Free guide · 2026 edition
Your company has opened. Now it has to be ready to operate.
Which licenses and documents your business needs in São Paulo, in what order, and what usually holds the process up. Read it here, download the PDF (in Portuguese) or print the checklist.
PDF · 15 pages · 2.1 MB
The regularization map
Not every company needs every license. The right order is to find out what applies to your business and only then invest in property, building work and filings.
- 1
CNPJ and CNAE
What does the company actually do? Each activity code has its own risk level and requirements.
- 2
Address and zoning
The zoning law defines which uses are allowed on each street. Is the activity allowed at this address?
- 3
Property and building
Area, registered use, renovations and Habite-se (certificate of occupancy). This is where the biggest surprises and the biggest costs show up.
- 4
Licenses and certificates
Operating license, Fire Department, Health Surveillance, CETESB, accessibility, technical reports and ART (engineer's Technical Responsibility Record): only those that apply.
Regular, maintained operation
A company ready for inspections, banks, insurers and large clients, with renewals up to date.
Which license does your business usually need?Which license does your restaurant, salon, practice, shop usually need?
A starting point. The final classification depends on the CNAE, the area, the property and the risk of the activity.
Your business type
Office and services
consulting, administration, IT
- Operating License
- Depends
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Depends
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Rare
- CETESB
- Rare
- Accessibility
- Depends
Shop and retail business
clothing, household goods, convenience
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Frequent
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Depends
- CETESB
- Rare
- Accessibility
- Frequent
Restaurant, bar and snack bar
food preparation and sales
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Frequent
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Frequent
- CETESB
- Rare
- Accessibility
- Frequent
Bakery and pastry shop
production with direct sales
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Frequent
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Frequent
- CETESB
- Depends
- Accessibility
- Frequent
Clinic and practice
medical, dental, physical therapy
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Frequent
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Frequent
- CETESB
- Rare
- Accessibility
- Frequent
Beauty salon and aesthetics
hair, nails, treatments
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Depends
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Frequent
- CETESB
- Rare
- Accessibility
- Frequent
Gym and studio
weight training, dance, martial arts
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Frequent
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Depends
- CETESB
- Rare
- Accessibility
- Frequent
School, course and daycare
formal education and open courses
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Frequent
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Depends
- CETESB
- Rare
- Accessibility
- Frequent
Warehouse and logistics
storage, distribution center
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Frequent
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Depends
- CETESB
- Depends
- Accessibility
- Depends
Auto repair and body shop
vehicle repair
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Frequent
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Rare
- CETESB
- Frequent
- Accessibility
- Depends
Industry and manufacturing
production processes
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Frequent
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Depends
- CETESB
- Frequent
- Accessibility
- Depends
Church, events and catering
places where the public gathers
- Operating License
- Frequent
- Fire Department (AVCB/CLCB)
- Frequent
- Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária)
- Depends
- CETESB
- Rare
- Accessibility
- Frequent
“Frequent” does not mean mandatory in every case, and “Rare” does not mean exempt. Low-risk activities may be exempt from some public clearance procedures (Law No. 13.874/2019), but the exemption also has to be correctly classified.
The six areas of regularization
What each license is, what is normally required and the warning sign that comes up most.
01 · City Hall
Operating License
Authorizes the activity to operate at that address, according to zoning. The CNPJ alone does not authorize operation.
What is normally required
- CNPJ, articles of incorporation (contrato social) and correct CNAEs
- IPTU/SQL number and a document proving possession of the property
- Area used and description of the activity
- Habite-sePopular name for the Certificate of Completion: a City Hall document confirming that the construction work was finished according to the approved plans. (certificate of occupancy), Certificate of Regularization or equivalent
- AVCBFire Department Inspection Certificate (Auto de Vistoria do Corpo de Bombeiros). Certifies that the property has the required fire safety measures./CLCBFire Department License Certificate (Certificado de Licença do Corpo de Bombeiros). A simplified version of the AVCB, for smaller, lower-risk properties. and other licenses, when required
Warning sign: A property with no Habite-se, with an area that differs from the IPTU or with registered residential use usually blocks the license.
How MTC helps02 · Fire Department
AVCB and CLCB
They prove the fire safety measures required for the occupancy, area and risk. They have an expiration date and must be renewed.
What is normally required
- Fire extinguishers properly sized and marked
- Emergency signage and lighting
- Emergency exits and escape routes kept clear
- Hydrants, alarm and detection, according to size and risk
- Technical reports for electrical installations, SPDA (lightning protection), gas and finishes
Warning sign: The property “already had an AVCB,” but for a different occupancy, expired or with a different layout. The certificate is valid for the conditions that were inspected.
How MTC helps03 · Health Surveillance
Health license (licença sanitária)
Required for activities of health interest. The CNAENational Classification of Economic Activities. The code that says what the company does and determines its licenses. and the risk level determine whether the license is needed and what the procedure is.
What is normally required
- Qualified technical manager, when required
- Floor plan showing flows, water points and ventilation
- Good Practices Manual and SOPs (food)
- PGRSS (waste management plan, health services)
- Physical adaptations: washable finishes, sinks, exhaust
Warning sign: A secondary CNAE (food preparation, aesthetic procedure) can raise the risk level of the whole company.
04 · CETESB
Environmental licensing
Potentially polluting activities need a license to be set up, expanded or operated in the State of São Paulo (LP, LI and LO: preliminary, installation and operating licenses).
What is normally required
- Description of the production process, raw materials and equipment
- Floor plan of the property and location
- Land Use Certificate (Certidão de Uso do Solo) from City Hall
- Information on effluents, emissions, noise and waste
- Technical manager and ARTTechnical Responsibility Record (Anotação de Responsabilidade Técnica). A CREA record that identifies the engineer responsible for a project, technical report, or construction work., when applicable
Warning sign: Installing machinery or starting production before the license is issued can lead to a fine, a suspension order (embargo) and a hold on the license at City Hall.
How MTC helps05 · NBR 9050 standard and the Brazilian Inclusion Law
Accessibility and adaptations
Establishments open to the public must ensure access and circulation for everyone, including people with disabilities or reduced mobility.
What is normally required
- Accessible entrance and route, with no steps unless there is a ramp
- Doors and circulation paths with adequate clearances
- Accessible restroom, with grab bars
- Service counters at the correct height
- Visual and tactile signage
Warning sign: Choosing the commercial location without checking the entrance and the restroom. In some properties the adaptation requires significant building work.
06 · Technical foundation
Compliant property, technical reports and ART
Often the problem is not the CNPJ but the property chosen. An irregular property usually blocks the operating license and Fire Department approval.
What is normally required
- Habite-sePopular name for the Certificate of Completion: a City Hall document confirming that the construction work was finished according to the approved plans. (certificate of occupancy), Certificate of Regularization or recording on the property record
- IPTU area equal to the actual built area
- Technical reports for electrical installations, SPDA and gas
- ARTTechnical Responsibility Record (Anotação de Responsabilidade Técnica). A CREA record that identifies the engineer responsible for a project, technical report, or construction work. for projects, technical reports and building work
- Permit for renovations that change area, structure or use
Warning sign: Expansions without a permit, registered residential use and mezzanines that change escape routes are among the things that most often hold up cases.
How MTC helpsMTC Serviços · License guide for new CNPJs · (11) 93434-6065 · contato@mtcservicos.com
Self-assessment in 2 minutes
Check what is true for your business. Each unchecked item is a point of attention.
0 of 10 checked · 6 or fewer
Significant risk of requirements, fines or closure. The best course is a technical analysis as soon as possible.