Brazil Overhauls Driver’s License Process With Free First Retest and Simpler Exams

Overview

• A new Contran resolution ends mandatory driving‑school classes and allows certified independent instructors and testing in automatic cars.
• The 'Bom Condutor' provisional measure, now published, enables automatic renewal for infraction‑free drivers, reduces medical exam fees, and makes the physical card optional.
• The practical exam drops the ramp half‑clutch requirement and curbs automatic failures for minor lapses such as forgetting a turn signal.
• Early rollout data show 345,553 accesses to the CNH app and 31,025 course starts after the rules change.
• Autoescolas are resisting and may sue, while Congress reinstated mandatory toxicology tests for first‑time A and B licenses, a move the transport minister criticizes as a cost increase.