Registering foreign documents in Brazil at the RTD, the Registry of Deeds and Documents (Registro de Títulos e Documentos), is the step that makes a power of attorney, a certificate or a contract from abroad effective before Brazilian banks, public bodies and third parties. It does not replace the apostille or the sworn translation; it comes after them. This guide explains when registration is required, when the Board of Trade does not ask for it, where to register and how to avoid sending documents twice.
In brief
- Legal basis
- Law 6,015/1973, art. 129
- Order
- Apostille, translation, registration
- Where
- RTD of the party’s domicile
- Board of Trade
- Apostille and translation only
- Foreign documents must be registered at an RTD to take effect before public bodies and third parties in Brazil.
- The RTD registers the foreign original together with its sworn translation.
- The Board of Trade rule asks for apostille and sworn translation but does not require RTD registration.
- Since 2024, the law sets one domicile for registration, so the same document no longer goes to several registries.
What registering foreign documents in Brazil at the RTD means
The RTD is a registry office that gives publicity, a certain date and safekeeping to private documents. It is governed by the Public Registries Law, Law 6,015/1973, articles 127 to 166.
For documents from abroad, the key rule is article 129, item 6: all documents of foreign origin, together with their translations, must be registered to produce effects before federal, state and municipal offices or before any court. In addition, article 148 requires foreign-language documents to be translated into Portuguese and the translation registered.
In practice, registration places the document in a public archive, fixes the date from which it is effective against third parties and allows certified copies at any time. As a result, a registered foreign power of attorney can still be proven if the original is lost.
When registration is required
The law ties registration to the effects the document must produce in Brazil. Therefore, the right question is: who will receive this document, and what must it prove?
| Foreign document | Typical use in Brazil | RTD registration |
|---|---|---|
| Power of attorney from a foreign shareholder | Banks, foreign exchange, notaries, public bodies | Often requested |
| Certificate of good standing | Banks, public tenders, vendor onboarding | Often requested |
| Contract signed abroad | Proof and effects against third parties | Recommended |
| Parent company resolutions | Filing at the Board of Trade | Not required by the Board of Trade rule |
| Document for a lawsuit | Courts | See Supreme Court Precedent 259 |
For court proceedings, Supreme Court Precedent 259 (Súmula 259 do STF) holds that a foreign document authenticated through consular channels produces effects in court without registration. However, that precedent concerns litigation. Before banks, notaries and administrative bodies, registration remains the safe way to make the document effective.
The right order: apostille, translation, registration
Registration is the last step. Before it, the document must be authenticated in the country of origin and translated in Brazil.
The path of a foreign document
- AbroadSignature and notary
- AbroadApostille or consulate
- In BrazilSworn translation
- In BrazilRTD registration
Apostille or consular legalization
In countries that are party to the Apostille Convention (Decree 8,660/2016 in Brazil), the local apostille is enough. Elsewhere, the Brazilian consulate legalizes the document.
Sworn translation
Done in Brazil by a sworn public translator, including the apostille and any stamps. The original and the translation must refer to each other.
RTD registration
The registry records the foreign original with its translation and issues the registration certificate.
Our guide to apostille and sworn translation for Brazil covers the first two steps, and the documents from abroad checklist lists what to request from the parent company before starting.
Board of Trade, banks and notaries: who asks for what
This is the main source of confusion. The Board of Trade (Junta Comercial) has its own rule and, as a general matter, does not ask for RTD registration.
DREI Normative Instruction 81/2020, article 15, requires documents from abroad filed at the Board of Trade, including powers of attorney, to be legalized by a Brazilian consulate or apostilled, and accompanied by a sworn translation. The rule does not mention the RTD. Therefore, to incorporate a company or file an amendment with a foreign shareholder, apostille and translation are usually enough.
Banks, notaries and public bodies, by contrast, apply Law 6,015/1973 and often ask for the RTD certificate. For example, a bank commonly requires the foreign shareholder’s power of attorney to be registered before opening the account or closing a foreign exchange contract. As a result, when the same document will serve the Board of Trade and the bank, it pays to register it at once, in a single round. See also our guide on opening a corporate bank account in Brazil.
Where to register foreign documents in Brazil
Law 14,382/2022 rewrote article 130 of Law 6,015/1973, effective 1 January 2024. Acts under articles 127 and 129 are now registered at the domicile:
- of the parties, when they reside in the same district;
- of one of the debtors or guarantors, when the parties reside in different districts;
- of one of the parties, when there is no debtor or guarantor.
The change ended the need to register the same document at several registries. For a foreign shareholder’s power of attorney, registration is usually made at the domicile of the Brazilian company or of the attorney-in-fact in Brazil. In large cities with more than one RTD, such as São Paulo, local distribution rules apply.
Step by step, including online filing
Gather the apostilled original and the translation
The complete original with its apostille, plus the matching sworn translation.
Choose the competent registry
Apply the domicile rule in article 130.
File in person or online
The national RTD platform (Central RTDPJBrasil) accepts scanned documents signed with an ICP-Brasil digital certificate for participating registries.
Pay the registry fees
Fees follow each state’s official fee table.
Collect the registration certificate
This is what you present to the bank or public body.
Registry fees are set by state law and vary across Brazil. Multi-page documents cost more, so it is worth checking the registry’s table in advance.
Mistakes that get documents returned
- Translation without the apostille. The apostille, stamps and seals must also be translated.
- No cross-reference between original and translation. The registry must see that both refer to the same document.
- Plain copy instead of the apostilled original. As a rule, registration is made on the authenticated document.
- Wrong registry. Registering outside the domicile set by article 130 may lead a bank or public body to reject it.
- Expired power of attorney or missing specific powers. Registration does not fix the content. Review the powers first, using our guide to the power of attorney for Brazil.
Questions investors ask
Does every foreign document need RTD registration in Brazil?
Law 6,015/1973 requires registration for a foreign document to take effect before public offices and courts, and banks and public bodies commonly ask for it. The Board of Trade, under its own rule, requires apostille and sworn translation but not RTD registration.
Does the apostille replace RTD registration?
No. The apostille replaces consular legalization and authenticates the document’s origin. RTD registration is a separate step, done in Brazil, that gives publicity and effects against third parties.
Is the foreign original or the translation registered?
The foreign original is registered together with its sworn translation. Article 148 of Law 6,015/1973 also requires the translation of foreign-language documents to be registered.
Which RTD office should register the document?
Since 2024, the registry at the parties’ domicile, or at the domicile of a debtor or guarantor when the parties live in different places, under article 130 of Law 6,015/1973. Registration at several offices is no longer needed.
Can foreign documents be registered online?
In many cases, yes. The national RTD platform accepts scanned documents signed with an ICP-Brasil digital certificate and routes them to participating registries.
How long does RTD registration take?
It is usually the quickest step of the chain, once the apostilled original and the translation are ready. Most delays come from the apostille abroad or from a translation that misses the apostille or the stamps.