Brazil: travel laws for tourists, topic by topic
Tough
Overall verdict for Brazil: Tough. Below, the risk level of each of the 23 topics that get travellers fined or arrested. The exact rule, thresholds and penalties are in the LawsTravels app.
Brazil: read the 3 riskiest rules free →
🎁 Free, no account: Theft & scams, Smoking, Driving
The 23 topics at a glance
Banned or serious riskAllowed, with limitsRelaxed
Get the exact rules for your trip
This page gives you the level. The app gives you the rule, the numbers and the penalties for Brazil, offline, in 23 languages.
Brazil: read the 3 riskiest rules free →
How Brazil compares
With 6 of 23 topics flagged red, Brazil is stricter than 20 of the 22 other countries in The Americas (regional average: 3.3). Worldwide, Brazil ranks #51 of 148 for strictness (tied with 13 other countries).
What sets it apart
- Theft & scams: flagged red here, while only 12 of 148 countries are this strict.
- Smoking: flagged red here, while only 16 of 148 countries are this strict.
- Vaccines & health: flagged red here, while only 32 of 148 countries are this strict.
- Remote work: relaxed here, while 121 of 148 countries restrict or ban it.
- Sex & dating: relaxed here, while 103 of 148 countries restrict or ban it.
What to watch most in Brazil
- The friendly stranger who takes you to "a great bar" — you leave with a bill of several hundred euros.
- "Your hotel is closed / burned down" from a taxi driver: he is taking you to the one paying him a commission.
- The distraction pair: one spills something or asks directions, the other takes your bag.
- The vape is the real trap: several countries fine or arrest for simple possession, including devices with no nicotine.
- Indoor smoking bans now cover terraces, beaches, parks and bus stops in a growing number of cities.
- Throwing a butt on the ground is a separate, and often expensive, littering offence.
Brazil at a glance
CapitalBrasília
CurrencyBrazilian Real (BRL)
LanguagePortuguese
Emergency number190
Driving sideRight
Mains voltage127 / 220 V
Calling code+55
Plug typesC · N
Frequently asked questions
Is Brazil strict with tourists?
Overall verdict: Tough. 6 of 23 topics are flagged as banned or a serious risk (Theft & scams, Smoking, Driving, Weapons, Jail risk, Vaccines & health), 9 require caution.
What can get me fined or arrested in Brazil?
The strictest topics for travellers in Brazil are: Theft & scams, Smoking, Driving, Weapons, Jail risk, Vaccines & health. Each has specific thresholds and penalties, detailed in the app.
Where do I find the exact rules for Brazil?
In LawsTravels: open Brazil, each topic shows the level, the rule, the thresholds and what to do at customs, offline. 3 topics are free on every country; the other 20 unlock for the price of a coffee.
What is the emergency number in Brazil?
In Brazil, dial 190. Capital: Brasília. Currency: Brazilian Real (BRL). Main language: Portuguese.
Which side of the road do they drive on in Brazil?
In Brazil, traffic drives on the right. Mains voltage: 127 / 220 V. Calling code: +55. Plug types: C · N.
Countries with the closest profile
Levels summarise publicly available legal information for travellers and are not legal advice. Laws change and enforcement varies: confirm with the embassy or consulate of your destination.
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