Local conductivity inhomogeneities in the near-surface commonly shift magnetotelluric (MT) apparent resistivity curves in magnitude by a frequency independent factor (static shift). Proper interpretation of MT data requires detection and compensation of these static distortions. A variation of the Z/H method applied to single site recordings of magnetic variations of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) produces static-free geomagnetic transfer functions in the same-period range as MT impedances. Numerical modeling demonstrates that a comparison of these undistorted geomagnetic transfer functions with distorted MT impedances at periods between 10 and 100 seconds determines the magnitude of static shifts. By using a priori information on the morphology of the EEJ field and removing regional two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) effects from the magnetic data, the single-site Z/H method provides a reasonable estimate of the static shift in MT data from northeast Brazil. Critical factors in determining MT static shifts with this method are (1) good control on the morphology of the EEJ field and on the ratio of the regional uniform field to the nonuniform EEJ field at the magnetic equator, (2) a model reproducing the source field, (3) information on the distance between the MT site and the EEJ center, and (4) removal of regional 2-D and 3-D effects from the magnetic data. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1996