Companies starting operations in the city of Rio de Janeiro are confronted, right from the outset, with a distinction that shapes their entire licensing strategy: the classification of their activity as low- or high-risk.
This distinction defines deadlines, required documents and bodies involved. And depending on the framework, the difference between operating on a weekly or monthly basis can be significant.
The structure was established by the Economic Freedom Act (Law no. 13.874/2019) and incorporated by local regulation. Knowing which category the company falls into is the starting point for any business registration process in the state.
What defines a low-risk category?
The Economic Freedom Act and the Board of Trade of the State of Rio de Janeiro (JUCERJA) regulations define as “low-risk” those activities that do not compromise health, environmental safety and fire and panic safety.
The Federal Government makes available, through the National Department of Business Registration (DREI), a table of activities exempted from the permit. This category generally includes retail trade, professional offices, agencies, educational establishments, and small-scale maintenance and repair services. For these companies, the business registration can be completed through the REGIN system. In the 92 municipalities of Rio de Janeiro with an automated permit system, the process can be completed in a few hours.
Which company qualifies as high risk?
The high-risk classification is attributed to activities that cause medium to large magnitude health and environmental impact and that compromise fire and panic safety.
The framework results, in general, from the combination of two factors: the type of operation developed and the physical conditions of space. Typical examples are: oil extraction, engineering, health, collective food and the chemical industry.
Establishments with an area greater than 500 square meters aimed at operational use tend to fall into this category, regardless of the main activity.
A point that often goes unnoticed: companies that hire contractors to perform part of the high-risk tasks can also be evaluated from this perspective. The contractor’s operational profile is taken into account during the licensing process, not just the formally registered activity.
The three licenses that underpin the process
To obtain the operating permit, high-risk companies need to present three complementary authorizations, each issued by a different agency.
Health Surveillance License: mandatory for establishments with potential impact on public health. In the city of Rio de Janeiro, licensing is managed by IVISA-Rio and processed through the SISVISA system.
Fire Department Approval Certificate: issued by CBMERJ after analysis of the technical project and on-site inspection. Attests to compliance with fire and panic safety regulations.
Environmental License: required for activities with potential environmental impact. The competent authority in Rio de Janeiro is INEA, and obtaining the necessary permits may require specific technical reports and studies.
In addition to these three, the city may require additional documentation when reviewing the case. This often occurs in activities that have specificities not foreseen in the general classifications.
Deadline: Where does Rio de Janeiro differ?
In the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, the average time to obtain the high-risk permit is about 30 business days. In other municipalities in Rio de Janeiro and in the country, the same process can take months or, in more complex cases, years.
This differential is associated with the municipality’s policy of stimulating the business environment and the integration between the licensing agencies. Still, agility does not mean the absence of complexity.
The sequence that streamlines the process
The most recurring error in the process is to wait for the formal registration of the company and only then start the procedures with the Health Surveillance, the Fire Department and the environmental agency. The most efficient decision is to anticipate these procedures, even before registration, as technical analyzes and surveys often do not depend on the formal legal existence of the company.
High risk requires method, not just documentation
Being classified as a high-risk activity is not an obstacle. It is a process with defined steps that, when carried out in the correct order, results in smooth operations within predictable timeframes.
What determines the result, in practice, is the quality of the initial mapping: understanding which licenses apply, in which order they should be requested and how to structure each application to avoid requirements that restart the deadline.
PLBrasil Paralegal operates in the conduction of these processes for high-risk companies, focusing on the correct sequencing of stages, the management of complementary licenses and the reduction of rework throughout the licensing.
