The present study aims to use remote sensing in the analysis of urban expansion in the urban perimeter of the head office and the district of São João de Viçosa in the municipality of Venda Nova do Imigrante, central meso-region of Espirito Santo state. LANDSAT-5 and LANDSAT-8 satellite images were used from 1988 to 2016 and the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) was used as the index for the identification of built-up areas. The study area was delimited by the municipal directorial plan, elaborated in 2015. The results obtained show that the built area had growth of 1467.86%, 79.19% and 44.74%, respectively, between 1988 to 1998, 1998 to 2008 and 2008 to 2016. This extraordinary growth is explained by the connection with large centers through the opening of BR-262 and agroturiso in the region. Factors such as relief and BR-262 made the city grow in two directions: SW and S, the creation of the São João de Viçosa district is directly linked to this preferential growth in the SW direction. The growth respects the current municipal director plan. The NDBI index has proved to be a useful tool in the analysis of urban area growth, but it has limitations, because areas of exposed soil can be included as built areas.