Brazil Enacts Decree Requiring Human Customer Service in Regulated Sectors

Overview

• The federal decree (Decreto nº 13.135/2026) came into force on Monday, November 2, 2026, and requires companies in the federal regulatory scope to comply immediately with the new SAC rules.
• Companies must provide human attendants by phone and on electronic channels from 08:00 to 20:00 every day while keeping at least one digital channel available 24 hours a day.
• Phone wait-time targets require that 80% of calls reach an attendant within 20 seconds and all other calls within five minutes, and firms must call back within five minutes if a call drops.
• Consumers gain immediate cancellation rights at any service level with an electronic receipt, faster handling of improper charges with 48-hour resolution targets, seven-day replies for non-urgent complaints, and mandatory retention of call/chat recordings for 90 days and demand histories for six months.
• The rules cover telecoms, energy, airlines, health plans, banks and fintechs supervised by the Central Bank, assign agencies to define urgent cases and enforcement, and require some non-regulated platforms to report service data to the government.