Nearly 70 million Brazilians have already issued the new National Identity Card

This is a translation of the original article in Portuguese. Read the original (Português).

Nearly 70 million Brazilians have already issued the National Identity Card (Carteira de Identidade Nacional), a free document that adopts the CPF, Brazil’s individual taxpayer registry number, as its identification number. The information comes from the Brazilian newspaper Jornal de Barretos, which highlights the government’s goal of making the document universal by 2030.

The new card is valid for every Brazilian. What changes is the number: instead of a general registration number (RG) that varies according to the state where it was issued, the CPF becomes the single identification number of each citizen.

Who needs to replace it?

There is no immediate rush. The old RG remains valid until February 28, 2032, and those who still use it have time to make the switch. Replacing it, however, avoids problems in everyday life, such as opening a bank account, registering for civil service exams, traveling, and accessing public services.

What changes with the CPF as the single number?

The CPF now identifies the holder on the document. As a result, Brazilians will no longer have different RG numbers depending on the state where the document was issued, and the same number will serve as identification across the entire country.

How much does it cost?

Issuing the National Identity Card is free, according to the report.

What are the deadlines?

The government plans to make the document universal by 2030, meaning that all Brazilians should have the new card by that date. The old RG remains valid until February 28, 2032, the final deadline for replacement.

How do you apply?

The agencies responsible for issuing the card still have to detail the procedures for those who wish to request it or exchange their old RG for the new document.

What does the figure of nearly 70 million represent?

The total indicates that a significant portion of the population has already adopted the new card. Even so, the country has more than 200 million inhabitants, which shows that a large share of Brazilians will still need to obtain the document before the deadline.

Reporting from Jornal de Barretos (p. 8, editoria Nacional).