How to get a driver's license in São Paulo: What You Need to Know

Hot take: don't. It's a lot of work. This post will explain some of the 'fun' you will need to partake in to obtain a Brazilian driver's license. Sorry no pics because I don't think I would've been allowed to take them.

***Disclaimer: this is all my own experience, written with a bit of humor, and may not be fully exhaustive. Brazilian government, please don't come for me. <3

Step 1: Register with Federal Police to assert you are a resident (up to 3-6 months)

• Wait in line(s) for hours, get your photo taken, fingerprints completed, and wait

• Physical resident card may take up to 6 months to arrive. For pickup, you are expected to drive back to the Federal Police location (unless you pay a fee and request home delivery)

Step 2: Get an appointment with PoupaTempo (~2 hours)

• Required documents

  • Unexpired driver's license issued at least 1 year prior

  • Passport

  • Resident Card

  • Translation of apostilled driver's license documentation (don't ask, required many meetings with the secretary of state)

  • Copy of lease / proof of residence

  • Marriage certificate (if your name isn't on the lease)

• Once you show up to your appointment at PoupaTempo (DMV equivalent), wait for ~20 minutes before starting processing. The processing itself includes verification of documentation, taking a license photo, scanning fingerprints, and scheduling follow-ups (step 3).

Step 3: Sign up for a Psychotechnical and Medical exam (two separate experiences)

• At your appointment with PoupaTempo, you will select a date and time (separately) for the psychotechnical and medical exams.

• Both exams will be done at "the location nearest to your residence" - but they do not have to be completed at the same location (even though most places that host the psychotechnical exam will also host the medical exam).

Step 4: Take Psychotechnical Exam (~90 min)

• Show up to the exam, present resident card (but online it says you must bring the following - passport, resident card, driver's license, proof of residence/lease, marriage certificate if name is not lease).

• The exam is broken in two several sections (unofficial names by me, no idea what they are actually called):

  • Logical

  • Line Test

  • Shapesearch

  • Meet with Doctor

• Logical Test is 40 questions - and it's shape / pattern recognition or 'fill in the blank puzzle piece' from a photo/drawing. Think standardized test patterns (e.g., if there are 5 arrows, each rotated 90 degrees to the right from the previous, what is the next arrow?). No questions related to driving OR the rules of driving in Brazil.

  • The kicker: Test proctor / doctor was walking around giving out answers to the exam

  • This portion lasted about 25 minutes - but it was confusing, as once the Line Test was completed, some people in the room received their booklets back for the logic test to continue...

• Line Test is where I believe they want to see if you will crack... you are expected to draw parallel lines about 1 inch long, same spacing as an example, for ~5 minutes. Just on repeat. When the proctor says "sinal," you are expected to draw a dashed horizontal line and then continue. It felt like a strange art exercise.

  • The kicker: Once the proctor indicates everyone should stop, you are handed a bent paperclip - where one edge is a straight 'poker' out, and you are directed to use that to "count all your lines" - add them up by 'section' (aka in between the "sinal" / dashed horizontal line marks), and then sum them at the top of your paper

  • Perhaps the mental math was getting people, but this was the most bizzare of the exercises

• Shapesearch is exactly as it sounds. Imagine a wordsearch style grouping of all different arrow shapes with some filled in, some blank, some with a dot in the middle, and all are rotated in different directions. At the top of the page are three 'shapes' that you are expected to find - and you must go line by line, finding all three shapes in each line, crossing them out, before moving to the next line.

  • The kicker: There was no direction given initially that you must find ALL three shapes in one line before moving on; thus, seeking efficiency, I completed the whole 'wordsearch' for shape 1, and was moving to shape 2 when the proctor stopped me - telling me I was doing it wrong. I explained my methodology, and was dismissed... apparently my 'efficiency' was not permitted.

  • Regardless, at some point (a few minutes later?), my paper was taken from me and I was directed to the final part of the exam. Note - everyone else in my exam was still taking theirs.

• Meet with the Doctor meant I went back to the 'office' with the doctor / proctor and answered a few questions such as:

  • Do you take medication?

  • Do you drink? Do you smoke? Do you take illicit drugs?

  • Have you had surgery?

  • Do you have children? How old?

  • Where are you from? No really, where are you from? But where were you born? (Brazilians seem unfamiliar with the notion that because I look Chinese, I cannot be American...even with my United States passport..)

  • Following the questions - the doctor 'graded' my exam, shared with me that I scored in the 99th percentile, and then we waited another 10 minutes while the VPN key on his computer failed as he attempted to record / print my 'passing' exam.

  • As he finally completed the paperwork, I was 'free to go' and head to another location on a different day for my medical exam..

Step 5: Take Medical Exam (10 min)

• This was probably the 'simplest' medical exam I have had, as I think the psychotechnical doctor asked me more questions about my health.

• However, I showed up to the appointment (again, was only prompted to show my resident card, even though I was told I would need multiple other documents) - and waited for the doctor.

• Check-in paperwork did ask for a bit of medical history (basics - chronic conditions, medication, etc.) but nothing was discussed in detail following me checking 'yes' or 'no'

  • There was also no way for them to confirm any of the information I was writing down.

• Notably, this doctor did not attempt to speak any English with me, but the exam itself was fairly straightforward. Questions I was asked:

  • How long have you been in Brazil?

  • How long will you be here?

  • What do you do for work?

  • Do you smoke / drink?

  • Confirmation of reason for needing glasses

• Next part was an eye exam - pretty simple (stand at the line and read capital letters). I think the chart went down to 20/10.

• After this, I received the doctor's sign off and I was 'free to go.' I can expect to receive the license in the mail within about 1 month.

Based on this experience, I can see why some drivers in Brazil have no respect for the driving laws - at no point in this process was I tested on Brazilian road rules, expected to demonstrate learning the rules / the ability to read signs, or even show them I could physically drive.

Stay safe on the roads and até a próxima!