Handle your affairs in Brazil without traveling. Someone you trust signs for you.
Selling a property, banking, Brazil's Social Security (INSS), probate, or the Federal Revenue Service (Receita Federal): with the right power of attorney, all of it can be handled in Brazil without you being there. Cartório BR identifies the power of attorney your case calls for, prepares the paperwork, and follows up on every step until it is ready to use. We also prepare U.S. powers of attorney for the DMV or for your child's care.
- Public power of attorney by video conference, from home
- A team in the United States and in Brazil
- Brazilian and U.S. powers of attorney
With the right power of attorney, someone else can handle almost anything for you in Brazil.
People who live in the United States still have property, bank accounts, retirement benefits, businesses, and family in Brazil. Sooner or later, something comes up that requires the owner to be present: signing a deed of sale, closing an account, executing an estate partition, or responding to a request from the Federal Revenue Service.
The law lets an agent do it for you.
What holds up most cases is not the distance. It is the wrong power of attorney. Sometimes it is a private power of attorney for an act that requires a public one. Sometimes it is a U.S. document with no apostille or no sworn translation. It can also lack a specific power the registry office requires, or the bank may refuse a power of attorney that is too old.
In each of these cases, your agent goes to the counter in Brazil and leaves empty-handed. And you, more than 6,000 miles away, have to start over.
Your agent can only do what is written in the power of attorney, and it must take the form the law requires.
Public or private, with or without a digital certificate, and which powers it grants: these choices decide whether the act in Brazil goes through. That is why everything is settled before anything is signed.
Power of attorney: the document that gives someone you trust the authority to sign for you
Under Brazil's Civil Code, an agency relationship (mandato) exists when one person receives authority from another to perform acts or manage interests on that person's behalf. The power of attorney (procuração) is the document that formalizes that relationship. The person who grants the authority is the principal (you). The person who receives it is the agent (the person who will act for you).
The most important rule is in Article 657 of the Civil Code: a power of attorney must take the form the law requires for the act to be performed. If the act requires a public deed, the power of attorney must be public. If the act accepts a private document, the power of attorney may be private.
For people who live in the United States, there are three options:
Public power of attorney with an ICP-Brasil certificate. It is executed by a notary in Brazil (tabelião de notas) by video conference on the e-Notariado platform. You sign remotely with your digital certificate (Cartório BR also issues the certificate, as a file or in the cloud). The result is a Brazilian public power of attorney, accepted by real estate registry offices, banks, the INSS, and the Federal Revenue Service, as well as in probate proceedings.
Public power of attorney without an ICP-Brasil certificate. The same act, also done by video conference with a notary in Brazil, for those who do not have an ICP-Brasil certificate and prefer not to get one. You verify your identity with your documents and a photo. The notary issues, free of charge, a notarized digital certificate that stays in the e-Notariado app and is used to sign electronic notarial acts on the platform.
Private power of attorney. It is used for acts that accept a private document. You sign it here, before a U.S. notary public. To be valid in Brazil, the document receives an apostille under the Hague Convention, is translated by a Brazilian sworn translator, and is registered with the Registry of Deeds and Documents (Registro de Títulos e Documentos, RTD). Cartório BR handles all four steps: notarization, apostille, sworn translation, and RTD registration.
To handle matters in the United States, there are two U.S. powers of attorney:
U.S. power of attorney for the DMV. It authorizes someone else to sign the title and registration documents for a vehicle on your behalf at the Department of Licensing (Washington) or the equivalent agency in your state. It is used when buying or selling a car if one of the parties cannot be present.
U.S. power of attorney for parents or caregivers of a minor. With it, the mother and father designate who will be responsible for their child in the United States while they cannot be with the child. The powers cover care, health, and school. It protects the family and fits parents who are traveling, having surgery, working away from home, or who simply want everything in order.
A matter in Brazil stalled because it needs your signature and you cannot travel.
A power of attorney in the right form, with the right powers, in the hands of the person who will act for you.
This service is for Brazilians in the United States who need to:
Sell or buy property in Brazil
Selling a property worth more than 30 times the Brazilian minimum wage requires a public deed, so the power of attorney for it must also be public. The real estate registry office requires specific powers: the property identified by its registration number (matrícula), the price (or the authority to receive it), and the power to give a release of payment. This is the most common case, and the one where an inadequate power of attorney causes the most trouble.
Manage an account or settle a matter with a bank
Closing an account, withdrawing a balance, renegotiating a debt, signing a contract. Banks usually require a public power of attorney with express powers for the transaction, and many limit how long the document remains valid.
Handle a claim with the INSS
Applying for a benefit, submitting documents, and receiving payments. The INSS accepts powers of attorney but has its own rules on the powers granted and on how the agent is identified.
Represent the family in a probate proceeding
Signing an out-of-court estate settlement deed (inventário extrajudicial) or representing an heir in court proceedings. The power of attorney needs specific powers for the estate division, and for an out-of-court settlement, the notary requires a public one.
Resolve pending matters at a registry office or with the Federal Revenue Service
Authenticating signatures, obtaining certificates, registering documents, bringing your CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID) into good standing, responding to official notices, representing your company. The form of the power of attorney depends on the act.
Transfer a vehicle in the United States
If you are buying or selling a car and cannot go to the DMV, a U.S. power of attorney made for that purpose does the job.
Appoint someone to care for your child in the United States
For parents who want a formally authorized person to handle their child's care, health, and schooling for a set period.
Most families think about the power of attorney only after the buyer shows up.
The property has been on the market for years. When a buyer finally appears, they want to close in two weeks. The real estate agent asks: "Who is signing the deed?" That is when the family discovers that the private, general power of attorney you left in 2019 cannot be used to sell real estate.
The same scene plays out at the bank that refuses an old power of attorney, and at the INSS when it returns a claim because the agent had no authority to receive the benefit. It also happens in a probate case that cannot move forward without the signature of an heir who lives abroad.
Every one of these situations can be fixed. What changes is the cost of fixing it in a rush: a buyer who walks away, a court deadline that passes, a benefit that is delayed, a fine that keeps growing.
In the United States, the problem shows up differently. It is the car you sold that is still in your name because the buyer could not transfer it. Or it is an emergency with your child, when the person caring for them has no document authorizing them to make decisions at school or at the hospital.
Done ahead of time, a power of attorney takes the time it needs. Done in a rush, it takes just as long, with everything else on hold waiting for it.
Without the right power of attorney, any of these can stall:
- The sale or purchase of a property
- Closing or managing a bank account
- A retirement or benefit claim with the INSS
- Probate and the division of assets
- Registering documents at a registry office
- Fixing your CPF status and responding to the Federal Revenue Service
- Representing your company in Brazil
- Transferring a vehicle at the DMV
- Authorizing the person who cares for your child in the United States
The law defines who can act for you and in what form.
What the law does not do for you is choose the right form, draft the powers the way the registry office, the bank, or the INSS will require, and handle every step remotely. That is Cartório BR's job.
Article 653 defines the agency relationship (mandato) and states that the power of attorney is its instrument. Article 654 allows a power of attorney to be made as a private instrument and lists what it must contain: place, date, the names and personal details of the principal and the agent, and the purpose and scope of the powers. Article 657 sets the rule on form: the granting of the agency is subject to the form required by law for the act to be performed. Article 661 distinguishes general powers of administration from special powers, which are required to sell, mortgage, settle, or perform any act beyond ordinary administration. Article 682 covers how the agency ends: revocation or resignation, the death or legal incapacity of either party, a change in status that disqualifies the principal from granting the powers or the agent from exercising them, and the expiration of the term or the completion of the transaction.
A public deed is required for transactions involving real estate worth more than 30 times the Brazilian minimum wage. Combined with Article 657, this is what makes a public power of attorney mandatory to sell or buy real estate.
In Brazil, executing public deeds and public powers of attorney is the exclusive authority of notaries (tabeliães de notas). Abroad, Brazilian consulates may also execute them (Law of Introduction to the Norms of Brazilian Law, Decree-Law No. 4,657/1942, Article 18).
It created the electronic notarial act: a video conference with the notary, signature of the parties with a digital certificate, a notarized digital certificate issued by the notary, and the Electronic Notarial Registration Number (Matrícula Notarial Eletrônica). This is what made public powers of attorney by video conference possible for people outside Brazil. In 2023, the provision was consolidated into the National Code of Rules of the CNJ's National Office of the Inspector General of Justice (CNJ Provision No. 149/2023, Articles 284 and following), and CNJ Provision No. 181/2024 required all notaries to offer the service through e-Notariado.
Brazil joined the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (The Hague, 1961). With an apostille issued in the United States, a power of attorney signed before a U.S. notary does not need consular legalization to be valid in Brazil.
Documents of foreign origin, together with their translations, must be registered with the Registry of Deeds and Documents to have effect before government offices, courts, or tribunals. This is why a private power of attorney needs a sworn translation and RTD registration.
A parent's power of attorney for the care of a minor is provided for in RCW 11.130.145: a mother or father may delegate to another person, by power of attorney, their powers regarding the care, custody, or property of a minor child for up to 24 months, except consent to marriage or adoption. Signing follows RCW 11.125.050: before a notary public or two witnesses. For vehicles, the Department of Licensing uses the Release of Interest / Power of Attorney form (TD-420-050). In Oregon, the delegation of parental powers is provided for in ORS 109.056, for up to 6 months.
Required documents
Public power of attorney with an ICP-Brasil certificate: principal's documents (yours)
- Valid Brazilian passport
- A second Brazilian ID: CNH (driver's license), RG (ID card), work card (carteira de trabalho), or professional council ID (OAB, CRM, CREA)
- CPF number
- Certificate showing your current marital status: birth certificate, marriage certificate, or marriage certificate with the divorce noted on it
- Proof of current address in the United States (your driver's license is accepted)
- Proof of address in Brazil (it may be in someone else's name)
- Property registration record (matrícula), only if the power of attorney is for a real estate transaction
Agent's documents (the person in Brazil)
- RG (ID card)
- CPF number
- Certificate showing current marital status: birth certificate, marriage certificate, or marriage certificate with the divorce noted on it
- Proof of current address in Brazil
Public power of attorney without an ICP-Brasil certificate: principal's documents (yours)
- Valid Brazilian passport
- A second Brazilian ID: CNH (driver's license), RG (ID card), work card (carteira de trabalho), or professional council ID (OAB, CRM, CREA)
- CPF number
- Certificate showing your current marital status: birth certificate, marriage certificate, or marriage certificate with the divorce noted on it
- Proof of current address in the United States (your driver's license is accepted)
- A selfie taken in good lighting, against a neutral background, without glasses or a hat
- Property registration record (matrícula), only if the power of attorney is for a real estate transaction
Agent's documents (same list as above)
- RG (ID card)
- CPF number
- Certificate showing current marital status: birth certificate, marriage certificate, or marriage certificate with the divorce noted on it
- Proof of current address in Brazil
U.S. power of attorney for the DMV
- Vehicle title
- Buyer's U.S. driver's license
- Seller's U.S. driver's license
- Proof of address for the buyer and the seller, if their driver's licenses do not show their current address
U.S. power of attorney for parents or caregivers of a minor
- Mother's valid, original ID: Brazilian passport, U.S. driver's license, or state ID
- Father's valid, original ID: Brazilian passport, U.S. driver's license, or state ID
- Child's passport
- Child's birth certificate
- Agent's valid ID (the person who will be responsible for the child): passport, U.S. driver's license, or state ID
Four steps, from WhatsApp to a document ready to use.
You tell us what you need
On WhatsApp, tell us what needs to get done (a property sale, a bank matter, an INSS claim, probate, a registry office or Federal Revenue Service matter, a vehicle transfer at the DMV, or care for your child) and who your agent will be. Our team recommends the right power of attorney (public or private, with or without an ICP-Brasil certificate) and the powers it must include.
You send your documents
The list is right below. We review everything before scheduling, so the video conference with the Brazilian notary or the signing before the notary public happens only once.
You sign
For a public power of attorney, Cartório BR schedules the video conference with the notary in Brazil and guides you through getting the digital certificate (ICP-Brasil or notarized). For a private power of attorney, you sign before a notary public in Bothell. U.S. powers of attorney are also signed in person: for the parents' power of attorney, the mother and father sign at the appointment scheduled after the review and bring their original documents.
You receive your power of attorney, ready to use
The public power of attorney is delivered electronically through e-Notariado, ready for the registry office, the bank, or the INSS. The private power of attorney is delivered apostilled, translated, and registered with the RTD, ready for use in Brazil. The U.S. power of attorney comes signed and notarized, ready for the DMV or for the person who will care for your child.
Why choose Cartório BR?
Experience in both Brazil and the United States
Francisco Harto arrived in the United States in 2016 and has volunteered with the Brazilian consulate's mobile consular missions since 2017. Cartório BR has served the Brazilian community for more than five years, mainly in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco.
The right choice before you sign
The most common reasons a power of attorney is rejected are the wrong form or a missing power. Our team determines the type of power of attorney and its powers based on the act you need to perform, not on a generic template.
A team in the United States and in Brazil
In the United States, we handle the document review, the digital certificate, the notarization, and the apostille. In Brazil, we handle contact with the notary, the sworn translation, and RTD registration. You follow every step on WhatsApp.
Both countries in a single service
In addition to powers of attorney for Brazil, Cartório BR prepares U.S. powers of attorney for the DMV and for parents or caregivers of a minor, notarized in Washington.
Mistakes that get a power of attorney rejected by the registry office, the bank, or the INSS
Using a private power of attorney to sell property when the law requires a public one.
Granting only general powers ("broad general powers") for an act that requires special powers: selling, giving a release of payment, receiving a benefit, executing an estate partition.
Signing the power of attorney before a U.S. notary and sending it to Brazil without an apostille, a sworn translation, or RTD registration.
Waiting until a deadline is already running to get the power of attorney.
Reusing an old power of attorney that the bank or registry office no longer accepts.
Failing to identify the property by its registration number (matrícula) or getting the agent's personal details wrong.
In a parents' power of attorney, failing to define the period and the health and school powers, or leaving out the other parent's signature when both share custody.
Timelines depend on the type of power of attorney. We give you yours during the case review.
Public power of attorney by video conference: the time depends on the document review, the issuance of the digital certificate, and the notary's schedule. Private power of attorney: the timeline covers four steps (notarization, apostille, sworn translation, and registration with the RTD, Brazil's registry of deeds and documents). In both cases, we give you the exact timeline during the review. U.S. powers of attorney: the DMV power of attorney and the parents' power of attorney are ready on the day of signing, after the documents are reviewed. Validity: under the general rule of the Civil Code, a power of attorney is valid until it is revoked, until the term written in it expires, or until the transaction is completed, and it ends upon the death or legal incapacity of the principal or the agent (Article 682). Some time limits are set by law: at the INSS, the authority to receive a benefit is valid for no more than 12 months, subject to renewal (Law No. 8,213/1991, Article 109). Banks and registry offices also tend to ask for a recent power of attorney. A parents' power of attorney in Washington is valid for up to 24 months (RCW 11.130.145); in Oregon, for up to 6 months (ORS 109.056). The sooner you arrange your power of attorney, the less likely the act will sit on hold waiting for it.
Frequently asked questions
No. A public power of attorney is executed by video conference with a notary in Brazil, through e-Notariado, and you sign with a digital certificate. A private power of attorney is signed here in Bothell and sent to Brazil apostilled, translated, and registered. Cartório BR supports you on either path.
A public power of attorney is executed by a notary in Brazil and is required for acts the law requires to be done by public deed, such as selling real estate. A private power of attorney is signed by you, with your signature authenticated (here, through notarization), and is used for acts that accept a private document. The right form depends on the act; it is the first thing our team determines.
Not necessarily. One path uses an ICP-Brasil certificate, which Cartório BR also issues (as a file or in the cloud, valid for one to three years). The other uses the e-Notariado notarized certificate, issued free of charge by the notary and valid only within that platform. An ICP-Brasil certificate is worthwhile if you will also sign documents outside notary and registry offices, for example, with the Federal Revenue Service, on gov.br, or on contracts.
Yes. The Brazilian consulate executes public powers of attorney, by appointment and in person. A power of attorney by video conference with a notary in Brazil is the alternative if you cannot get an appointment or cannot travel to San Francisco. Cartório BR recommends the path that best fits your case.
Any legally capable person you trust: a relative, a friend, or a lawyer. For a power of attorney for Brazil, your agent needs an RG, a CPF, a marital status certificate, and an address in Brazil. They can only do what is written in the power of attorney.
Yes, as long as it is public and grants specific powers: the property identified by its registration number (matrícula) and the authority to sell, receive the price, and give a release of payment. It is our most frequent request and the one whose wording requires the most care.
No. It does not transfer custody or replace a court decision. It only allows the person you choose, for a set period, to care for your child, enroll them in school, and authorize medical care when you cannot. You can revoke it at any time.
It depends on the type. A public power of attorney depends on the notary's schedule and on issuing the certificate; a private one involves notarization, apostille, translation, and registration; U.S. powers of attorney are ready on the day they are signed. We give you the timeline for your case after reviewing it.
No. Cartório BR is a private document services company. It is not a notary or registry office, a consulate, or a government agency. Official acts are performed by Brazilian notaries, registry offices, U.S. notaries public, and government agencies.
Don't wait until the buyer shows up to get your power of attorney.
If a property, an account, a benefit, a probate case, or a document in Brazil is waiting for your signature, the right power of attorney takes care of it without you having to travel. If the need is in the United States, at the DMV or for your child's care, we also prepare the U.S. power of attorney.
Remote service for Brazilians in the United States, with a team in both countries.