Brazil MEI Opening and DAS Compliance: What a Micro-Entrepreneur Should Verify

MEI (Microempreendedor Individual) is Brazil's simplified regime for individual micro-entrepreneurs. It caps annual revenue, employees, activity and partners — and the municipality still decides whether your address can host the activity. This guide maps what to verify on the federal portal and with the city before registering, and what to calendar after opening so DAS payments, invoicing and declarations do not slip.

Is your activity eligible?

The federal portal publishes the current list of permitted CNAE activities and the revenue and hiring limits. Do not rely on a tutorial from two years ago — activities are added or removed and limits are updated. If your activity is not on the list, MEI is not the correct regime even if a video says it is "easy to open."
Common trap: choosing a generic CNAE because it appears in a dropdown. The code affects licensing, address approval, and whether the activity is permitted at that location.

Address and licensing before you click "open"

Municipal approval (viabilidade) and, where applicable, fire-safety or health rules are separate from federal registration. A CCMEI alone does not authorise a physical operation that requires a licence. Verify with the prefeitura whether the activity can operate at the intended address and what inspection, if any, applies.

Federal registration — use only the official portal

Register only through the portal identified on gov.br (currently via Portal do Empreendedor / gov.br account). Third-party sites that charge for "expedited approval" add no legal value and may mishandle your data. Save the CCMEI and the protocol number.

After opening — monthly and annual duties you must own

• DAS monthly payment: a fixed amount that bundles INSS, ICMS and/or ISS depending on activity. Create a monthly calendar entry; late payment accrues charges.
• Annual declaration (DASN-SIMEI): due by the date published for the calendar year (commonly 31 May for the prior year). File even in months with no revenue.
• Invoices and receipts: customer invoice rules depend on municipality and state — confirm with the city hall or state fazenda. Keep receipts and DAS payment proofs together.
• Record-keeping and reassessment: track revenue, employees, activity changes and address changes. If any condition will be exceeded, consult an accountant about migration to ME/EPP before the limit is breached.

When to reassess the regime

Revenue growth, hiring a second employee, adding a partner, or expanding activity often means MEI is no longer suitable. Migration is a planned accounting step, not a penalty — but retroactive correction is more expensive than early advice.

Caveats that matter

Limits, amounts, permitted activities and municipal rules change. Registration does not authorise every operation at every address.

Official source

Gov.br — Empreendedor / MEI. Confirm activity list, limits and declaration dates live; this guide is educational.

Frequently asked question

Q: Can a MEI have a partner? The regime is for an individual entrepreneur; verify the current rule before restructuring — adding a partner typically requires a different form.