Brazilian Drivers in Germany 2026: IDP or German Translation
Brazil
Germany
Yes, you can drive in Germany as a Brazilian visitor, but carry your CNH with an International Driving Permit or a German translation (FeV §29). Traffic keeps right as in Brazil. Police are on 110, ambulance and fire on 112.
You can drive in Germany on a Brazilian CNH, and nothing in the rules makes you hand it in after a set number of weeks. What German law asks for is a companion document. Under FeV §29 a licence from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland travels with an International Driving Permit or a German translation. A CNH is printed in Portuguese, so one of the two goes in your bag next to the card and passport.
What to put in the bag
The IDP is the easier option for a Brazilian, since both countries are parties to the 1968 Vienna Convention and the permit issued at home is recognised. Get it before you fly. A translation is the fallback if you would rather not obtain the permit. Either way, do not leave the CNH behind: the permit is a companion, not a replacement.
If you rent, ask the desk what they photocopy. The law is one thing, and a rental firm’s own checklist can be another. The Driving Permit Checker helps if the trip continues into other countries.
The six-month figure often quoted online matters only if you take up residence in Germany. A tourist falls outside it.
Same side of the road, different numbers
Both countries drive on the right, so lane position, mirrors and roundabout direction need no relearning. The numbers do change:
- Towns: 50 km/h in Germany, 60 in Brazil. Dropping from 60 to 50 sounds minor, but urban cameras are common.
- Outside towns: 100 km/h on ordinary roads, the same figure Brazil gives for single-carriageway highways.
- Autobahn: no general limit, an advisory 130 km/h. Brazil’s limit on dual carriageways is 110, so 130 is the number many drivers settle at.
Where an Autobahn has no sign, a car can legally approach from behind much faster than anything you are used to. Check the mirror twice before you pull out, stay in the right-hand lane unless overtaking and never pass on the right.
Drinking and driving flips in one respect
At home the Lei Seca means zero. In Germany the general limit is 0.5 per mille (0.05%), with zero required of drivers under 21 or in their probationary period. Being legally allowed a drink here is a poor reason to have one before a long drive. If you are in doubt, the Brazilian habit of none works fine.
What a mistake costs
German fines are small compared with a Brazilian suspension, but they add up quickly.
| Offence | Germany |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 km/h over | EUR 30 in town, EUR 20 outside |
| Up to 20 km/h over | EUR 70 in town, EUR 60 outside |
| Up to 30 km/h over | EUR 180 + 1 point in town, EUR 150 + 1 point outside |
| Seatbelt | EUR 30 |
| Phone in hand | EUR 100 + 1 point |
| Red light | EUR 90 + 1 point; EUR 200, 2 points and a ban if red for over a second |
Brazil’s own bands are percentage-based, and for the worst category the penalty includes suspension. In Germany the points and money are set per kilometre over. The speeding fine calculator turns a speed into an estimate.
Equipment and age
Each car carries a warning triangle, a reflective vest and a first-aid kit. A rental normally comes equipped, but open the boot and look before leaving the lot. The minimum age to drive a car is 18, with 17 allowed under supervision.
Winter and weather
German winters can bring snow and ice on some roads, so ask the rental firm what tyres the car carries if you visit in the cold months. Heavy rain reduces visibility on the Autobahn, where speeds stay high, so slow down early and increase the gap behind the car ahead.
Emergency numbers
This is the part Brazilians forget. Germany uses 112 for ambulance and fire, and 110 for police. Brazil’s 190, 192 and 193 will not connect. Put 112 and 110 in your phone before you drive off. The Germany driving guide covers the remaining rules.
Sources
- Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung (FeV) §29 (foreign licences; IDP or German translation; six months after residence): gesetze-im-internet.de
- Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung (StVO) §3(3) (50 km/h in towns, 100 km/h outside): gesetze-im-internet.de
- Autobahn-Richtgeschwindigkeits-Verordnung (130 km/h recommended speed)
- Bußgeldkatalog-Verordnung, annex (speeding fines): gesetze-im-internet.de
- Straßenverkehrsgesetz §24a (0.5 per mille) and §24c (zero under 21 and in the probationary period): gesetze-im-internet.de
- StVZO §53a (warning triangle, vest) and §35h (first-aid kit): gesetze-im-internet.de
- UN Treaty Collection, 1968 Convention on Road Traffic (Brazil and Germany parties): treaties.un.org
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
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Winter tyres in Germany — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are required in Germany whenever conditions are wintry — Situational (when conditions require: ice, snow, slush, black ice).
- Tread minimum: 1.6 mm — Germany sets no separate winter figure.
- Accepted marking: 3PMSF only — the M+S transitional rule no longer applies to cars (StVZO §36(4))
- Studded tyres: banned
- Penalty: EUR 60 + 1 point; EUR 80 if you obstruct traffic; EUR 75 for the vehicle owner
In German the rule is Winterreifenpflicht, and snow chains are Schneeketten — that is the wording on signs, in hire-car paperwork and on any penalty notice.
Checked against national legislation, 20 Oct 2026 · Full Germany tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as a visitor. German licensing law (FeV §29) says a foreign licence from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland must be carried with an International Driving Permit or a German translation unless it is in German or follows the 1968 convention's licence model. Brazil and Germany are both parties to the 1968 Vienna Convention, so the IDP issued in Brazil is valid. Without a residence in Germany there is no fixed time limit; the six-month rule applies once you take up residence.
Yes. Germany's general limit is 0.5 per mille (0.05%), while Brazil applies zero tolerance under the Lei Seca. Drivers under 21 or in their probationary period must not drink at all in Germany. The practical advice is unchanged: don't drink before driving.
Where no sign sets a limit, the Autobahn has only an advisory 130 km/h, so faster cars are legal. Many sections are signed lower and enforced: up to 10 km/h over costs EUR 30 in town and EUR 20 outside.
Dial 112 for ambulance and fire, and 110 for the police. Brazil uses 190 for police, 192 for ambulance and 193 for fire, so none of the three numbers you know will work.