e-MEI A3 — 2 years | Online Issuance

The e-MEI A3 stores the private key on a physical device (USB token or smart card). It's ideal for MEIs (Brazilian individual microentrepreneurs) who want stronger security and a longer validity period. This product includes only the certificate, so you must have a compatible token. It is valid for 2 years and issued 100% online by video call. It has the same legal validity and features as the e-CNPJ (Brazilian company digital certificate) A3, at a price R$ 30 lower for MEIs.

Required documents (online issuance): The microentrepreneur's CNH (Brazilian driver's license) issued after 2017 (mandatory). Any additional MEI documents will be requested during the video call itself, with no red tape.

What it is for

• Issuing NFS-e (Brazilian Electronic Service Invoice) in any municipality
• Issuing NF-e (Brazilian Electronic Invoice, model 55) for retail MEIs (Brazilian individual microentrepreneurs)
• Access to the Portal do Empreendedor (Brazilian government entrepreneur portal) (gov.br/empresas)
• Filing the DASN-SIMEI (Annual Simples Nacional Declaration, MEI, the Brazilian microentrepreneur's annual revenue return)
• Access to e-CAC (Receita Federal's online taxpayer service portal) for companies to check outstanding issues and regularizations
• Setting up debt installment plans on the Receita Federal (Brazilian federal tax authority) portal
• Signing legally valid service agreements
• Enrollment in the Simples Nacional (Brazilian simplified tax regime) and Simei (MEI tax regime)
• Issuing the CCMEI (Brazilian microentrepreneur registration certificate) and updating registration data online
• Access to Caixa's Conectividade Social (Brazilian system for FGTS, the employee severance fund, if you have an employee)
• Participation in simplified public tenders
• Signing digital sales proposals and quotes
• Communicating with the Junta Comercial (Brazilian state commercial registry) to close or modify the MEI (Brazilian individual microentrepreneur)

Frequently asked questions

Why does an MEI (Brazilian individual microentrepreneur) need a digital certificate?

To issue NF-e (Brazilian electronic invoice) and NFS-e (Brazilian electronic service invoice) properly, access the Portal do Empreendedor (Brazilian government entrepreneur portal), file the DASN-SIMEI (annual MEI revenue declaration), and access the tax systems of the Receita Federal (Brazilian federal tax authority). It is also mandatory in some municipalities for issuing NFS-e.

What is the difference between the e-MEI and a regular e-CNPJ (Brazilian company digital certificate)?

Technically, they are the same certificate. Both are ICP-Brasil (Brazilian public key infrastructure) certificates with full legal validity. The difference is commercial: the e-MEI has a price R$ 30 lower and priority service for microentrepreneurs, in recognition of their smaller financial means.

Can I use the e-MEI for everything the e-CNPJ (Brazilian company digital certificate) does?

Yes. Technically, they are identical: same issuance by the Certificate Authority, same ICP-Brasil (Brazilian public key infrastructure) chain, and same legal validity. The only differences are the target audience and the price.

Does an MEI (Brazilian individual microentrepreneur) need an A1 or an A3?

For most MEIs, the A1 (1 year, stored as a file) is sufficient and more affordable. The A3 (2 years, stored on a token) is recommended for those who will use the certificate on more than one computer or need extra security.