Brazil’s speed limit is whatever the sign shows, and where there is no sign the traffic code sets 110 km/h on rural dual carriageways, 100 km/h on rural single carriageways and 30 to 80 km/h in towns. Speed cameras are fixed or portable, and national rules from CONTRAN, the National Traffic Council, say they may not be hidden.
| Road type | Cars |
|---|---|
| Rural dual carriageway | 110 km/h |
| Rural single carriageway | 100 km/h |
| Urban fast transit road | 80 km/h |
| Urban arterial road | 60 km/h |
| Urban collector road | 40 km/h |
| Urban local road | 30 km/h |
What are the speed limits in Brazil?
Article 61 of the Código de Trânsito Brasileiro (CTB), the national traffic code, says the maximum speed is shown by signs. The figures in the table are the defaults that apply where no regulatory sign exists.
In towns, the default is 80 km/h on fast transit roads, 60 km/h on arterial roads, 40 km/h on collector roads and 30 km/h on local roads. On rural roads, cars, pick-ups and motorcycles have 110 km/h on dual carriageways and 100 km/h on single carriageways, a change made by Law 14.440 of 2022. Other vehicles have 90 km/h.
There is a minimum too. Article 62 says the minimum speed may not be lower than half the maximum, subject to traffic and road conditions. Speeding is an offence under Article 218.
What kinds of speed cameras does Brazil use?
Brazil uses fixed and portable speed cameras, under CONTRAN Resolution 798 of 2020 as amended by Resolution 804. Fixed cameras may not be installed in a concealed way, and portable cameras need a uniformed operator with an unobstructed view.
Fixed sites must be preceded by an R-19 speed limit sign, and another R-19 sign stands at each fixed camera. Traffic agencies must publish a list of their equipment on their websites before it starts operating, including the location of fixed cameras, and must also publish the stretches where portable cameras may be used.
The resolution also sets a measuring margin. The speed used for enforcement is the measured speed minus the maximum error, which is 7 km/h at speeds up to 100 km/h and 7 percent at the highest speeds. This corrects for instrument error and is not an allowance to drive above the limit.
We found no reliable current national count of cameras. Correio da Manhã reported on 20 August 2025 that radars on federal highways had stopped for lack of funds and that a federal judge ordered them back. We could not confirm how many are working in 2026. The limit applies either way.
Are speed camera apps legal in Brazil?
Anti-radar devices are prohibited, and we found no specific rule on phone apps. Article 230, item III of the CTB makes it an offence to drive a vehicle with an anti-radar device. A bill to ban apps and social networks that warn of traffic checkpoints, PL 5596/2013, was archived by the Chamber of Deputies on 25 September 2019 after its Constitution and Justice Committee found it unconstitutional. Checked on 30 October 2026.
What should visiting drivers know?
- Speeds are in km/h, and the sign always comes before the default.
- Learn the R-19 sign, the round speed limit sign that also appears at fixed cameras.
- Check local websites if you want to know where fixed cameras stand, as agencies must publish them.
- Do not carry an anti-radar device, as Article 230 covers driving with one.
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