Brazil Launches a National Property Registry

The Brazilian federal government has introduced the Cadastro Imobiliário Brasileiro (CIB). It’s a national property registry that assigns a unique identification code to every piece of real estate across the country. All rural and urban, public and private, residential and commercial properties will be included.

Created and managed by the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service (Receita Federal), the CIB integrates data from multiple sources, including municipalities. Each property receives a single georeferenced code that links its legal, physical, geographical, environmental, and tax information. Owners don’t need to apply or pay any fees; the code will be generated automatically.

The CIB doesn’t replace services provided by real estate notary offices (cartórios). For example, they’ll still handle property transfers. Deeds, titles, and certificates will also continue to be issued by them, but they’ll now include the CIB number as a cross-reference. This should improve data consistency, reduce fraud, and simplify property verification nationwide.

Going forward, notaries will be required to report real estate transactions to the federal database. This data sharing aims to increase transparency and ensure accurate property valuations for tax purposes. While it may help prevent underreporting, experts warn that it could also lead to higher taxable property values.

For investors and property owners, the new CIB system promises to deliver greater reliability and legal certainty in real estate transactions. Still, as the system is gradually implemented through 2026, it’s wise to confirm whether your property already has a CIB number and understand how it may affect your future property transactions.