DIY vs Using an Accountant to Open a Brazilian Company
DIY only works to open a Brazilian company as a MEI. Every other type legally requires an accountant. Compare cost, speed and what each option covers.
DIY registration only really works to open a Brazilian company as a MEI. Every other structure — ME, EPP, LTDA, SLU — legally requires an accountant with an active CRC registration to sign the incorporation act at the Junta Comercial, under Art. 1.179 of the Civil Code. So the real comparison is not whether to do it yourself, but whether that required accountant is a traditional office or an online accounting service — a choice that changes cost, speed and how much the founder has to manage directly.
DIY vs accountant to open a Brazilian company, side by side
| MEI (DIY) | ME/LTDA, traditional accountant | ME/LTDA, online accounting service | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who files the registration | The entrepreneur, on the Portal do Empreendedor | A CRC-registered accountant, in person or by phone | A CRC-registered accountant, through a digital platform |
| Opening cost | R$ 0 | R$ 500 to R$ 3,000 in fees | Often R$ 0, included in a monthly plan |
| Time to register | Same day | 30 to 48 days on average | 30 to 48 days on average |
| Ongoing accounting | Not required by law | Required, billed monthly | Required, billed monthly |
| Revenue ceiling | R$ 81,000/year | R$ 4.8 million/year (Simples Nacional) | R$ 4.8 million/year (Simples Nacional) |
Why DIY stops at the MEI
The MEI is the one status the law exempts from mandatory accounting, which is exactly what makes self-registration possible: no CRC signature is required to file it. The moment a business needs to register as ME, EPP or LTDA — because it exceeds the MEI’s R$ 81,000 ceiling, needs a partner, or performs an activity outside the MEI list — the Junta Comercial will not accept the incorporation act without an accountant’s signature. At that point, “doing it yourself” is not a cheaper path; it is not a legal path at all.
Traditional accountant: in-person, higher opening fee
A traditional accounting office typically charges R$ 500 to R$ 3,000 to open an ME or LTDA, on top of government fees, and monthly accounting can run close to the real cost of running a Brazilian company, sometimes near R$ 2,000 for some activities. The process still runs through the same Junta Comercial and MAT steps as any other registration, but is usually coordinated by phone, email or in-person meetings rather than a single digital platform.
Online accounting service: digital process, often free to open
An online accounting service files the same legally required registration — CNAE, tax regime, incorporation act, MAT — but does it through a digital platform, and frequently waives the opening fee for a client who signs a monthly plan. The Contabilizei, for example, offers free registration on its annual plan and, in selected cities, also covers the Junta Comercial fee and the digital certificate cost. Monthly plans across online accounting services commonly range from R$ 139 to R$ 395, well below the traditional office’s typical monthly range.
What neither option changes
Government fees — the Junta Comercial registration, the digital certificate when required, and the municipal alvará — apply regardless of which accountant is hired, and vary by state and municipality. Companies that plan to export services from Brazil face the same registration requirement before any export-specific tax treatment applies. The registration timeline, 30 to 48 days on average for an ME or LTDA, is also largely set by these government steps rather than by the accountant’s own speed.
How to decide between a traditional and an online accounting service
- Compare the total cost of the first year, not just the opening fee — sum 12 months of the accounting plan to the opening cost, detailed in the real cost of a Brazilian company, before deciding.
- Check whether the plan includes the Junta Comercial fee and the digital certificate, since coverage varies by city and by provider.
- Confirm the CRC registration of the accountant responsible, whether the service is traditional or online — the legal requirement is the same either way.
- Weigh how much you want to manage remotely. An online accounting service concentrates documents, notes and tax filings in one platform; a traditional office relies more on direct, in-person contact.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open an LTDA myself, without an accountant? No. Unlike the MEI, an LTDA requires the incorporation act to be signed by an accountant with an active CRC registration before the Junta Comercial accepts the registration.
Is DIY registration really free only for the MEI? Yes. The MEI is the only status the law does not require an accountant to open, which is what makes a truly do-it-yourself, no-cost registration possible.
Is an online accounting service cheaper than a traditional one? Usually, yes, on both the opening fee (often R$ 0 versus R$ 500 to R$ 3,000) and the monthly plan (commonly R$ 139 to R$ 395 versus up to about R$ 2,000 in some traditional offices), though the exact difference depends on activity and plan.
Does choosing an online accounting service take longer to register? No. The registration timeline is set mainly by government steps — the Junta Comercial and the MAT — and runs 30 to 48 days on average regardless of whether the accountant is traditional or online.