The criminal record certificate (certidão de antecedentes criminais) is issued by the Federal Police and by the state Civil Police forces, and you can request it yourself. Antecedentes Criminais Brasil is a private service, not a government agency: we explain the route and help when it gets complicated, with the Hague apostille, sworn translation and issuance for people living abroad.
Quick answer
Yes, the criminal record certificate of the Federal Police (Polícia Federal, PF) is free of charge, issued online and valid for 90 days. Paraná and Rio de Janeiro also offer free state certificates. What a private service charges for is assistance, not public issuance. Before you pay, check whether you really need help.
Summary table
| Route | Who issues or performs it | Cost at the agency | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal certificate | Federal Police (PF) | Free | 90 days |
| Paraná certificate | Paraná state agency | Free | 90 days |
| Rio de Janeiro certificate | Félix Pacheco Identification Institute (IIFP) | Free | 90 days or as set by the issuing agency |
| Validation in São Paulo | State validation service | No fee for the citizen | Not applicable: it is validation, not issuance |
Please note: a route being free does not mean that all state documents are free. Nor does it mean that apostille, translation or private assistance are included in issuance.
The most economical decision is to first identify which document you need, check with the responsible agency and see whether you can complete the request directly. If the system works and the certificate meets the purpose stated by the institution asking for it, there is no reason to hire an intermediary just to get it issued.
Where it is free: Federal Police, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro and validation in São Paulo
The question "where can I get a Brazilian criminal record for free?" does not have a single answer for all states and procedures. The route depends on the document requested and on the responsible agency.
Federal Police: free certificate online
The Federal Police states that its criminal record certificate is issued free of charge over the internet and is valid for 90 days.
The service is available on the Federal Government portal:
Issue the criminal record certificate free of charge (gov.br)
Service is described as immediate in the normal online issuance situation. The certificate is provided for civil purposes and can be printed.
So if you are looking for a free Federal Police criminal record, the first route is the government portal itself. You do not need to hire private assistance just to try issuance.
To understand this procedure specifically, see our page on the Brazilian federal police certificate.
Paraná: free certificate, up to 24 hours
In Paraná, the state service for requesting the criminal record certificate expressly states that it is free of charge.
According to the state services portal, the request is made entirely online and the document is ready in up to 24 hours.
The Paraná certificate is valid for 90 days.
This example shows that a state procedure can also be free, but with a feature that differs from normal federal issuance: the time reported by Paraná is up to 24 hours, while the PF describes ordinary online service as immediate.
Rio de Janeiro: state service at no cost
In Rio de Janeiro, the presentation page of the certificate service says there is no cost to obtain it.
The document is associated with the Félix Pacheco Identification Institute (Instituto de Identificação Félix Pacheco), known by the acronym IIFP.
The official information on validity mentions 90 days from release, or as set by the issuing agency.
São Paulo: free validation is not the same as free issuance
In São Paulo, the official information identified refers specifically to the validation of the authenticity of the information in the criminal record certificate.
This validation procedure has no fee for the citizen.
It is important to note the scope of this information: it confirms that there is no charge for validating the document, but it does not by itself establish the cost of all criminal record issuance procedures in the state.
Bahia: validity identified, cost not confirmed
In Bahia, the Civil Police portal states that the criminal record certificate is valid for 90 days from issuance. After that period, a new search must be requested.
So, as to the price in Bahia, the information was not found in the official content consulted; confirm directly on the website of the responsible agency.
What about the other Brazilian states?
Among the facts gathered for this guide there is no sufficient basis to say that all states charge or that all offer free issuance.
Before you pay, identify the responsible state, find the corresponding service and check whether the portal states the cost. If that detail is not confirmed, the information was not found in the official content consulted; confirm directly on the website of the responsible agency.
You can also read our guide on the state criminal record certificate to tell state routes apart from the Federal Police procedure.
Federal certificate or state certificate: which should you request?
The first step is to find out which document was requested.
The same caution applies when someone suggests replacing the certificate with a declaration of your own. No rule was found that obliges every institution to accept that substitution.
Free is not always immediate: protocol, homonym and CPF mismatch
One of the most important doubts arises when the user opens the free Federal Police portal but cannot get the certificate issued.
When federal issuance works normally
In the usual situation, the PF reports that issuance is free and immediate online.
This is the situation in which paying for assistance tends to be unnecessary: if you can make the request directly and obtain the certificate required, the public stage is already complete.
Homonyms: when the system cannot complete issuance
The Federal Police reports that some people cannot get the certificate online because other people have the same name.
These are homonym situations.
According to the description of the federal service, the system generates a protocol number that must be presented to a Federal Police unit.
The citizen or an attorney-in-fact (procurador) can take that protocol.
After this stage, the official page says the certificate can take up to 15 days to be ready.
CPF mismatch with the Federal Revenue data
Another situation provided for in the federal service involves mismatches between the CPF (Brazilian taxpayer number) provided and the Federal Revenue database.
As in the homonym case, the system can generate a protocol number to be presented to the PF by the citizen or by an attorney-in-fact.
What about the "nada consta" statement?
The federal service described on gov.br issues the "nada consta" ("nothing on record") certificate.
The page states that a "consta" ("something on record") certificate will not be issued by this online service, since that information depends on in-person confirmation with the Federal Police, especially because of homonyms.
When assistance can be considered
Assistance becomes a possibility when there is a real difficulty in understanding or following the procedure.
For example, someone who received a protocol number because of a homonym may want guidance on the step provided by the agency. A person with a CPF mismatch may need to understand the referral reported in the federal service.
If you are in that situation, you can also read our guide on how to get a Brazilian criminal record certificate.
What a private service charges for, and what should not be charged as if it were the certificate
A private company can charge for document assistance work. This does not mean that the free federal certificate has acquired an issuance fee.
Antecedentes Criminais Brasil offers assisted issuance and related services, such as the Hague apostille and sworn translation.
The company is not the Federal Police, is not a state Civil Police and does not issue documents as a public body.
Official agency vs. assisted service: costs and responsibilities compared
| Comparison | Official agency | Assisted service (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Federal certificate issuance | Free from the PF | Assistance from R$ 30 |
| Issuance in Paraná | Free from the state agency | Private assistance is not mandatory |
| Issuance in Rio de Janeiro | Free state service | Private assistance does not replace the agency |
| What it does | Issues the document within its competence | Guides and assists with the procedure |
| Who is responsible for issuance | The competent public authority | The authority remains responsible for issuance |
| Hague apostille | Done by authorized notary offices (cartórios), where applicable | Service from R$ 95, notary office fee extra |
| Sworn translation | Not included in the free federal certificate | From R$ 110 per page |
| Time and acceptance | Follow the rules of the procedure and of the receiving institution | Does not guarantee time or acceptance |
The correct reading of the table is simple: the private service's charge pays for an additional activity; it does not create a government fee for issuing the free certificate.
How much does assisted issuance cost?
At Antecedentes Criminais Brasil, assisted issuance is offered from R$ 30.
Assistance can be considered by people who face difficulties in the procedure or who need to organize the request while outside Brazil.
How much does the Hague apostille cost?
The Hague apostille service advertised by Antecedentes Criminais Brasil starts from R$ 95.
The notary office fee is charged separately. Shipping is also not included in the prices shown.
The material consulted does not give a time or a notary fee amount that could be applied generally to the apostille of this certificate.
There is also a distinction of responsibility: according to Brazilian consular guidance, documents issued in Brazil for use in countries party to the Hague Apostille Convention must be apostilled at authorized notary offices.
The private service can assist with this stage, but it does not replace the authority that performs the apostille.
Before hiring, confirm whether the receiving institution requires the apostille and which services are included in the price shown.
And sworn translation?
Sworn translation is another service offered separately.
The price advertised by Antecedentes Criminais Brasil starts from R$ 110 per page.
This amount is not part of the free issuance of the federal certificate.
It is important to avoid the impression that every Brazilian certificate necessarily needs translation. The facts used in this guide do not establish that requirement for all countries, institutions or purposes.
Using the certificate abroad: what changes?
The Federal Police directs Brazilians abroad to the guidance of the Itamaraty Consular Portal (Brazil's foreign ministry) on legalization of documents.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that Brazilian documents intended for countries party to the Hague Apostille Convention must be apostilled at authorized notary offices.
However, the facts consulted contain no guarantee that any consulate or foreign institution will accept the certificate just because it has been apostilled or translated.
No official source was found confirming that the apostille renews or extends the 90-day validity of the federal certificate.
To understand the assistance related to documents intended for use abroad, see the Hague apostille for criminal records and use abroad.
Will you use the certificate abroad, or did you run into difficulties with the procedure? You can leave your contact to present your case. We tell you the proposed service, the time and the price before any payment, without guaranteeing the result or the acceptance of the document.
Free or assisted: how to decide without paying unnecessarily
Checklist: five questions before paying
- [ ] 1. Do I need the federal certificate? If so, have I already tried to request it directly on the free Federal Police service?
- [ ] 2. Do I need a state certificate? Have I checked with the relevant agency and confirmed whether issuance has a cost?
- [ ] 3. Was the procedure completed? Or did a protocol number related to a homonym or CPF mismatch appear?
- [ ] 4. Will I use the document abroad? Has the receiving institution said whether it requires an apostille or translation?
- [ ] 5. Do I know exactly what I would be paying for? Does the price shown correspond to assistance, apostille, translation or another identified stage?
Case 1: you need a state document
Confirm which state is responsible.
In Paraná and Rio de Janeiro, the sources consulted identify free services. In São Paulo, the free service confirmed in this guide refers to validation of the certificate.
For Bahia and other procedures with no confirmed cost, do not assume either free or paid.
The information was not found in the official content consulted; confirm directly on the website of the responsible agency.
Case 2: the document will be presented abroad
Start with the certificate that is required and then check the recipient's requirements.
Federal issuance can remain free, even if later stages have their own costs.
The apostille of Brazilian documents intended for countries party to the Hague Convention is carried out by authorized notary offices.
If you need assistance with the apostille or translation, compare the services and check the additional expenses before hiring.
Free issuance and a complementary service are separate decisions.
Case 3: you do not yet know which certificate to submit
In that case, paying before clarifying the requirement may not solve the main question.
The institution may have asked for a federal document, a state one, or set its own requirements. The facts in this guide do not allow us to say that any certificate will replace another in all circumstances.
The same care applies to a declaration of your own: no rule was identified that obliges all institutions to accept it in place of the certificate.
Clarify first which document is needed and only then choose the procedure.
Sources
The information on free service, issuance, validity and procedures was based on the following government sources:
- Federal Government, Emitir Certidão de Antecedentes Criminais. Federal Police service, free of charge, 90-day validity and procedures in cases of homonyms or CPF mismatch.
https://www.gov.br/pt-br/servicos/emitir-certidao-de-antecedentes-criminais
- Federal Police, Antecedentes Criminais. Institutional information on free online issuance and guidance on documents for Brazilians abroad.
https://www.gov.br/pf/pt-br/assuntos/antecedentes-criminais
- Rio de Janeiro, Serviço de Atestado de Antecedentes Criminais. Information on the absence of cost and the validity of the state certificate.
https://atestadodic.detran.rj.gov.br/Apresentacao.aspx
- Paraná Government, Solicitar Atestado de Antecedentes Criminais. Free of charge, online service, up to 24 hours and 90-day validity.
https://www.parana.pr.gov.br/servicos/Seguranca/Atestados-e-Certidoes/Solicitar-Atestado-de-Antecedentes-Criminais-eVoG68rb
Need help with your certificate?
If you can issue the certificate directly with the responsible agency, use the free public route.
Antecedentes Criminais Brasil is a private document assistance service, not a government body. Our work does not replace issuance by the competent authority and does not guarantee the result or the acceptance of the document.
Will you use the certificate abroad, or did your request get stuck? Leave your contact and we will review your case and tell you the time and price before any payment.