Brazil strengthens the right to reach a human in customer service

Consumers in Brazil have gained stronger rights to speak to a person when disputing bills, cancelling services or seeking help from companies covered by new federal customer-service rules.

The decree took effect on 2 November 2026 and covers qualifying providers in federally regulated sectors, such as banking and telecommunications, alongside digital financial services supervised by Brazil’s central bank. It does not automatically apply to every business.

Covered companies must generally offer human assistance by phone and through digital channels from 8am to 8pm every day, including holidays. Chatbots and other automated systems remain allowed, but cannot block access to a person during those hours. At least one digital channel must operate around the clock, though it need not be staffed overnight.

Unless sector-specific rules apply, the telephone waiting limit for reaching a person is 20 seconds in at least 80% of cases, and five minutes for the rest. If a call with an attendant drops accidentally, the company must call back within five minutes, using the information already provided.

Cancellation must be available from the first menu and through the same channels used to sign up. Non-urgent requests require a conclusive response within seven calendar days. The decree also requires priority service for older people and accessible channels for people with disabilities.