Maturidade digital do cadastro único de pessoas físicas das capitais brasileiras sob a luz da Lei Complementar 214/2025: proposta de modelo de avaliação e sua aplicação

Abstract

The growing digitalization of public administration has transformed the way governments manage data and promote transparency in public management. Within this scope, this study considers that the consolidation of a digitally mature Single Register of Natural Persons will represent a strategic advancement for the efficiency and integration of public services, especially in capital cities, where the complexity of management and the need for information integration are even more evident, thus requiring robust technological solutions. Accordingly, it is understood that Federal Complementary Law (CL) No. 214, of January 16, 2025, emerges as a regulatory milestone that will drive this modernization, as it establishes guidelines for the interoperability and security of registry data, which are fundamental to improving oversight and decision-making in public policies. Thus, the general objective of this research is to assess the level of digital maturity of the single register of natural persons in the municipal governments of Brazilian capital cities within the context of CL No. 214/2025. To this end, the specific objectives are: (i) to develop a model to assess the level of digital maturity of the Federation’s capital cities; (ii) to measure the level of digital maturity of the capitals, considering the dimensions of the proposed model; (iii) to assess the level of digital maturity of public services, according to the Digital Maturity Index of Public Services of the Brazilian federal government; and (iv) to compare the level of digital maturity considering population size, geographic location, and municipal revenue. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative–quantitative approach, conducted using primary data (questionnaire) and secondary data (documents). The census sample comprises the 26 Brazilian capital cities, excluding the Federal District. Primary data collection was carried out through the application of a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire using Google Forms, while secondary data were obtained through documentary research of current legislation and open information available on the official websites of Brazilian capital city governments and other public bodies. The analytical procedures included documentary analysis, descriptive analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, cluster analysis, and bivariate analysis (Spearman correlation). Among the main findings, the following stand out: (a) the digital maturity of the seven dimensions of the model does not depend on the population size or revenue of the capital cities, although there is a weak correlation with the “Citizen Services” dimension, indicating that as population and revenue increase, the availability of better digital services for citizens tends to increase slightly; (b) the presence of a single and integrated register of natural persons is correlated with higher digital maturity in five dimensions of the proposed model (“Citizen Services,” “People,” “Leadership,” “Culture,” and “Technology”), as well as with overall digital maturity (considering all dimensions), demonstrating its effective contribution to the digital transformation of the capital city and its importance for public sector compliance with the requirements of CL No. 214/2025. The main contribution of this study lies in the proposal and application of a digital maturity model for capital cities, adapted from Costa (2024), Freitas et al. (2024), and the Digital Maturity Index of Public Services (Brazil, 2024), which was designed as an initial, agile, and evidence-based diagnostic instrument for digital maturity, enabling managers and researchers to preliminarily identify critical points, weaknesses, or existing limitations.