Known as the Environmental Preservation Fee, the charge on visitors' vehicles advances along the coast; see where it is already worth and how much it costs
More and more Brazilian coastal cities charge a fee from those who arrive by car to enjoy the beach. Known as the Environmental Preservation Fee (TPA), the charge is levied on visitors’ vehicles and spreads throughout the country to pay for the cleaning and conservation of beaches in the high season. The most recent adoption is that of Ilhabela (SP), which resumed the TPA on March 31, 2026, after years of suspension, and joins Ubatuba (SP) and Bombinhas (SC).
The values vary according to the city and the type of vehicle. In Bombinhas, a pioneer among municipalities to tax cars, in the 2014/2015 season, the charge is valid from November 15 to April 15 and costs about R$ 38 for cars, and can exceed R$ 190 for buses. In Ubatuba, which has been charging since 2023, small cars pay from R$ 13.86. In Ilhabela, the fare is R$ 48 for cars. The model was born in the Northeast: Fernando de Noronha (PE) has been charging per person since 1989 — today, R$ 105.79 per day.
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In practice, the TPA is a tax instituted by municipal law — or state, in the case of Noronha — and justified by the cost of mitigating the impact of tourism, with revenue linked to environmental actions. In general, residents, vehicles with license plates from neighboring cities and those who stay a few hours in the municipality are exempt, and inspection is done by electronic license plate reading.
The charge, however, divides opinions. Critics point out that it could bump into the freedom of movement provided for in the Constitution, which prohibits limiting traffic through taxation; The defenders, on the other hand, claim that it is an environmental fee, and not a road toll. In Santa Catarina, an amendment to the state Constitution even restricted charges that limit traffic. The resumption in Ilhabela, scheduled for December 2025, was suspended by the Court of Auditors, and the São Sebastião tax was approved under protests from residents.
The trend is expanding: São Sebastião and Guarujá have already sanctioned laws to charge in 2026, and Campos do Jordão (SP), a mountain destination, has also created its TPA.
