Selling and repatriating as a non-resident: how the foreign buyer's capital leaves Brazil

Taxed like the resident… in the rate, not the benefits

When a non-resident sells a property in Brazil, the capital gain is taxed on the same progressive scale as for the resident: 15% up to R$ 5 million of gain, 17.5% up to 10, 20% up to 30 and 22.5% above that. For the typical sale of a home in Florianópolis, the gain falls into the first bracket: 15%. The calculation is done with the Receita Federal's GCAP program, which generates the DARF.

The key difference lies in the benefits: the resident's exemptions and reductions — the one for a sole property up to R$ 440,000, the one for reinvestment in another home within 180 days, and the reduction factors for length of ownership — do not apply to the non-resident. In practice, the taxable gain is simply the sale price minus the documented acquisition cost, with no discounts.

The deed isn't signed until the tax is paid

For the non-resident, the DARF (code 0473) is due on the day of the transaction, not the following month as for the resident. And the cartório will not register the deed without proof of payment. If the seller has not appointed an attorney-in-fact in Brazil, it is the buyer who becomes responsible for withholding and paying the tax at source. That is why it is advisable to name a resident attorney-in-fact (with a public power of attorney, usually issued at a consulate), who calculates and pays the tax and signs the deed.

Getting the money out: the outbound câmbio

Remitting the proceeds of the sale abroad is a câmbio (foreign-exchange) operation that must be carried out at an institution authorized by the Banco Central, under the framework of Law 14,286/2021. The bank records the operation in the BCB's system and applies the IOF in force on remittances (a rate that changed several times in 2025, so it must be confirmed at the time of the transaction). What actually allows the full amount to be taken out is that the original inflow was lawful and documented: money that came in through a câmbio in the buyer's name. That trail — not any special registration number — is what enables the exit. Buying with third-party funds or through informal channels blocks any future repatriation.

In summary

The non-resident pays the same capital-gains rate but without the resident's exemptions; the tax is paid on the day of the deed (and the buyer is liable if there is no attorney-in-fact); and the money leaves through a formal câmbio, provided the original inflow is documented. This is general information, not advice: confirm your case with an accountant and an authorized bank before acting.

Sources

• Receita Federal — Ganhos de capital (rates) and Tributação do não residente; IN SRF 208/2002.
• Law 13,259/2016 (progressive scale); Law 11,196/2005 (reinvestment, resident's exemption).
• Law 14,286/2021 (foreign-exchange framework); Banco Central do Brasil (câmbio operation and registration).