The deadline to settle up depends entirely on your city: there is no single time valid for all of Brazil. When the city adopts the post-use fee (TPU), the system generates, after time expires, a window for you to pay and avoid the fine — but the existence of that window, as well as its duration and amount, are set by municipal law. In some cities the deadline is a few hours; in others, several days. So the first thing to do is check the rule of the municipality where you parked.
What this "deadline to settle up" is
When the paid time runs out or you forget to activate, cities that adopt the TPU do not ticket immediately. They offer a kind of second chance: paying the post-use fee within a deadline. If you pay within that window, you settle the situation and it does not become a traffic fine. The TPU is an administrative fee for using the space — it is not a fine and it does not add points to your driver's license.
Why the deadline varies so much
Settling up via TPU changes across three independent dimensions, all decided locally:
- Whether it exists: not every city adopts the TPU; some go straight to the fine.
- The deadline: it can be a few hours or several days, depending on the municipal decree.
- The amount: varies by city and is sometimes tiered (cheaper if you pay early, more expensive later).
See how this translates into illustrative examples:
| City (illustrative) | Deadline to settle up | TPU amount |
|---|---|---|
| City A | 4 hours | R$ 20 |
| City B | 5 days | R$ 40 |
| City C | up to 2h and then up to 10 days | R$ 10 / R$ 50 (tiered) |
These figures are only examples to show the variation — always check your city's law.
What happens if you miss the deadline
Here is the critical point. Only if the TPU is not paid within the deadline is the case ticketed as a traffic offense. At that moment, Article 181, XVII of the CTB applies: serious offense, R$ 195.23, 5 points on the driver's license, and removal of the vehicle. This amount is fixed and national, unlike the TPU. In other words: settling up on time is usually far cheaper than letting it become a fine.
How not to miss the deadline
- Activate at the start: avoiding the TPU is always better than chasing after it.
- Keep an eye on alerts: in cities served by Areatec, Digipare notifies you when time is running out and shows whether there is a pending TPU.
- Pay as soon as you can: the sooner you settle up, the lower the risk and, where the fee is tiered, the lower the amount.
In short: the time you have is what your city sets. Check the local rule, and when in doubt, settle up as soon as possible to avoid the Art. 181, XVII fine.