How to verify a Brazilian company (CNPJ)
Verify a Brazilian company with its CNPJ on the Receita Federal site: the registration must be ACTIVE, the legal name and address must match the offer, and the main activity (CNAE) must fit the trade. Then check the partners and the export history.
Check this ICUMSA 45 sugar offer free
Brazil is the source of most ICUMSA 45 and soybean offers. Every Brazilian company has a CNPJ number, and its basic record is public. Many offers use the CNPJ of a real company with someone else's contact details, so the match between the record and the people you deal with matters most. The public record takes a minute to read, and the steps below show what to compare with the offer, line by line, before you sign or pay.
5 steps
- Look up the CNPJ. Use the Receita Federal public consultation. Confirm the status is ATIVA (active).
- Compare name and address. The legal name (razão social) and address must match the offer and the bank details.
- Check the activity. The main activity code (CNAE) should fit trading or producing the product offered.
- Check the partners. The partners and administrators listed must include the people who sign. Screen them for sanctions.
- Confirm through official contacts. Call or e-mail the company through contacts found independently, not those on the offer.
Red flags
- A CNPJ that is suspended or closed
- A legal name that differs from the offer
- A company opened only months ago selling large volumes
- Bank details in another company's name
- A free webmail address
- A request for registration or export fees before the contract
Documents to ask for
- CNPJ card (cartão CNPJ). From the Receita Federal, with status, legal name, address and activity codes.
- Articles of association (contrato social). Showing partners and administrators.
- Power of attorney (procuração). If the signatory is not an administrator.
- State registration (inscrição estadual). Used for the movement of goods, where it applies.
- Bank details in the company's name. The account holder must match the CNPJ record.
- Proof of past exports. Shipments, buyers you can contact, or customs export records where available.
What a sound deal looks like
A sound Brazilian counterparty has an active CNPJ, a legal name and address that match the offer and the bank details, an activity code that fits the trade, and partners or attorneys who are the people signing. It can name the mill, the producer or the warehouse, and it accepts an LC or payment against documents with inspection at loading. Contacts found independently confirm that the people writing to you work for the company. Many good Brazilian exporters are long-established and easy to check; a mismatch between the record and the people you deal with is the point to stop and ask. Write down what you checked and when, and keep it with the contract.
Next step: Free company check › · Check the whole deal free ›
FAQ
What is a CNPJ?
The national registration number of a Brazilian legal entity, issued by the Receita Federal.
Does an active CNPJ prove the seller holds sugar?
No. It proves the company exists. Proof of product and independent inspection are separate.
Who should I contact to confirm the seller?
The company itself through official contacts, and the mill that produces the product.
Can Vanguard Verify read Portuguese records?
Yes. The Deal Check reads the company registry; the Analyst Deal Check (USD 299) adds a human review in Portuguese.
Related
General information, not legal or financial advice. Vanguard Trade Capital Goods Wholesalers DWC-LLC, Dubai South, UAE · [email protected]