Why Commercial and Fiscal Addresses Matter

Another article, same issue - Finding an Address For Your Company in Brazil. Now that the Pesquisa de Viabilidade is no longer a secret, it’s time to understand the difference between a “commercial” and “fiscal” address.

In Brazil, sometimes both types of addresses are in the same location, which is generally the company’s headquarters. However, it’s also possible that for a number of different reasons an entity’s commercial address is in one place while the fiscal address is in another.

The commercial address is the one advertised by the company to its customers. You know, the address seen on business cards, correspondence and websites. Even businesses that don’t necessarily need a physical office space often use a commercial address to enhance their professional image.

Equally important is the fiscal address because it’s the location registered as the company’s address with the government. For example, this is the address you’d see in the articles of incorporation and associated with the CNPJ. Without it, the company can’t get registered and wouldn’t officially exist.

Foreign entrepreneurs doing business in Brazil can hire coworking companies to get an address and open an entity. The trick, however, is identifying whether the shared space is able to serve both the commercial and, more importantly, fiscal address requirement. And if you’re selling products, you’ll want to make sure you can get your Inscrição Estadual as well.

So don’t forget to add the address issue to your business plan. It’s one of the early decisions you’ll need to conquer when starting your business.