Atlantic forest of south-eastern Brazil (southern Bahia and eastern Minas Gerais south to Paraná and Santa Catarina, possibly to Rio Grande do Sul), also adjacent eastern Paraguay and north-eastern Argentina (Misiones).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Spot-billed Toucanet (Selenidera maculirostris) [XC332774]
by Ricardo Gagliardi from Hotel Donati, Itatiaia NP, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil (call)
Spot-billed Toucanet (Selenidera) [XC367356]
by Marcelo J Feliti from Sendero Macuco, Parque Nacional Iguaz\u00fa, Misiones, Argentina (call)
Subspecies
Probably forms a superspecies with Tawny-tufted Toucanet (Selenidera nattereri), Red-billed Toucanet (Selenidera reinwardtii) and Gould's Toucanet (Selenidera gouldii). Guianan Toucanet (Selenidera piperivora) and Yellow-eared Toucanet (Selenidera spectabilis) have sometimes been included too, but these two appear to differ from others in voice and display behaviour. Closely related to Gould's Toucanet (Selenidera gouldii), and possibly conspecific, as sometimes treated. Forms described as hellmayri (north-central Brazil) and baturitensis (north-eastern Brazil), apparently result only of clinal variation, usually treated as part of Gould's Toucanet (Selenidera gouldii), but sometimes included in present species.