Brazilian Decree No 13,034/2026 establishes ‘National Database of Restricted Cell Phones’

New national database aims to strengthen enforcement against theft, robbery, receiving of stolen property, and illicit mobile devices market

In brief

Brazilian Decree No. 13,034, of June 23, 2026, established the National Database of Restricted Cell Phones (BNCR), a new centralized, nationwide database integrated into the National System for Public Safety, Prison, Weapons and Ammunition Traceability, Genetic Material, Fingerprint, and Drug Information (SINESP). The BNCR is intended to support the prevention, investigation, and enforcement of crimes involving theft, robbery, fencing, and unlawful resale of mobile devices, as well as to facilitate the recovery and return of such devices to their lawful owners.

The creation of the BNCR represents a new phase of the federal government’s “Safe Cell Phone” initiative, launched by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in December 2023 in response to elevated rates of theft and robbery of cell phones throughout Brazil. This initiative is designed to enhance the protection of citizens’ personal and financial data and hinder secondary markets for stolen devices.

Creation of the BNCR: context and purpose

Over the past decade, the rise in cell phone thefts has become a significant global concern. The offenses are driven not only by the intrinsic market value of the devices themselves, but also by the access they provide to personal data, bank accounts, digital assets, and sensitive business information.

According to the 2024 Brazilian Public Security Yearbook, cell phone robberies and thefts in Brazil function as an entry point for the organized crime into the digital environment and play a significant role in increasing the population’s sense of fear and insecurity.

Against this backdrop, the Federal Government implemented the “Safe Cell Phone” program to increase recovery rates, protect citizens’ personal data, and curb illicit markets. The program is primarily aimed at dismantling organized networks engaged in the receipt and resale of stolen devices, without criminalizing consumers acting in good faith.

The BNCR was created within this policy framework as a centralized database containing information on devices reported as stolen, robbed, or lost in any Brazilian jurisdiction, accessible to both authorities and citizens.

In practice, the tool will compile information into a unified database for use by law enforcement authorities, and its public version will allow citizens to check, through an official app, whether a particular device is subject to any restrictions.

Overview of the changes introduced by Brazilian Decree No 13,034/2026

Among the main changes introduced by Brazilian Decree No. 13,034/2026, the following stand out:

• Creation of an integrated national database: The Decree formally establishes the BNCR as a nationwide database within SINESP, with the purpose of consolidating, storing, and managing information on mobile devices subject to restrictions due to theft or robbery.
• Purposes of the BNCR: The main purposes of the BNCR are (i) to support efforts to prevent, investigate, and prosecute crimes related to the theft, receiving of stolen devices, and illicit sale of cell phones; (ii) to facilitate the recovery and return of cell phones to their rightful owners; (iii) to facilitate the sharing and integration of information among the agencies and entities of the Unified Public Security System (SUSP); and (iv) to provide data and indicators for the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of public policies related to the security and protection of mobile devices. In practical terms, the BNCR is expected to enhance integration among public safety agencies and modernize the sharing of information on stolen, lost, or recovered cell phones, thereby strengthening enforcement capabilities.
• Information sharing and public consultation: States and the Federal District are required to provide the Ministry of Justice and Public Security with data on reported thefts, robberies, and related occurrences involving mobile devices. In addition, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security will make available an official application so that citizens can verify whether a particular cell phone is subject to any restrictions. This feature may be relevant for individuals and businesses seeking to proactively verify whether restrictions are associated with mobile devices, particularly in the context of the purchase, resale, recovery, or circulation of used mobile devices.