Paxillus MacLeay, 1819 (Coleoptera: Passalidae) is redescribed, with new distributional records and descriptions of four species from Brazil. Paxillus reyesi new species is characterized by the first antennomere of antennal club reduced, slightly longer than half of the second antennomere; mesosternal scar straight, wide and deep. Paxillus chapadensis new species from the Chapada dos Guimarães (Mato Grosso, Brazil) has prostenal process centrally impressed with an opaque depression; and the scape of the antenna with a subapical dorsal spine, shallow ventral depression, and few erect setae. Paxillus manausensis new species from Manaus (Amazonas, Brazil) has high frontal ridges; mid-frontal tubercles high, acuminate and larger than the internal tubercles; and the central tubercle short. Paxillus uaupesensis new species from Uaupes (Amazonas, Brazil) has the mesosternal scar opaque, elongate and depressed; and the scutellum depressed. Diagnostic redescriptions and illustrations of known species from Brazil, a key to all known species, and a checklist with distributional data are provided.