How to Order a Background Check in Brazil
- Carlos Crameri
- Jan 9, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 24
Employers can order a background check in Brazil by selecting Brazil in the international checkout portal and choosing the required screening services.
To place an order, the employer only needs the applicant’s name and email address. Global Background Screening then contacts the applicant through a secure portal to collect the required authorization, CPF number, identification and any other information or documents needed for the selected searches.
A nationwide Brazil criminal background check currently starts at $109 for a 7 year search, with an estimated turnaround time of one to 3 business days after the applicant submits the required authorization and information.
Table of Contents
Data Security and Employment Laws in Brazil
Click below to View Pricing for all services and Checkout Now:
Brazil Background Check Overview
Screening detail | Current information |
7-year nationwide criminal + Certificate | $109 |
Estimated criminal-search turnaround | 1–3 business days |
Nationwide civil search | $119 |
Estimated civil-search turnaround | 2–5 business days |
Primary applicant identifier | CPF number |
Employer provides | Applicant’s name and email address |
Applicant authorization | Collected electronically by GBS |
Ordering method | Secure online checkout |
Order tracking | Secure employer dashboard |
Prices and estimated turnaround times may change. Select Brazil in the checkout portal to review current services, requirements and pricing before ordering.
How to Order a Background Check in Brazil
Select Brazil under each service you want to order.
Choose the appropriate services required.
Enter the employer’s information and only applicant’s name and email address.
Review the published pricing and estimated turnaround times.
Complete checkout securely online.
GBS sends the applicant an electronic authorization and information request through its secure applicant portal.
Track the order and completed report through the secure employer dashboard.
This process allows the applicant to submit sensitive identifiers and documents directly to GBS instead of requiring the employer’s HR team to collect them through ordinary email.
Organizations screening candidates in multiple countries can also review GBS’s complete international background check services.
Information Required for a Brazil Background Check
Requirements depend on the service ordered and the information source being searched. (We handle retrieving ALL this information from the applicant for you.)
Information or document | When it may be required |
Full legal name | All Brazil background checks |
Date of birth | Identity matching and record searches |
CPF number | Criminal searches and numerous Brazil-specific services |
Mother’s full maiden name | Certain credit, directorship and record searches |
Current or previous Brazilian address | Jurisdictional and address-based searches |
Applicant authorization | Employment background screening |
Identification document | Identity validation and searches requiring source verification |
Complete and accurate information helps prevent delays and improves the ability to distinguish the applicant from individuals with similar names.
What Is a CPF Number?
CPF stands for Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas. It is an individual taxpayer registration administered by Brazil’s Federal Revenue Service.
A CPF contains 11 digits and is used for many official, financial and commercial activities in Brazil. It is also an important identifier for Brazil criminal background checks and other screening services.
Official information about registering for a CPF is available through the Brazilian government’s CPF registration service.
If a search requires a CPF and the applicant cannot provide one, the service may be delayed, restricted or unavailable.
***All foreigners who have worked or even attended school in Brazil should have a CPF number as well.
Types of Background Checks Available in Brazil
Employers can order a criminal background check by itself or combine it with civil, regulatory, financial, employment, education, Right to Work and other screening services. The appropriate combination depends on the responsibilities and risk level of the position.
Brazil National Criminal Records and Civil Searches
A national criminal record search and Civil records searches are conducted through the Ministry of Justice, State Tribunal de Justica and Federal Tribunal de Justica. Information returned will include criminal record convictions going back 7 years that have not been spent or pardoned.
Civil records will return summary of any litigation filings that have been found based off the candidate's residential address. This search also comes with a criminal police certificate.
A CPF number (11 Digits) is required for the most accurate search and mandatory for certain Brazilian background check services.
Brazilian Credit Report
The Brazil credit search is conducted through Serasa Experian and may utilize SPC Brasil.
Depending on availability and the permissible scope of the search, the report may identify negative information related to:
Outstanding commercial debts
Outstanding bank debts
Registered protests
Unfunded checks
Judicial actions involving financial matters
Bankruptcy or insolvency findings
Overdue debts
Financial litigation
This service does not necessarily provide a complete consumer credit abstract or numerical credit score. It reports applicable negative financial information available through the covered sources.
Credit screening should be limited to positions for which financial history is relevant and legally permissible, such as roles involving company funds, sensitive accounts, fiduciary duties or significant financial authority.
Credit report notes: A protest is when a bill/contract is not paid and the owner registers the debt in a registry (cartório). From the moment the debt is registered (named as “protesto”) in the registry, the recovery becomes valid and legal commitment and judicial execution of the debt can be made with the debtor.
Brazilian Directorship Search
The Brazil directorship search is conducted through Serasa and the Federal Business REgistrar to determine whether an individual is registered as a director of a company.
The search can help identify:
Outside business interests
Potential conflicts of interest
Corporate-management responsibilities
Connections with another company
Information requiring further review
Requirements may include the applicant’s CPF number, mother’s full maiden name and in-country address.
A directorship finding is not inherently negative. Its significance depends on the position, disclosure requirements and whether the outside business relationship creates an actual or potential conflict. Learn more about directorship searches.
Learn more on our global directorship searches
Brazil Motor Vehicle Report
A search conducted through the State Transportation Agency (Departmento National de Transito) DETRAN to verify the driver's license. Results will not include a full driving abstract. Full abstracts must be obtained directly by the applicant. Learn more about motor vehicle record screening.
Brazil Right To Work
The Brazil right-to-work search is conducted through the Ministry of Finance’s Federal Revenue authority to verify a candidate’s right to work in Brazil. Brazil’s Federal Revenue Service administers taxpayer registration and related federal records, including the CPF system.
GBS generally estimates a turnaround time of approximately 3–4 business days, although actual processing can vary. Learn more about international right to work checks.
Social Media Screening in Brazil: Spotting Potential Red Flags
Our social media background check scans the most widely used platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, TikTok, and Reddit.
You can select a 3-year or 7-year lookback period. The report highlights only high-risk content, such as:
Hate speech
Drug-related images
Threats or self-harm
Harassment or bullying
Obscene or violent language
This service helps employers identify online behavior that may present reputational or workplace risks—all while ensuring reports are fair, focused, and compliant. Learn more about our social media background check and details on how our social media checker report looks like.
LATAM Conduct and Adverse Media Search
The Latin America conduct search is a search conducted at the local level and regionwide by searching through 262 LATAM sources, including 41 Brazilian specific Anti-corruption, Attorney General, Secretary of public Security, Securities and Exchange Commission (Comissão de Valores Mobiliários) and more.
In addition, the Latin America Conduct Search includes 288 adverse media sources and 36 Brazilian-specific sources, including publicly available newspapers, magazines, and Internet research (such as Jornal O Globo, Jornal do Brasil, and many other local media) to develop risk related negative information on an individual.
Do not substitute a Criminal Search with a LATAM conduct search, as the criminal search goes directly to the Courts and Police Department.
The costs is extremely affordable for only $25
Below you will see the additional coverage provided in Central and South America totaling over 550 screening sources. Additional data sources are continuing to be added.
Click image to expand Latin America Conduct Coverage Chart
How are Criminal Charges Categorized in Brazil?
Brazilian criminal law generally distinguishes between crimes and criminal contraventions.
The terminology does not map neatly to U.S. felony and misdemeanor classifications.
Examples of offenses that may be classified as crimes under Brazilian law include:
Homicide (homicídio)
Robbery (roubo)
Kidnapping (sequestro)
Drug trafficking (tráfico de drogas)
Corruption (corrupção)
Embezzlement by a public official (peculato)
Theft (furto)
Property damage (dano)
Bodily injury, including less serious bodily injury (lesão corporal leve)
Driving under the influence, when the statutory elements are met (dirigir embriagado)
Brazil also recognizes criminal contraventions (contravenções penais), a separate category of lower-level criminal offenses that may be punishable by a fine, simple imprisonment or both.
Depending on the facts and applicable law, examples may include unlawful gambling or disturbance of another person’s work, peace or quiet.
The classification, disposition and reportability of an offense depend on the specific statute, facts, court record and applicable law. Employers should evaluate any reported information consistently and only in relation to the responsibilities of the position.
For reference, Brazil’s Penal Code and Criminal Contraventions Law set out the relevant legal framework.
Data Security in Brazil (Updated 2026)
Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados, or LGPD) governs how personal data is collected, used, stored and shared. Its provisions took effect in September 2020 and apply to many organizations processing personal data in Brazil or offering goods or services to individuals in Brazil.
For employment background screening, this means employers should have a lawful, job-related purpose for the search, provide appropriate notice and handle applicant information securely. GBS collects required authorization, CPF details and supporting documents directly from the applicant through a secure portal rather than requiring employers to gather sensitive information by email.
The LGPD does not apply to every type of processing. Its statutory exclusions include purely personal, non-commercial activity; journalistic, artistic or academic purposes; and certain public-security, national-defense and criminal-investigation activities.
In 2022, Brazil’s Constitutional Amendment No. 115 recognized personal-data protection as a fundamental right and gave the federal government exclusive authority to legislate on data protection.
Read the official English text of Brazil’s General Data Protection Law and visit Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority.
Why Global Background Screening Is the Best Way to Run Brazil Employment Background Checks
Ordering background checks in Brazil doesn’t need to be complicated. With Global Background Screening, you can access a wide range of employment screening services—from criminal records and credit reports to LATAM-wide conduct checks and right-to-work verifications—all through a single, easy-to-use platform.
Every search is designed to meet Brazil’s compliance standards, including LGPD and labor regulations, with results delivered clearly and efficiently. Whether you're screening a new hire in São Paulo or managing international compliance for remote contractors, our platform simplifies the process from start to finish.
Important: Prices and turnaround times are estimates and may change. Actual processing depends on applicant responsiveness, source availability, record complexity, service type and jurisdictional requirements. Employers are responsible for determining whether a search is appropriate and legally permissible for their intended use. This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice.
