Before placing the order or authorizing shipment, collect the exact model sheet and validate the operation with the customs broker or responsible professional. Nominal power, maximum factory speed, dimensions, and the propulsion method must be reviewed together; 1000W alone does not define a vehicle category in Brazil.
The direct answer
The importer should request the model's technical data, confirm its NCM tariff classification with the responsible professional, and check Administrative Treatment in the Single Foreign Trade Portal. That consultation indicates whether the operation requires a license, LPCO, or action by a consenting authority. Road classification also depends on the complete configuration and cannot be decided from motor power alone.
Selected criteria from CONTRAN Resolution 996/2023
The table shows why an incomplete product sheet is insufficient. It includes only selected criteria from Article 2 and does not classify any APEX model.
| Category | Selected criteria | Data to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Electric bicycle | As a general rule: two wheels; auxiliary motor rated up to 1000W; motor operates only while pedaling; no throttle or other manual power control; motor assistance up to 32 km/h. Paragraph 3 provides an exception for sporting use under the conditions stated in the Resolution. | Nominal power, pedal assistance, absence of a throttle, and maximum assistance speed. |
| Self-propelled personal mobility equipment | As a general rule: one or more wheels; motor rated up to 1000W; maximum factory speed up to 32 km/h; width up to 70 cm and wheelbase up to 130 cm. Paragraph 2 provides a power exception for self-balancing single-wheel equipment. | Nominal power, maximum factory speed, width, and wheelbase. |
| Electric moped | Two or three wheels; electric motor up to 4 kW; maximum factory speed up to 50 km/h. | Power, maximum factory speed, and the other requirements applicable to the vehicle and intended use. |
This table is only an informational extract from CONTRAN Resolution 996/2023. The Resolution includes exceptions, including Article 2, paragraphs 2 and 3. The complete official text, actual configuration, intended use, and analysis by the responsible professionals and authorities prevail.
Technical data to request before shipment
In its guidance for the product description in an LI submitted for consent, Inmetro requests the brand, model or Part Number, and a technical description. Organize at least the following fields for each configuration and confirm which ones apply to the operation.
- Brand, commercial name, model, and Part Number when available
- Nominal motor power
- Maximum factory speed
- Vehicle dimensions, including width and wheelbase
- Number of wheels and propulsion method
- Presence of pedal assistance, throttle, or another manual power control
- Battery voltage, capacity, and chemistry; charger input, output, and current
- Identification number, serial number, or VIN when applicable
- Intended application, operating ranges, and declared restrictions
- Quoted configuration, quantity, packaging, and destination
Five checks before authorizing shipment
1. Complete the configuration sheet
Collect data for the exact model. Do not fill missing fields with information from another vehicle or from a photograph.
2. Confirm the NCM
Ask the customs broker or responsible professional to determine the tariff classification. APEX does not determine the importer's NCM.
3. Simulate Administrative Treatment
Use the confirmed NCM in the Single Foreign Trade Portal to check requirements, restrictions, and the authorities responsible for the operation.
4. Check LI, LPCO, and approval timing
Confirm whether the operation will use DI or Duimp, which documents apply, and whether any authorization must be obtained before shipment.
5. Check document consistency
Make the technical sheet, quote, commercial invoice, packing list, and shipped configuration describe the same model and technical data.
What APEX publishes and what still needs confirmation
Data already published on APEX product pages
- Model name and item code when available
- Motor power
- Battery voltage, capacity, and chemistry
- Controller, brakes, suspension, and other recorded components
- Packaging and 40HQ reference when present in the source
Data to confirm in the quote or technical documents
- Maximum factory speed
- Complete vehicle dimensions, width, and wheelbase
- Pedal assistance, throttle, and propulsion method
- VIN, serial number, and other applicable identifiers
- NCM and Administrative Treatment for the operation
- LI, LPCO, consenting authority, and approval timing when required
- Applicable road classification, registration, licensing, and local rules
Questions before importing
Is a 1000W scooter automatically exempt from registration?
No. Power is only one criterion. Maximum factory speed, dimensions, propulsion method, pedal assistance, throttle, and the complete configuration may also be relevant.
Does every electric scooter require Inmetro consent?
It is not safe to answer from the product name alone. Confirm the NCM and simulate Administrative Treatment in the Single Foreign Trade Portal; the result may indicate LPCO, monitoring, or no LPCO required for the entered characteristics. This does not replace checking other applicable requirements.
Can APEX determine the NCM or legal category of a model?
APEX provides the available commercial and technical data. The importer's NCM, administrative treatment, and applicable classification must be confirmed with the customs broker, responsible professionals, and authorities.
When must a license be obtained?
It depends on the goods and applicable treatment. Brazil's Federal Revenue Service warns that some operations require licensing before shipment; confirm this point before authorizing the cargo.
Does this checklist replace customs or legal advice?
No. It organizes official sources and technical fields for the commercial discussion. The decision for each operation rests with the responsible professionals and authorities.
Official sources consulted
Publication and update dates verified on September 19, 2026.
- CONTRAN Resolution 996/2023
Resolution dated June 15, 2023; published in the DOU on June 22, 2023 - Inmetro: how to check whether a product needs import consent
Published April 17, 2026; updated September 15, 2026 - Inmetro: how to request import consent
Published August 3, 2022; updated August 19, 2026 - Federal Revenue Service: tax and administrative treatment simulator
Last modified June 15, 2026 - Federal Revenue Service: import licensing
Published January 1, 2016; updated April 9, 2026
This table is only an informational extract from CONTRAN Resolution 996/2023. The Resolution includes exceptions, including Article 2, paragraphs 2 and 3. The complete official text, actual configuration, intended use, and analysis by the responsible professionals and authorities prevail.
Continue preparing the purchase
After technical and administrative validation, use the APEX guides to compare configurations, batteries, packaging, and the product mix.