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Credit Card Fees in Brazil and How to Avoid Them

By PointsExplainedLast reviewed

Read the key-information summary

Before signing, read the prospecto de informações essenciais, which must explain how to consult the fees that can be charged.

Check the annual fee and any waiver

Note the anuidade, whether any exemption is temporary, and what the waiver conditions are. The issuer must warn you a month before it starts charging after an exemption.

Choose your due date

You must be offered at least three due dates, at least seven days apart. Pick one that suits your pay date.

Automate payment

If the issuer holds your account, ask for bill payment by account debit or recurring payment.

Check every bill

The bill must identify each fee charged. Question anything you didn't agree to with the issuer's service channel, then the ouvidoria.

Where this comes from

Sources

The documents this guide relies on. If one has changed since we read it, the document is right and this guide is out of date.

  1. Banco Central do Brasil — FAQ: Quais tarifas podem ser cobradas pelo serviço de cartão de crédito?

    List of fees that may be charged to individuals for credit cards if in the contract (annual fee, replacement card, cash withdrawal in Brazil on credit or abroad on credit/debit, bill payments, emergency limit assessment, automatic transaction messages, personalized card, emergency replacement).

    bcb.gov.br · Accessed
  2. Banco Central do Brasil — FAQ: Cobrança de tarifas relacionadas a cartão

    Fees for differentiated services allowed when conditions are shown to the customer; IOF applies to international purchases, the rotativo and foreign currency purchases.

    bcb.gov.br · Accessed
  3. Resolução BCB nº 96, de 19 de maio de 2021 — contas de pagamento, texto vigente (Banco Central do Brasil)

    Key-information summary before contracting explaining how to consult fees (art. 6, § 2º); bill identifies fees charged (art. 9); at least three due dates at least seven days apart, except payroll-deducted cards (art. 6-A and sole paragraph); account debit or recurring payment option (art. 11-B); full bill as default option (art. 11-A); free notifications including 2 days before due date and 1 month before annual fee starts (art. 11-C).

    bcb.gov.br · Accessed
  4. Banco Central do Brasil — FAQ: Obrigações da instituição emissora do cartão de crédito

    Issuer obligations: free electronic notifications on due date and start of annual fee; payment by account debit or recurring payment.

    bcb.gov.br · Accessed
  5. Banco Central do Brasil — FAQ: Pagamento de boleto com cartão de crédito

    Paying a boleto with a credit card may carry a fee in addition to IOF.

    bcb.gov.br · Accessed
  6. Decreto nº 12.499, de 11 de junho de 2025 — altera o Regulamento do IOF (Planalto)

    IOF rate of 3.5% on card purchases and cash withdrawals abroad (amending art. 15-B, VII and IX, of Decreto 6.306/2007).

    planalto.gov.br · Accessed
  7. Decreto nº 6.306/2007 — Regulamento do IOF, texto compilado (Planalto)

    Compiled IOF regulation showing the art. 15-B rates in force as of the access date.

    planalto.gov.br · Accessed
  8. Código de Defesa do Consumidor — Lei nº 8.078/1990, texto compilado (Planalto)

    Art. 52, § 1º: late-payment fines capped at 2% of the installment; art. 52, § 2º: early settlement with proportional reduction of interest.

    planalto.gov.br · Accessed
  9. Banco Central do Brasil — FAQ: Quando o cliente não paga o valor mínimo da fatura

    When the bill isn't paid in full: installment plan, partial payment into the rotativo (contractual interest, comissão de permanência prohibited), or default.

    bcb.gov.br · Accessed
  10. Banco Central do Brasil — FAQ: Limitação dos juros e encargos financeiros no saldo devedor da fatura do cartão

    100% cap on interest and charges, including fines and default interest, for card debts originating from 3 January 2024.

    bcb.gov.br · Accessed
  11. Banco Central do Brasil — FAQ: Liquidação antecipada da fatura do cartão de crédito

    Early settlement of the bill is a right, with no fee.

    bcb.gov.br · Accessed
  12. Lei nº 14.690, de 3 de outubro de 2023 (Planalto)

    Art. 27, § 2º: no charge by the original creditor for information exchange or completing card debt portability.

    planalto.gov.br · Accessed
  13. Banco Central do Brasil — FAQ: Reclamar contra bancos e outras instituições

    Escalation path: customer service (SAC), then the ombudsman (ouvidoria).

    bcb.gov.br · Accessed
Questions

About this guide

What is the maximum late fee on a credit card in Brazil?

The Código de Defesa do Consumidor limits late-payment fines on credit supplied to consumers to 2% of the installment amount. Interest and charges on the unpaid balance are a separate cost, subject to the 100% cap for card debts originating from 3 January 2024.

Can my bank charge me for paying my card bill early?

No. The Banco Central says early settlement of the bill, in full or in part, is a right, and no fee can be charged for it.

Are transaction text alerts free?

Not necessarily. The Banco Central lists automatic messages about account transactions among the fees that can be charged if they are in your contract. The due-date reminder and the other notifications required by Resolução BCB nº 96 must be free.
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