my license is expiring so that if I can't get this sorted out, basically I'll have to leave Brazil for a while to get everything renewed in Canada.
@abthree: Thank you for the link. The reading is indeed GRIM. However, my situation is a bit different than the person's there. My license is from Ontario, and it does indeed state on my license (which I got translated juramentada) that "automobile (max 11,000kg) with towed vehicle (max 4600kg)". Hence, my license does state the type of vehicle that I can drive. At the Poupatempo, the selected Class B for me I think.

Of course, the Detran also didn't ask me for any sort of documentation in the last 134 days so yeah, I am not hopeful. I read the Detran is corrupt and prejudiced against immigrants and now I certainly believe it.
   

    -@UhOhDetran

Dear helpless Canuck.....

Just Google the Geographic area you are in for "Auto Escolas" or "Despachantes".  Then pick yours.   Use your browser, it will have a Geo Locator.

Have someone to contact them to sort this.  And make sure the surrogate party speaks fluent Portuguese, so they won't be tempted to gouge you.

That's it!

Just Google the Geographic area you are in for "Auto Escolas" or "Despachantes".  Then pick yours.   Use your browser, it will have a Geo Locator. Have someone to contact them to sort this.  And make sure the surrogate party speaks fluent Portuguese, so they won't be tempted to gouge you. That's it!

Thanks for the suggestion but I already tried several Despachantes and they say that they don't handle this sort of situation. That's not to say that I won't keep trying, but I was hoping if someone already had a recommendation that might come with some success.

Little late to the party, but it took me 1 year exactly to get my Brazilian license with a full UK one... My issue was that in the UK we don't issue licenses with initials and all my Brazilian documents have my middle names which I've flat out never used once in my life before moving to Brazil. So for 6 months, DETRAN didn't think it was wise to notify me about his issue and I only found out by finally getting an in person appointment (during pandemic) to finally get them to tell me what was taking so long. My fun began after that point because I had to contact my embassy, the DVLA, whoever I could reach to find out what I could do. DETRAN said I needed to prove that the person on my UK license was the same person on my passport and every other form of ID I had lol... LUCKILY a lady from DVLA emailed me back, explained they never really do this, but that they will send me a special UK license with the full name DETRAN were asking for. Took another 6 months after that, but finally got my license. I initially had to sign away my right to ride a motorcycle, our UK license allows you to drive mopeds or similar, and I gladly signed that away at DETRAN and expected my Brazil license to be just for cars, but amazingly its for bikes as well.

11/01/23  As Tolstoy might have said if he had tried to get a driver's license in Brazil, every DETRAN is dreadful in its own way.

@English Penguin : Thanks so much for the reply! Wow, that is harsh. It boggles my mind how there could be potential problems with the process but they simply refuse to just tell you. I've sent over 120 emails to the Detran and Poupatempo asking them what's up but they only ridiculous things, like the latest: "Em resposta à sua manifestação, informamos que sua solicitação encontra-se em análise com o setor de estrangeiro."

I also checked to see if your problem was the same as mine but on my license my name is exactly as it is on my other documents that I handed in. (Quite a stupid thing to pick on if you ask me, but whatever...)

Just to update everyone, since last time, a reporter contacted me and may want to do an interview, and I also got in touch with someone at the Detran who seems to want to help, but who knows. It's been almost half a year now and nothing yet.