The Type N plug is one of the youngest national plug standards in major use. Brazil adopted Type N in 2007 to unify the country's chaotic pre-existing mix of plug types. The design is based on IEC 60906-1, an attempted international universal standard from 1986 that never caught on globally but found a home in Brazil and parts of Africa.
This guide covers the design, the history, and what Type N means for travelers in 2026.
What Type N is
The Type N plug, defined by ABNT NBR 14136, has three round pins:
- Two horizontal pins at the bottom for live and neutral, 4 mm diameter, 19 mm spacing
- One vertical earth pin above, slightly offset
- Pins are recessed into the socket face by approximately 15 mm for safety
The plug is unpolarized in standard Brazilian use, though the connector geometry allows polarization for specialty applications.
The 1986 IEC 60906-1 origin
In the early 1980s, the IEC tried to develop an international universal plug standard. The goal was a single design that could replace national standards globally, simplifying manufacturing and travel.
The result was IEC 60906-1, published in 1986. The design specified:
- Three round pins in a triangle
- 19 mm pin spacing for live and neutral
- Slightly offset earth pin
- Recessed socket for safety
The proposal failed politically. Major countries with established plug infrastructure (US Type A/B, UK Type G, German Schuko, French Type E, Japanese Type A, Chinese Type I) had no economic incentive to replace billions of installed sockets. IEC 60906-1 became a paper standard with no real-world adoption.
Until Brazil.
Brazil's 2007 adoption
Before 2007, Brazil's electrical landscape was genuinely chaotic. Different regions and even different buildings used:
- Type A (US-style flat pins) from American electrical influence
- Type C (Europlug) from European appliances
- Type I (Australian variant) from various sources
- Brazilian-specific designs from various manufacturers
Travelers reported needing 3-4 different adapters within Brazil itself. The hodgepodge created safety issues (mismatched plugs, loose connections) and prevented standardized cross-border equipment trade.
The Brazilian government decided to standardize, and chose IEC 60906-1 as the basis. ABNT NBR 14136 was published in 2007 and made mandatory for new construction. The new standard:
- Required new buildings to install Type N sockets exclusively
- Required new electrical appliances sold in Brazil to use Type N plugs
- Allowed existing buildings to keep their pre-2007 sockets
The transition is incomplete in 2026. Older Brazilian buildings (most pre-2007 residential construction) still have pre-2007 plug types. New construction is uniformly Type N. Modern hotels, especially in São Paulo and Rio, have Type N as standard.
What makes Type N distinctive
IEC-based design
Type N is essentially the only successful real-world adoption of IEC 60906-1. The design choices were made for global universality rather than local preference, which gives Type N some interesting properties:
- Pin spacing matches Schuko and Europlug (19 mm)
- Pin size matches Europlug (4 mm)
- Earth pin position is unique enough to prevent accidental cross-fitting with non-Type-N sockets
Partial Europlug compatibility
Because the live and neutral pin spacing matches the Europlug, a Europlug sometimes fits Type N sockets in practice. The fit isn't designed for and isn't reliable, but for low-draw devices it can work as an emergency measure.
This is similar to the Type D/Europlug coincidental compatibility in India.
Two amperage versions
Type N comes in two variants:
- 10 A version (4 mm pin diameter): household electronics
- 20 A version (4.8 mm pin diameter): high-current appliances
The 20 A version has slightly thicker pins. Both fit modern Brazilian sockets that have larger contact springs.
Where Type N is used
Brazil is the primary Type N market. The plug is used in:
- Brazil mainland (all states, with the 2007 transition)
- South Africa's newer SANS 164-2 sockets (a derivative of IEC 60906-1)
- A handful of countries that have adopted IEC 60906-1 in limited applications
Outside these locations, Type N is essentially unknown. The IEC 60906-1 standard remains technically valid but unadopted.
Type N vs other plug types
| Feature | Type N | Schuko (F) | Type B (US) | Type I (AU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pin count | 3 | 2 + 2 clips | 3 | 3 |
| Pin shape | Round | Round | Flat | Flat angled |
| Pin spacing | 19 mm (live/neutral) | 19 mm | 12.7 mm | 13.7 mm |
| Earth | Top pin | Side clips | Bottom round pin | Bottom vertical pin |
| Polarized | Optional | No | Modern yes | Yes |
| Current ratings | 10 A / 20 A | 16 A | 15 A | 10 A |
| Built-in fuse | No | No | No | No |
Type N's most distinctive feature is the IEC 60906-1 origin. It's the closest thing to an "international" plug design that's been successfully adopted nationally.
Practical implications for travelers
If you're traveling to Brazil:
- A Type N-capable adapter is essential
- Many universal adapters don't include explicit Type N coverage; verify the spec
- Brazilian Type N sockets sometimes accept Europlugs (loose fit, low-draw only)
- Brazil's state-by-state voltage variation (127 V vs 220 V) is a bigger concern than the plug shape (see our Brazil guide)
If you're a Brazilian traveler heading abroad:
- Type N doesn't fit reliably anywhere outside Brazil
- A universal adapter for the destination is required
- The Brazilian Type N plug's round pin design fits Schuko sockets in some cases but the earth pin doesn't engage
Why didn't IEC 60906-1 succeed elsewhere?
The IEC 60906-1 standard had real engineering advantages:
- Safer than Type A/B (recessed sockets prevent finger contact)
- More compact than Schuko
- Universal compatibility (if everyone adopted it)
- Clear earth design
But the global rollout problem was insurmountable. By 1986, every major economy had:
- Billions of installed sockets in homes and businesses
- Established manufacturing supply chains for plugs and appliances
- Cultural familiarity with the existing plug standard
- No economic incentive to bear the trillion-dollar cost of replacement
The standard remains in IEC documents as a technically valid design that few countries chose to adopt. Brazil's 2007 adoption is the major exception, partly because Brazil's pre-existing plug chaos created a unique opportunity for a clean-sheet redesign.
The bottom line
Type N is Brazil's modern plug standard, adopted in 2007 to unify the country's previous chaotic mix. The design is based on the IEC 60906-1 "universal" proposal from 1986 that almost no other country adopted.
For travelers: Brazil requires a Type N adapter or a universal that covers Type N explicitly. Many universal adapters skip Type N because the geography is small and the standard is young. Verify before flying or buy a Type N-specific adapter in Brazil where they're cheap and widely available.