What is CNAE? Understanding Brazil's economic activity code
Learn what the CNAE is, how the classification of economic activities works, how the code is structured and how to find any company's CNAE.
The CNAE (Classificação Nacional de Atividades Econômicas, Brazil's national classification of economic activities) is the official system for classifying economic activities in Brazil. Every CNPJ registered with the Receita Federal must declare at least one main CNAE, which indicates the company's predominant activity.
What is the CNAE for?
The CNAE has a direct impact on several areas of business life:
- Taxation: it defines the tax framework and which taxes apply to the activity
- Simples Nacional: it determines whether the activity qualifies for the regime and which annex it falls under
- MEI: not every CNAE is allowed for the Microempreendedor Individual (individual micro-entrepreneur)
- Operating license: the city government uses the CNAE to issue the license
- Public procurement: bidding notices require specific CNAEs for participation
- Labor obligations: the CNAE influences the risk level and the RAT/FAP rates
Structure of the CNAE code
The CNAE code has 7 digits organized into a 5-level hierarchy:
The 21 CNAE sections
At the highest level, the CNAE is divided into 21 sections covering every sector of the economy. You can explore each section on Inddex:
Main vs. secondary CNAEs
Every company has a main CNAE — the activity that generates the most revenue. Beyond that, it can register as many secondary CNAEs as it wants, representing complementary activities.
For example, a bakery might have:
- Main: 1091-1/02 — Manufacture of bakery and confectionery products, mostly produced in-house
- Secondary: 4721-1/02 — Bakery and confectionery shop, mostly resale
- Secondary: 5611-2/01 — Restaurants and similar establishments
How to find a company's CNAE
You can find the CNAE of any Brazilian company by looking up its CNPJ on Inddex:
- Go to the search page
- Type the CNPJ or the company name
- On the company profile, the main CNAE appears with its code and full description
- Secondary CNAEs are listed below
How to choose the right CNAE
When opening a company, choosing the right CNAE is essential because it directly affects taxation. A few tips:
- Research companies in the same field on Inddex to see which CNAEs they use
- Talk to an accountant — the wrong CNAE can lead to paying more tax
- Consider registering secondary CNAEs for complementary activities you may carry out
- Check whether the chosen CNAE is allowed under Simples Nacional (if you plan to opt in)
- Check whether the CNAE is allowed for MEI (if you plan to register as a micro-entrepreneur)
Frequently asked questions
How many CNAEs are there?
The official CNAE table has 1,300+ subclasses (7-digit codes). CONCLA (Comissão Nacional de Classificação), part of the IBGE, is responsible for maintaining the table.
Can the CNAE be changed?
Yes. A company can request a CNAE change at the Junta Comercial (board of trade) and then update it with the Receita Federal. The change is reflected in the CNPJ database.
Are CNAE and CNPJ the same thing?
No. The CNPJ is the company's identification number. The CNAE is the code that classifies that company's economic activity. Every CNPJ has at least one CNAE associated with it.