Palmas boosts business licensing and tops Brazil in ISS tax growth

The municipal government of Palmas issued Decree No. 2.951/2026, which permits the issuance of provisional operating permits for businesses located in properties that have not yet received an occupancy certificate. The provisional licenses are valid until 31 January 2027, provided the entrepreneur signs a responsibility term and regularizes the building by 31 December 2026. The measure, promoted by Mayor Eduardo Siqueira Campos and the secretariats of Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, and Urban Planning, aims to cut red tape, ensure legal security and attract investment and jobs.

In the first quarter of 2026, Palmas led Brazil’s state capitals in ISS collection growth, rising 25.1% to R$ 121.7 million, and ranked fourth in IPTU growth with a 10.1% increase. The surge reflects an expanded taxpayer base, modernised electronic invoicing, the aerial‑survey GEOPalmas project that added over 2.29 million m² of previously untaxed built area, and a tax incentive that lowered the ISS rate for agro‑industrial firms from 5% to 2%. The mayor noted that stronger municipal revenue enables greater investment in infrastructure, health, education and other public services.