Don’t Forget to Check Your CPF Status

A CPF is a Brazilian taxpayer ID number issued to both Brazilian nationals and foreign individuals. It’s the first and arguably most important document you’ll need if you’re looking to do business in Brazil. Yet simply having a CPF isn’t enough. You must make sure it’s always in good standing.

An irregular CPF can have consequences similar to not having one at all. For example, you can’t buy property in Brazil if your CPF is suspended or canceled.

According to the Brazilian Revenue Service (Receita Federal), there are six possible CPF statuses:

• Regular: The CPF is in good standing.

• Suspenso: An inconsistency has been identified, such as an outdated name or address, or missing tax payments.

• Pendente de Regularização: The taxpayer has failed to file one or more required federal tax returns.

• Falecido: The CPF holder has a registered date of death.

• Cancelado: The CPF has been canceled, possibly due to a duplicate number or unresolved suspension.

• Nulo: Fraud has been identified, resulting in the nullification of the CPF.

Restoring a CPF to regular status depends on the specific issue causing the irregularity. For instance, updating your address to resolve a suspension is a relatively simple process. However, filing overdue tax returns to address a pendente de regularização status may be more complicated because of the potential for additional fines.

Make it a habit to regularly check the status of your CPF. Waiting until you’re in the middle of a business transaction isn’t the most convenient time to discover there’s a problem.