Short answer
CEIS and CNEP are two public registers of sanctioned companies and persons, published by CGU, Brazil's federal comptroller, on the Portal da Transparência. Both are keyed by CNPJ or CPF, so a buyer checks a Brazilian supplier by its CNPJ, the company tax ID, and reads the dates of any sanction found.
Key facts
- Publisher
- CGU, on the Portal da Transparência
- Edition read
2026-10-02 - Sanctions in the CEIS file
- 23,739
- Sanctions in the CNEP file
- 1,823
- Key
- CNPJ, 14 digits, or CPF for a person
- Terms
- Portal terms of use: free use of the data
What the two registers are
CEIS is the register of companies declared unfit or suspended (empresas inidôneas e suspensas). CNEP is the register of punished companies (empresas punidas), which holds sanctions under Brazil's anti-corruption law. CGU publishes each as one file, and the download page names the date of the file.
The files, edition
| Register | Sanctions in the file | Companies Testigo holds |
|---|---|---|
| CEIS | 23,739 | 9,633 |
| CNEP | 1,823 | 1,016 |
What a row tells you
- Who was sanctioned: the type of person, the CPF or CNPJ, the name, and the legal name and trade name from the Receita Federal register.
- What the sanction is: its category, the legal basis and how far it reaches.
- When: the start date, the end date and the publication date.
- Who imposed it: the sanctioning body, its state and its level of government.
- CNEP adds the value of the fine.
A sanction has a start and an end. Read both dates before you draw a conclusion. One company can have several sanctions.
How to check a supplier
- Get the CNPJAsk the supplier for its CNPJ, or take it from its record. A CNPJ has 14 digits. The first eight are the company, the next four the establishment. See the CNPJ guide.
- Search both registersSearch CEIS and CNEP on the Portal da Transparência by CNPJ, or download the files. Note the date of the file.
- Read the entryRead the category, the sanctioning body and the dates. A sanction by one municipality is not the same as a federal one.
- Ask and take adviceAn entry is a reason to ask the supplier and to consult a Brazilian lawyer. It is not a judgment on the whole company.
How Testigo holds the registers
Brazilian records on Testigo carry the CNPJ, so both registers are matched to a plant by CNPJ, never by name. With Pro, an entry appears on the record with its category and date, and the tax ID check reads any CNPJ against CEIS, CNEP and the register of employers.
An empty result covers these registers in the edition shown. It is not a clean bill of health.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CEIS and CNEP?
CEIS lists companies and persons that a public body declared unfit or suspended. CNEP lists those punished under the anti-corruption law, and it also records the value of the fine. Both are published by CGU in the same format, and one company can appear in both. Check the two together.
Does a CEIS entry mean I cannot buy from the company?
The registers record sanctions imposed by public bodies. What a sanction forbids depends on its category and its reach, which are written in the row. For a private buyer an entry is a risk signal, not a ban. Read the dates, ask the supplier, and take advice from a Brazilian lawyer.
Can I search CEIS by company name?
You can, but a name match is not safe. The registers carry the name the sanctioning body wrote and the name in the Receita Federal register, and they can differ. The CNPJ is the reliable key. Testigo matches both registers by CNPJ only and never by name.
Sources
- CEIS: Cadastro de Empresas Inidôneas e SuspensasCGU, Portal da Transparência · edition
2026-10-02 - CNEP: Cadastro Nacional de Empresas PunidasCGU, Portal da Transparência · edition
2026-10-02 - Termos de uso do Portal da TransparênciaCGU · edition last updated 1 Oct 2024