Regin 2.0: Less red tape for businesses in southern Rio de Janeiro

Anyone starting a business needs time to focus on it. That is why reducing the wait to register a company matters. In Sul Fluminense, the southern region of Rio de Janeiro state, Regin 2.0 is helping municipalities improve that relationship with entrepreneurs.

Resende and Itatiaia adopted the platform in 2025 with support from Sebrae and Jucerja, the state's commercial registry. In Resende, the aim is to bring municipal, state and federal agencies into a single digital environment, automating reviews and reducing the need for travel and paper documents.

In Itatiaia, the city government reported in December 2025 that the business feasibility review had fallen from 41 hours to about 1 hour, with automatic provisional operating permits for low-risk activities. Based on the published times, that is a reduction of approximately 98% in this stage.

Barra do Piraí also adopted the system. In July 2026, the city government reported that Regin 2.0 enables around 95% of businesses to be opened within an hour. For someone starting out, this speed can reduce the costs of waiting and make planning easier.

Pinheiral also has documented progress: average business opening time fell from 23 to 15 hours between January and September 2025, a reduction of nearly 35%, which the city government linked to improvements in REGIN. That year, municipal staff also received Sebrae training on feasibility reviews and licensing. These publications do not identify adoption of version 2.0.

The timeframes need to be read carefully: feasibility reviews, registration and licensing are different stages. A provisional operating permit may be followed by checks and requirements specific to the activity.

I see this as a concrete example of the value of modernizing public administration: connecting systems, simplifying procedures and giving people their time back. When technology reduces red tape, entrepreneurs have more room to get their businesses going.