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While traditional driving schools report a drop of over 70% in enrollments, the Brazilian government saved R$ 1,840,397,022.58 in just 5 months by offering the free theoretical CNH course on the CNH do Brasil app, according to a report from the Ministry of Transport.
The measure accumulated savings between December 2025 and May 2026. The calculation adds up what each candidate saved from not paying for the mandatory 45-hour course at driving schools, which cost between R$ 400 and R$ 1,500 depending on the state, with an average value between R$ 800 and R$ 1,200.
According to Senatran, 4,834,308 first-time license applications were registered between January and April 2026, 4 times more than in the same period of 2025.
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Meanwhile, 2,546,124 digital theoretical courses were completed through the platform, a pace never before observed in the country.
How Resolution 1,020/2025 abolished the mandatory theory
The regulatory milestone of the change is the Contran resolution approved on December 1, 2025. The rule removes the requirement to attend driving schools to take the theoretical and practical exams.
According to the details of Resolution 1,020/2025, the national minimum course load for the theoretical course was abolished. Before the reform, the theoretical course for the first license had a mandatory load of 45 classroom hours in accredited CFCs.
Now the candidate freely chooses where and how to study. The 4 open options include the official free course from Senatran, private driving schools, distance learning entities, and public traffic schools.
On the other hand, the theoretical exam remains mandatory and standardized. In 30 multiple-choice questions, the candidate needs to get at least 20 correct to proceed.
The CNH do Brasil app had already reduced the average process time from 9 months to 2 months by adopting facial biometrics.
The numbers that explain the R$ 1.8 billion savings
The pace of adoption surprised the Ministry. According to the first report from January 2026, 1.8 million applications were registered in just 30 days after the launch.
Another 1.5 million candidates accessed the digital theoretical course in the same period.
According to Senatran, 600,000 candidates had completed the theoretical training and obtained a certificate by January 1, 2026.
In February, 10,289 Brazilians had already completed the entire first license process through the app.
The accumulated savings value over 5 months was disclosed by CNN Brasil. The account sums the average cost of the theoretical (R$ 1,200) multiplied by 1,533,664 candidates who opted for the free route.
Meanwhile, the program served as a bridge for the 20 million Brazilians who drive without a license due to financial barriers.
The old total cost of the CNH ranged between R$ 2,500 and R$ 4,500 depending on the region.
Technical reveal: how the app delivers the mandatory national content
In the background, the app organizes the content into modules with native accessibility. The resources include integrated Libras, subtitles, audio narration, and visual elements for low literacy.
All 4 mandatory blocks are covered: legislation, defensive driving, first aid, and citizenship.
According to the Ministry, there is no minimum course load requirement on the platform. The study pace is free. The candidate can pause, resume, and review as many times as they want.
The average observed among the first 100,000 graduates was 18 hours of study distributed over 12 days.
At the end of the course, the system issues a digital certificate. This document has a formal character for proceeding with the process but does not replace the theoretical test applied by Detran, which remains the real filter.
Meanwhile, the candidate’s biometric collection occurs via the gov.br portal.
Above all, the app synchronizes with the 27 state Detrans via Renach. Each completed step is recorded in real-time. The candidate follows the complete progression through the app, from the application to the final digital CNH.
How much each candidate saves
The effect on the wallet is direct. According to a survey of 5 states in 2025, the average cost of the theoretical course in driving schools ranged between R$ 400 and R$ 1,500.
States like Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul recorded the solitary theoretical module close to R$ 1,000.
The total cost of the first CNH in Brazil ranged between R$ 2,500 and R$ 4,500 depending on the region, with the theoretical accounting for up to 35% of the value.
Now, the theoretical has been fully transferred to the app and is free.
On an individual scale, the official calculation is that the candidate can reduce the total cost by up to 80%. The account sums the free theoretical, 2 minimum practical hours, and the independent exam.
In rural areas, where there was less than 1 active CFC per municipality in 64% of the territory, the gain in supply is even greater.
Human reveal: George Santoro consolidates the program after Renan Filho
The human face of the program changed in April 2026. Minister Renan Filho, who led the initial design, left the office after a cycle of infrastructure advances.
He was replaced by George André Palermo Santoro, previously the executive secretary of the ministry.
According to an interview with the Ministry of Transport, Santoro received a clear mission to consolidate the CNH do Brasil program. Meanwhile, the national traffic secretary Adrualdo de Lima Catão, former president of the Detran of Alagoas, technically coordinates the execution.
On the other hand, the driving school sector reacts. The National Federation of CFCs filed a request for regulatory review with Contran in April 2026.
The entity cites fixed costs of R$ 12,000/month in property and fleet as structural asymmetry compared to the new accredited autonomous instructors.
How Brazil compares to Spain’s DGT and Portugal’s IMT
The Brazilian model reverses the international standard. In Spain, the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) limits the State to applying exams and charging fees.
The theoretical course itself remains private, offered by the 9,300 registered driving schools, with an average cost of € 350 to € 700.
In Portugal, the Institute of Mobility and Transport (IMT) accredits 1,250 private training centers. The requirement is 28 paid theoretical hours and 32 minimum practical hours.
According to sector analysts, neither of the 2 countries offers the theoretical free by the State.
According to a report from the Ministry of Transport, Brazil is advancing towards a technically centralized model. The State operates the platform via Serpro with R$ 380 million in budget until 2027.
Future reveal: the next phase with recycling and renewal in the app
The next step planned by Senatran is to extend the free offer to mandatory recycling of offending drivers. This should be included in the app starting January 2027, according to the preliminary schedule.
Meanwhile, there is a proposal to include periodic CNH renewal also in the app. Currently, 27 million drivers need to renew their CNH every 5 or 10 years in Brazil.
The total digitization of this route saves time and notary expenses, currently between R$ 80 and R$ 250 per renewal.
According to the Office of the Comptroller General, a formal agreement to monitor the implementation in all 27 Detrans is in effect. The scope covers 100% of the 5,570 Brazilian municipalities.
- Savings in 5 months: R$ 1,840,397,022.58 (≈ R$ 1.8 billion)
- Period: December 2025 to April/May 2026
- Theoretical courses completed: 2,546,124
- First CNH applications Jan-Apr 2026: 4,834,308
- Old average cost of theoretical: R$ 800 to R$ 1,200
- Total CNH cost reduction: up to 80%
- National minimum theoretical course load: zero (previously 45 hours)
- Milestone resolution: Contran 1,020/2025, effective Dec 1, 2025
The points that still depend on regulation
Despite the progress, 3 fronts still depend on complementary regulation. Integration with the exam system varies among the 27 states. The scheduling speed depends on the local capacity of each Detran.
On the other hand, the driving school sector, especially small CFCs in 4,286 municipalities with less than 50,000 inhabitants, requested support for the transition.
It is worth remembering the coverage of transformations with global impact that helps to understand the scale of this change in the Brazilian licensing sector.
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