What is the difference between CRLV and CRV? Understand the details of each document

The Vehicle Registration Certificate (CRV) and the Licensing Registration Certificate (CRLV) are commonly linked to the concept of a car document. The truth, however, is that few know what each of the names means. Understand what is the difference between CRV and CRLV.

According to the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB), the Annual Licensing Certificate is the document issued annually to the licensed vehicle, linked to the Registration Certificate, in the model and specifications established by the National Traffic Council (Contran).

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This means that the CRLV is the document issued annually to indicate that the car is able to circulate on Brazilian streets. The CRV, in turn, is issued to ensure that the vehicle has been registered with the traffic agencies.

Difference Between CRV and CRLV

The main difference between the documents is their validity. Unlike the CRLV, which is issued annually, the CRV has no duration. Only in some specific cases is it necessary to request a new document.

Another distinction is that the CRV presents the Authorization for Transfer of Vehicle Ownership (ATPV), known as the purchase and sale receipt.

Is it mandatory to carry CRV and CRLV?

According to the CTB, the Annual Licensing Certificate (CRLV) is mandatory. The document is only waived when, at the time of inspection, it is possible to have access to the proper computerized system to verify that the vehicle is licensed.

Not carrying the car document (digital or printed) is a very serious infraction and can cost R$ 293.47 and seven points in the license. Meanwhile, the CRV carry is not mandatory.

CRLV Digital – issuance, download and sharing

The CRLV-e facilitates the inspection work and brings other advantages such as the option of printing and sharing. It is possible to access the document through the CNH do Brasil application, download it and, since 2023, it has been possible to share it with up to five different devices at the same time.

It is issued after payment of the licensing and the Property Tax on Motor Vehicles (IPVA), and the debts related to traffic and environmental fines linked to the vehicle are settled.

According to Article 130 of the CTB, every automotive, electric, articulated, trailer or semi-trailer vehicle, to travel on the road, must be licensed annually and have the document up to date.

How to access the digital CRLV

The CRLV-e has the same legal validity as the printed document and can be presented directly by cell phone or, if preferred, printed on plain paper. The document can be issued through the digital channels of the National Traffic Secretariat (Senatran) and the State Traffic Departments (Detrans), in addition to the CNH do Brasil app.

Follow the step-by-step instructions to issue it through the CNH do Brasil platform:

1. Install the app, available for Android and iOS;
2. Log in with your Gov.br account (if you don’t already have one, you’ll need to create one);
3. After logging in, select the “Vehicles” option;
4. Enter vehicle data, such as license plate and Renavam;
5. After consulting and validating the information, the CRLV will be available for download and can be saved in the application itself in a digital version that can be presented even without an internet connection.

Issue digital CRLV through the DMV website:

1. Access the website of the DMV responsible for your state;
2. Enter the area intended for licensing or issuance of the CRLV;
3. Log in with the vehicle data (usually license plate and Renavam);
4. After checking the vehicle’s situation and confirming that the debts are settled, the document will be available for download.

On the Senatran services portal:

1. Access the official Senatran portal;
2. Sign in with your Gov.br account;
3. Click on the “My Vehicles” option;
4. Locate the desired vehicle and download the CRLV-e.

How to share the CRLV-e 2026

This functionality is essential for those who share the vehicle with family members or other drivers. There are two different procedures that must be done when sharing the digital document, one for the owner of the car and one for the person who drives it.

CNH do Brasil of the vehicle owner

1. Access the CNH do Brasil application and click on “Vehicles”.
2. Select the vehicle you want to share.
3. Click on the “Share” button.
4. On the next screen, tap the “+” button to add a new user.
5. Enter the CPF and the name of the person you want to share the CRLV 2025 with and click “Share”.

CNH do Brasil of the driver who will receive the CRLV

1. The driver will receive a notification informing them of the sharing.
2. When accessing the notification, he will see the vehicle’s data as well as the owner’s.
3. In the “Vehicles” menu, the option to accept sharing will appear.
4. After accepting, the document will be displayed as CRLV-e shared in the app.

By following these steps, the new driver will be able to present the Digital CRLV whenever necessary.

Digital CRV – how it works

Since 2020, due to Resolution No. 809 of the National Traffic Council (Contran), the Vehicle Registration Certificate (CRV), as well as the CRLV, have been issued exclusively digitally.

The change applies only to vehicles registered from 2021 onwards. Users who already have the CRV printed on Paper Money did not suffer practical impacts from the change.

When is the issuance of a new CRV mandatory?

The new issuance is mandatory in cases of:

• Transfer of ownership;
• The owner changes the Municipality of domicile or residence;
• any characteristic of the vehicle is changed; or
• There is a change of category.

Attention! In the case of transfer of ownership, the deadline for the vehicle owner to adopt the necessary measures to effect the issuance of the new Vehicle Registration Certificate is thirty days, and in other cases the measures must be immediate.

How to issue and transfer vehicles

It is possible to issue the CRV with the CRLV-e, doing the same process mentioned above. To fill out the ATPV-e, or purchase and sale receipt, the vehicle owner must:

• Log in to the CNH do Brasil application;
• click on Vehicles in the main menu;
• select the vehicle he wants to sell;
• click on the “Start Digital Sale” icon at the bottom of the screen, where you must fill in the sale and buyer data; e
• Verify vehicle, seller, buyer, and transaction information and confirm the sales indication.

Finally, the seller must wait for the buyer’s signature/acceptance. After indicating the sale, the buyer must sign it by clicking on “Vehicles” in the main menu of the CNH do Brasil platform application and select the vehicle being transferred.

The seller must also sign the intention to sell by clicking on “Vehicles” in the main menu of CNH do Brasil.

Attention: After signing, the seller will no longer be able to access the vehicle’s CRLV-e.

To have the vehicle officially transferred to his name, the buyer must contact the state’s DMV to complete the process