Limite de Velocidade para Caminhão no Brasil: CTB e CONTRAN

Search for resolução CONTRAN limite de velocidade and you land in a tangle of laws, resolutions and forum answers. For a fleet manager running caminhões, carretas or ônibus in Brazil, the useful question is simpler: which speeds apply to my vehicles, what equipment does the Código de Trânsito Brasileiro (CTB) put on them, and how does a limitador de velocidade fit into that picture?

Here are the provisions that matter, each tied to its article, followed by the practical case for a limiter on a Brazilian fleet.

The speed limits: CTB art. 61

Art. 61 of the CTB sets the maximum speed where there is no sign. For trucks and buses, which the law groups under “other vehicles”, the figures are lower than for cars.

Road	Cars, vans, motorcycles	Other vehicles (including caminhões and ônibus)
Rural dual carriageway (rodovia de pista dupla)	110 km/h	90 km/h
Rural single carriageway (rodovia de pista simples)	100 km/h	90 km/h
Dirt roads (estradas)	60 km/h	60 km/h

In urban areas the CTB sets 80 km/h on expressways (vias de trânsito rápido), 60 km/h on arterial roads, 40 km/h on collector roads and 30 km/h on local streets.

Signs override these figures. A road with a posted limit follows the sign, so the numbers above are the default for roads with none. If you want a regional comparison, our truck speed limits in Latin America by country page puts Brazil next to its neighbours.

Speed limit signs and heavy vehicles: CONTRAN Resolução 340/2010

CONTRAN is the national traffic council, and its resolutions detail how the CTB is applied. Resolução 340/2010 standardises the rules for speed limit signs, including the case of separate limits for light and heavy vehicles on the same road. That is why you sometimes see one number for cars and a lower one for trucks on the same stretch of rodovia.

For a fleet, the practical consequence is to read the sign for the vehicle class you drive. A light-vehicle number on a sign does not describe your carreta.

The tachograph: CTB art. 105 and art. 136

The equipment the CTB puts on heavy and passenger vehicles is the tachograph, in the law’s words the registrador instantâneo inalterável de velocidade e tempo.

• Art. 105 II requires it on school transport vehicles, passenger vehicles with more than 10 seats and cargo vehicles over 4,536 kg gross vehicle weight.
• Art. 136 IV lists the tachograph among the equipment for school transport vehicles, which also need the yellow band marked “ESCOLAR”.
• CONTRAN Resolução 938/2022, in force since 1 April 2022, sets the minimum technical requirements for tachographs.

The tachograph records. It tells you after the fact what speed the vehicle reached and when. It does not stop a driver from reaching it.

Tampering with the tachograph: art. 230 XIV

Art. 230 XIV makes it a grave infraction to drive with a tachograph that is viciado ou defeituoso, where one is required. For a fleet owner, it means that interfering with the equipment that records speed is a legal problem on top of a commercial one. Our tamper detection article covers how sealed equipment keeps the setting with the owner.

Tachograph records as evidence

Brazilian trucking press has reported on a measure (Medida Provisória 1.343/2026 and PLV 6/2026) that would amend art. 218 of the CTB so that tachograph records can be used as evidence of speeding. The reports said it had passed Congress and was awaiting signature in July 2026. Whatever its final shape, the direction is clear: the record in the cab counts for more every year, and fleets benefit from knowing exactly what theirs show.

Where a limitador de velocidade fits

The CTB sets the ceiling and the tachograph records it. A limitador de velocidade does a third job: it makes the vehicle hold a speed that the fleet chooses, below the legal maximum if the fleet wants, whatever the driver does with the pedal.

Brazilian fleets fit limiters for reasons that have nothing to do with a bureaucratic form.

• Combustível. Diesel use rises sharply with speed. On long rodovia legs, a held speed takes the highest-consumption running off the table. The HGV fuel consumption calculator puts numbers on your own trucks, and fuel savings from speed limiters explains the mechanics.
• Segurança. A loaded carreta at speed needs a long distance to stop. A limiter takes the worst speed decisions away from the driver.
• Records that match. The tachograph shows the speed driven. With a limiter, the record and the policy agree.
• Seguro e contratos. An insurer or an embarcador (shipper) that asks about speed control gets a concrete answer.
• Pneus e freios. Lower peak speeds mean less heat and slower wear.
• Motorista. The speed argument leaves the cab, which helps with driver behaviour.

For a country as large as Brazil, with long distances and many hours at cruising speed, the fuel line is a strong reason to start with.

Which AutoKontrol limiter fits

Seu veículo (your vehicle)	Fits	Notes
Electronic throttle caminhão, carreta or ônibus	DBW speed limiter	Electronic, works on the drive-by-wire throttle signal. Fit about 1.5 hours.
Older diesel with mechanical fuel control	System 80	Mechanical, works on the fuel line. Fit about 60 minutes, accurate to +/-1-2 km/h.
Proof of speed alongside the limiter	TrackSpeed	Limiter with ScorpionTrack GNSS tracking. Fit about 60 minutes.
Lower speed in depots, plants, school zones	GeoKontrol	GPS geofenced zone speed limits.
Vehicles with SENT throttle sensors	SENT speed limiter	For the SENT sensor protocol.

Tell us the make, model, year and engine type of each truck, carreta or ônibus and we will say which unit fits. The Brazil page has the product overview.

Fitting and support

We ship direct to your fleet with fitting instructions. Your own oficina can fit the unit, or you can use a local auto-electrician of your choice. Fit times are about 1.5 hours for a DBW and about 60 minutes for System 80 and TrackSpeed. Our technical team supports you remotely.

AutoKontrol is part of Scorpion Group, which has built vehicle electronics since 1973. Our units are designed and manufactured in the UK and are ECE R89 type-approved.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the speed limit for a caminhão on a Brazilian rodovia?

Where there is no sign, art. 61 of the CTB sets 90 km/h for “other vehicles”, which includes trucks and buses, on both dual and single carriageway rural roads. Dirt roads are 60 km/h. A posted sign overrides the default.

Which vehicles must carry a tachograph?

Art. 105 II of the CTB requires a tachograph on school transport vehicles, passenger vehicles with more than 10 seats and cargo vehicles over 4,536 kg GVW.

What does CONTRAN Resolução 340/2010 cover?

It standardises the rules for speed limit signs, including separate limits for light and heavy vehicles.

What does art. 230 XIV say?

It makes driving with a tachograph that is viciado ou defeituoso, where one is required, a grave infraction.

Why would a Brazilian fleet fit a limitador de velocidade?

For fuel, safety, insurance and client confidence, and because a held speed means the tachograph record matches the fleet’s policy.

Can my own oficina fit it?

Yes. We ship direct with fitting instructions, and your oficina or a local auto-electrician can fit it. We support remotely.

Get a quote

Tell us how many caminhões, carretas or ônibus you run, their make, model, year and engine type, and the speed you want to hold. We will recommend the right unit. Request a quote or email international@autokontrol.com.