Recommender – Social Driver's License 2025

Who is eligible (general national criteria)

The criteria of minimum eligibility According to the Ministry of Women and EBC, the methods used by the federal government are:

1. Be 18 years of age or older;
2. Being registered in the CadÚnico (Single Registry for Social Programs) (Single Registry for Social Programs of the Federal Government);
3. Monthly family income of up to half the minimum wage per person.
   • The government explicitly cites the limit of 0.5 minimum wage per capita (per family member);
4. Comply with the other general requirements of the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB) to be licensed (ability to read and write, identity document, physical and mental fitness, etc.).

Important point:

Federal law defines only the floor (low income registered in the Unified Registry). Each State Department of Motor Vehicles he can create additional priority criteriasuch as:

• female heads of household;
• unemployed for more than a year;
• young people from public schools;
• People with disabilities who are able to drive;
• former inmates.

This appears in several state announcements and is reinforced in explanatory materials about the Social Driver's License and equivalent programs.

What does the Social Driver's License program pay for?

By the official texts of the law According to government news, the Social Driver's License program may finance... the entire process of obtaining a first driver's license For low-income applicants:

• Detran fees (RENACH, opening of process, issuance of document);
• Medical and psychological examinations;
• Theoretical course (CFC) – legislation classes;
• Theoretical exam legislation;
• Practical driving lessons (Accredited CFC);
• Practical driving test;
• In many states, a new attempt at no cost In case of failure (in addition, the candidate will have to pay new fees).

The main focus is on first-time driver's licenses in categories A (motorcycle) and B (car), but the law does not prohibit states from expanding to other categories (C, D, E) or adding/changing categories, which some state programs already do.

How it works in practice

The federal law does not create a single registration portal; it provides the basis for state traffic departments (Detrans) to organize their own programs.

Basic tips, looking at real job postings (like the one from...) Detran/MA for the Social Driver's License 2025It goes something like this:

Regularize the Single Registry (CadÚnico).

Check if the family is already in CadÚnico.

If it's not there, do the registration at CRAS of the municipality (Social Assistance Reference Center).

Without an active CadÚnico (Single Registry for Social Programs), a person does not meet the low-income criteria defined by law.

Follow the Department of Motor Vehicles (Detran) of your state.

The Social Driver's License job openings via public noticeIt is necessary to monitor: the official website of the Department of Motor Vehicles (Detran), the state's Official Gazette, and official government social media channels.

Register

When the call for applications opens, registration is usually: online (Detran website); or in person at Ciretrans, advanced posts or Viva/Procon/Detran units, depending on the state.

At this stage, the candidate provides: personal data, NIS/CadÚnico number, family income, city of residence, desired category (A, B, etc.) and other data requested in the application.

Selection (classification or draw)

After verifying the data, the Department of Motor Vehicles publishes: list of registered participants, list of approved registrations and performs electronic lottery or classification by social criteriadepending on the state.

Real-life example: in Maranhão, the 2025 public notice includes a list of registered candidates, approval, electronic lottery, and a list of those selected, all with dates and publication in the Official Gazette.

Opening of the process and stages of qualification.

Those selected are called upon to begin the driver's license application process (RENACH) at the Detran or regional offices.

They must present: identity document, proof of residence in the state, proof that the data matches the CadÚnico (Single Registry for Social Programs), and any other documents required by the public notice.

From there, the driver training steps normally follow. no cost for fees and courses (within the terms of the notice): health exams, theory course, theory exam, practical classes, practical exam, issuance of the driver's license.

In many programs, if the person abandons or does not complete If you fail to participate within 12 months, you will be barred from participating again for a period of time (for example, 2 years in some calls for proposals).

What is the new Social Driver's License (overview)?

On June 26, 2025, the following was sanctioned: Law No. 15.153/2025, which changed the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB, Law No. 9.503/1997) to:

• Allow funds collected from traffic fines be used for to cover the cost of driver's licenses for low-income individuals. (the so-called "Social Driver's License");
• Adjust rules regarding electronic vehicle transfer and toxicological testing (other topics within the same law).

This law It does not create a single national program with centralized registration., but:

• Amend article 320 of the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB) to authorize the use of traffic fines for... "Cost of the driver's license process for low-income individuals";
• It determines that the low-income candidate is the one who is registered in Single Registry (CadÚnico).

From then on, each state and the Federal District They can create or expand their proprietary programs Regarding the Social Driver's License (CNH Social, CNH Popular, Habilitação Social, etc.), defining:

• How many vacancies will there be?
• Which categories (A, B, etc.);
• Priority criteria;
• Registration methods (website, CRAS, in-person locations).

The federal government has been publicizing the measure, highlighting its impact on... low-income women, through official news from the Ministry of Women and EBC (Agência Brasil / Radioagência Nacional).

Legal basis: what exactly changed in the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB)?

THE Law No. 15.153/2025 changed art. 320 of the CTBwhich deals with the use of money from traffic fines. Now the article stipulates that this revenue will be used for:

"Signage, traffic engineering, policing, enforcement, fleet renewal, traffic education" and the cost of the driver's license process for low-income individuals..

And he created two important paragraphs:

• § 4º: defines that the cost includes fees and other expenses related to driver training and issuing of driver's licenses for low-income applicants.
• § 5º: says that a "low-income candidate" is someone who is included in the Single Registry.

In summary, the CTB now authorizes and obligates that the resources are also used for social inclusion, not only for signage, enforcement, etc.

Based on this information, the government's official communication began to refer to the measure as Social Driver's License, explaining that it is about Free driver's license for low-income individuals, funded with traffic fines..

Conclusion

The new Social Driver's License program transforms obtaining a driver's license into a real opportunity for inclusion for those registered in the Unified Registry for Social Programs (CadÚnico) who cannot afford to pay for the entire process on their own.

The law allows money from fines to help cover fees, exams, and courses, but each state decides how many spots to open, which categories to offer, and how registration will work.

Therefore, the main step is to keep your registration in the CadÚnico (Single Registry for Social Programs) up to date, follow the official channels of the Detran (Department of Motor Vehicles), and carefully read the notices to avoid falling for scams.

If you meet the low-income criteria, paying attention to these steps can be the path to obtaining your first driver's license for free and opening new doors to work and autonomy in your daily life.