Proposal approved in the Senate and under analysis in the Chamber intends to facilitate police inspection and strengthen the regional identification of vehicles.
The Mercosur license plate standard, adopted in Brazil six years ago under criticism for the absence of a geographical indication, may undergo its first major revision. A bill that reintroduces the display of the name of the municipality and the acronym of the state on the ‘ticket’ has advanced in Congress and awaits the last opinions before being taken to the final vote in plenary in the Chamber of Deputies.
The main justification for Bill 3.214/2023, authored by Senator Esperidião Amin (PP-SC), is the reinforcement of public security. Police and traffic agents argue that the removal of local identification made it difficult to immediately perceive vehicles from outside the region in suspicious situations. Although digital systems and consultation applications exist, direct visual information is considered a crucial enabler for routine surveillance.
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The proposal does not provide for the abandonment of the Mercosur standard, but rather a functional adaptation. The name of the municipality and the acronym of the federative unit would be inserted at the top, below the word “Brazil”, allowing the maintenance of current security items, such as the QR code. In addition to the police aspect, it is argued that the change rescues the owner’s sense of identity and belonging to the place of registration.
If approved and sanctioned, the new rule will come into force 365 days after official publication. For new vehicles, the requirement will be valid at the time of the first registration. For the fleet in circulation that already bears the Mercosur model without identification, the exchange will not be mandatory immediately. The replacement will only be required in specific situations, such as transfer of ownership, change of municipality, change of category or if the license plate suffers any physical damage.
Currently, the text has already received positive approval from the Commission on Traffic and Transport and is awaiting analysis by the Commission on Constitution and Justice and Citizenship (CCJC). If it receives a favorable opinion, the bill will go to the plenary of the Chamber before returning to the Senate or going to the presidential sanction.
