Government extends validity of expired CNHs throughout Brazil; see who is entitled

Those who have had their National Driver’s License (CNH) expired since June have gained more time.

This is because the National Traffic Council (Contran) extended the validity of CNHs and Authorizations to Drive Mopeds (ACCs) that expired or expire between June 5 and December 8, 2026. All are automatically valid until December 9.

The measure is in Resolution No. 279, published in an extra edition of the Official Gazette of the Union on September 9. The extension is automatic: it is not necessary to request anything, issue a new document or register any procedure.

The bodies of the National Traffic System must respect the new deadline in inspection throughout the country.

There are two important caveats: the rule does not apply to those who have the right to drive suspended or revoked. In addition, the date printed on the document remains the same, and the driver will still have to comply with exams and other steps when the exceptional deadline ends.

Second extension in three months

This is the second extension in a row. In June, Resolution No. 278 had already extended the validity of documents expired between June 5 and September 8 until September 9, a measure endorsed by Resolution No. 1,029 in August.

The reason is the adaptation period of Detrans, the National Traffic Secretariat (Senatran) and the Digital Traffic Card to the changes in the license brought by Law No. 15,428/2026.

After the new deadline, the 30 days of grace provided for in the Brazilian Traffic Code are still valid to regularize the situation without penalty, which pushes the limit to the beginning of January 2027. Nothing, however, prevents the driver from starting the renewal before that.

The resolution also gives Detrans 30 days to update in the National Registry of Driver’s Licenses (Renach) the registrations of medical and psychologist experts and entities authorized to carry out physical and mental fitness exams and psychological evaluations.