CNPJAPI

Look up CNPJ in Make (Integromat)

This guide shows how to look up a CNPJ (the Brazilian company tax ID) in Make (formerly Integromat) with no code, to automate enrichment: when a lead, a new spreadsheet row or a CRM record arrives, the scenario looks up the CNPJ with the CNPJAPI API and returns the legal name, registration status and main activity to the next step.

The guide starts from scratch: creating the account and generating your API key.

Before you start: create the account and generate the API key

To use the API you need an API key (a token that identifies your account). It is free to start.

  1. Go to https://app.cnpjapi.com.br and create your account on the free plan (no card required).
  2. Confirm your e-mail and sign in to the portal.
  3. Inside the portal, generate your API key. It starts with cnpj_ (for example, cnpj_a1b2c3...). Copy it and keep it somewhere safe - the key is shown once.
  4. This key goes in the Authorization header, as Bearer cnpj_your_key, on every request.

Details in Authentication. Treat the key like a password: whoever holds it consumes your quota.

How it works in Make

Make has no official CNPJAPI connector. You use the generic HTTP > Make a request module, which can send the Authorization header the API requires - that is what makes the integration work without code.

Step by step

  1. In your scenario, add the HTTP > Make a request module.
  2. Configure:
    • URL: https://api.cnpjapi.com.br/{{cnpj}} - where {{cnpj}} is the CNPJ (14 digits only) coming from the previous module. To test, use a fixed one: https://api.cnpjapi.com.br/00776574000156.
    • Method: GET.
    • Headers: add one header - Name: Authorization, Value: Bearer cnpj_your_key.
    • Parse response: Yes (Make hands you the JSON as a navigable structure).
  3. Run once (Run once). The module output shows the company fields. The main ones:
    • RazaoSocial - legal name;
    • SituacaoCadastral: Descricao - "Ativa" (active), "Baixada" (closed), etc.;
    • AtividadePrincipal: Descricao - main activity (CNAE) spelled out.
  4. Wire the next module (Google Sheets, CRM, e-mail, database...) and map those fields wherever you want to store them.

Handling "not found" and rate limit without stopping the scenario

The API responds:

  • 404 when the CNPJ does not exist in the public base;
  • 429 when you exceed the per-minute limit or the monthly quota (with the Retry-After header, in seconds).

By default Make treats 4xx/5xx responses as an error and stops the scenario. To keep going (for example, mark the row as "not found" and continue), right-click the HTTP module, Add error handler, and use Resume (or Ignore). That way one bad CNPJ does not break the whole batch.

Rate limit (and when to upgrade)

A Make scenario can fire many operations in a row. On the CNPJAPI free plan the API accepts a limited number of lookups per minute; when you exceed it, it returns 429. For larger volumes:

  • Slow down (schedule the scenario in blocks, or use a wait module); or
  • Upgrade to a plan with a higher limit and a comfortable monthly quota.

See the plan limits. If you automate enrichment often, a paid plan pays off quickly.

Notes

  • There is no official CNPJAPI connector/app in Make - it is the generic HTTP module.
  • Keep the API key safe: prefer a scenario variable or a data store over hardcoding it in shared scenarios.

Next steps

Create your free account at https://app.cnpjapi.com.br and build your first scenario in minutes.