What plug does Brazil use?

Brazil uses Types C and N sockets. The supply is 127 V at 60 Hz.

What voltage is used in Brazil?

Supply voltage in Brazil is not uniform: figures are published in both the 100–127 V and the 220–240 V bands, at 60 Hz. Check the label at the socket before plugging in anything that is not dual voltage.

Do I need a travel adapter for Brazil?

From United States & Canada: yes, you need an adapter. From United Kingdom & Ireland: yes, you need an adapter. From Continental Europe: no adapter needed. From Australia & New Zealand: yes, you need an adapter.

Power plugs in Brazil

Brazil uses Types C and N sockets, running at 60 Hz. Supply voltage is not uniform across the country — figures are published in both the 100–127 V and the 220–240 V bands.

Socket types: C · N
Voltage: 127 V (varies)
Frequency: 60 Hz

Will your charger work?

Travelling from	Verdict
United States & Canada	Adapter needed
United Kingdom & Ireland	Adapter needed
Continental Europe	Fitsyour Type C plug goes straight in
Australia & New Zealand	Adapter needed

This is about the shape of the pins only. "Fits" means the plug goes in and carries power — it does not always mean it earths, and it never means the voltage is right. Both of those are below.

The sockets you will find in Brazil

Type C unearthed

CEE 7/16 — the Europlug

The most widely accepted plug in the world: it fits sockets across continental Europe, much of Africa, Asia and South America. Unearthed, and limited to 2.5 A — fine for chargers, not for a kettle.

Type N earthed

NBR 14136 / SANS 164-2

Brazil's standard, adopted by Paraguay, and the one South Africa is moving to. Accepts a Europlug, which is why a European charger works in São Paulo.

Worth knowing

Brazil is the country where mains voltage genuinely varies inside the country: much of the north-east and São Paulo state run at 127 V, while Brasília and the south run at 220 V. Check the label on the socket or ask before plugging in anything that is not dual-voltage.

Voltage and your devices

Brazil runs at 127 V. Bring an appliance built only for 230 V and it will run weakly or not at all — annoying rather than dangerous. The damage goes the other way.

Supply voltage is not consistent across Brazil. Published figures list 127/220 V · 220/380 V. Check the label at the socket, or ask the property, before plugging in anything that is not dual voltage.

Almost every phone charger, laptop brick and camera charger made this century is dual voltage. Look for "100–240V" in small type on the body of the plug: if it is there, the voltage is not your problem and you only need the right shape. Anything that makes heat — a hairdryer, a travel kettle, curling tongs — usually is not, and is where people get caught.

The supply is 60 Hz. Frequency only matters to things with a motor or a mains-driven clock; electronics do not notice it.

Plug, voltage and frequency data from Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country. See all countries

The other questions travellers ask at midnight

Plug sockets are the easy one — it does not change while they are in the air. Flight times, gates and transfers do. Viaquo gives an agency's travellers a concierge that answers from the actual booking, so the questions that do change get answered without waking anybody up.

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