Something about DETRAN you won't find online......

A foreigner must have their physical driver's license showing more than one year plus one day since issuance/renewal ON THE PHYSICAL CARD in order to do an "averbacao".........this is their term for the act of changing your gringo license to a Brasilian one. I just renewed my license in April 12, 2024, so, yesterday, I was politely told come back on April 13, 2025 and they'd happily take my picture and give me a Brasilian license at that time. All my other docs were correct as the process itself is easy.

It doesn't matter what other proof you can show that you've been licensed for XX number of years. So, plan accordingly......you can always go back to your DETRAN and start the process as an unlicensed new driver immediately, but, it's a costly, time consuming, frustrating, and painful process. I started my averbacao in Rio de Janeiro where they have a "setor do estrangerios" on the fourth floor of the building on Ave Presidente Vargas. One other thing not written online is that if you live in RJ or within an hour or so of Rio de Janeiro in the state, your local DETRAN office won't touch you, and will direct you to go to the "setor do estrangerios" in downtown RJ. FWIW they were very well organized and everything went efficiently in the Brasilian way.

Can't speak to other states or cities, but in RJ, it is, what it is. English is not spoken BTW.