Trip Data Kit

Plug adapters / Brazil

Type C / N · 127 / 220 V · 60 Hz

Do I need a plug adapter for Brazil?

Yes. Brazil uses type C and N sockets, and a US type A or B plug does not fit them. The supply is 127 / 220 V at 60 Hz, higher than the US 120 V.

Rio de Janeiro from Corcovado
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo: Rafael Rabello de Barros, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized)
Socket type
C / N
adapter needed
Voltage
127 / 220 V
charger must say 100–240 V
Frequency
60 Hz
same as the US
1234
  1. 1Socket Type C / N
  2. 2Voltage 127 / 220 V
  3. 3Frequency 60 Hz
  4. 4US plug needs an adapter
A wall socket in Brazil (type C/N, drawn schematically) with its voltage and frequency, and whether a US plug fits.
Type CType N
Socket types used in Brazil (schematic, not to scale).

What to pack for Brazil

Pack a type C adapter (a type C plug fits the C and N sockets you will find). An adapter only changes the shape of the pins; it does nothing to the voltage. That matters in Brazil, because the supply is 127 / 220 V. Look for "INPUT: 100–240 V" on your phone, laptop and camera chargers; nearly all made in the last decade say it, and those work with a plain adapter. A hair dryer, curling iron or electric kettle marked 120 V only will not, and a converter heavy enough to run one is bulkier than buying a cheap dual-voltage version or using the hotel's.

Brazil has no single supply voltage: WorldStandards lists 127 V / 220 V (Wikipedia: 127/220 V and 220/380 V systems), so pack chargers marked 100–240 V and do not plug in anything single-voltage.

About type C and N sockets

Type N is Brazil's three-pin standard: two round pins and a round earth pin set off-centre, in a recessed socket. Type N sockets also take two-pin type C europlugs, so a slim type C adapter covers phone and laptop chargers; earthed three-pin devices need a type N adapter.

Voltage and frequency in Brazil: 127 / 220 V, 60 Hz

Brazil127 / 220 V · 60 HzUnited States120 V · 60 Hz
Brazil's supply is 127 / 220 V — check that each charger's label says 100–240 V before plugging in.

Brazil has two supply voltages, 127 / 220 V, and the higher one is nearly double the 120 V of a US outlet, so plan for it everywhere. Any device with "INPUT: 100–240 V" on its label, which includes nearly every phone, tablet, laptop and camera charger, adjusts automatically and needs only the plug shape sorted out. A device marked 120 V only will draw too much current and can burn out in seconds; that mostly means hair dryers, straighteners, kettles and some older electric shavers. A travel converter can run them, but a converter rated for a 1,500 W hair dryer is heavy, so a dual-voltage model is the usual answer. The frequency is 60 Hz, the same as the US, so there is nothing to think about on that side.

Same sockets elsewhere

Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Greece and Netherlands use at least one of the same socket types as Brazil, so one adapter covers a trip that includes them.

Data for the same trip

While you are packing: how much mobile data a week in Brazil needs, and which eSIM plans cover it.

Frequently asked questions

What plug type does Brazil use?

Brazil uses type C and N sockets. A US type A or B plug does not fit, so you need an adapter.

What voltage is Brazil?

Brazil supplies 127 / 220 V at 60 Hz. Chargers marked 100–240 V handle it; single-voltage 120 V appliances do not.

Do I need a voltage converter for Brazil?

Not for phones, laptops or cameras, whose chargers accept 100–240 V. Only a single-voltage appliance such as a 120 V hair dryer needs a converter, and a dual-voltage model is the easier fix.

Will my phone charger work in Brazil?

Yes, provided it is marked 100–240 V, which almost every phone charger is. You still need a type C adapter for the socket.

Socket type, voltage and frequency: WorldStandards.eu country page, cross-checked 2026-10-21 against the Mains electricity by country table. The IEC retired its World Plugs guide in 2026.