# Law No. 3841 of December 15, 1960

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648843](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648843)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3841-of-december-15-1960

## Summary

Law No. 3841 of December 15, 1960 (Lei nº 3841/1960) is a Brazilian federal statute enacted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President Juscelino Kubitschek. This law pertains to matters involving Brazilian municipalities, the Federal Government of Brazil, federative units (states), autarkies (public autonomous entities), public service employees, periods of service contribution, and related employment benefits within the Brazilian public administration system. The law was published in Brasília on December 15, 1960, and remains accessible through the official portal of the Brazilian federal government.

## Key Facts

- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3841, de 15 de dezembro de 1960
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3841/1960
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Enacting Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **President:** Juscelino Kubitschek (at time of promulgation)
- **Publication Date:** December 15, 1960
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Instance Of:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **LEXML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-12-15;3841
- **Applies To Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Official Source URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3841.htm

## FAQs

**What is Law No. 3841 of December 15, 1960?**

Law No. 3841 of December 15, 1960 is a Brazilian federal statute (lei) enacted in 1960 during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek. It addresses matters concerning Brazilian municipalities, the Federal Government of Brazil, state-level federative units, public autonomous entities (autarkies), and various aspects of public service employment including employee benefits, periods of service contribution, and related administrative provisions.

**Who enacted Law No. 3841/1960?**

The law was enacted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, with President Juscelino Kubitschek responsible for its promulgation on December 15, 1960. Kubitschek served as President of Brazil from 1956 to 1961 and was known for his ambitious infrastructure programs during this period.

**What subjects does Law No. 3841/1960 regulate?**

The law covers multiple subjects related to Brazilian public administration, including municipalities (municípios), the Federal Government (União Federal), federative units or states (estados), public autonomous entities (autarquias), public service (serviço público), employees and personnel (funcionários/pessoal), periods of service contribution (tempo de serviço), employment advantages and benefits (vantagens), and provisions regarding counting or calculation (contagem) of service time.

**Where can Law No. 3841/1960 be accessed?**

The full text of Law No. 3841/1960 is available through the official Brazilian federal government portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3841.htm. The law is also catalogued in the LEXML Brazilian legal database under the identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-12-15;3841.

**What is the legal classification of Law No. 3841/1960?**

Law No. 3841/1960 is classified as a statute (estatuto), which is a formal written document that creates law. In the Brazilian legal system, statutes are the primary form of legislation produced by the legislative branch and signed into law by the President. This classification places it within the broader category of statutory law (direito statutory) in Brazil.

## Why It Matters

Law No. 3841 of December 15, 1960 matters because it represents a significant piece of Brazilian federal legislation from a transformative period in Brazil's administrative history. Enacted during the Kubitschek administration—a period marked by substantial modernization and development initiatives—the law addresses fundamental aspects of public administration in Brazil, including the organization and functioning of municipalities, the relationship between federal and state entities, and the rights and benefits of public servants.

The law's provisions regarding public service employment, service time calculation, and employee benefits reflect the evolving legal framework for Brazil's civil service during the late 1950s and early 1960s. This period saw significant expansion of federal government activities and the establishment of new administrative structures to support Brazil's rapid economic growth and urbanization.

For legal researchers, historians of Brazilian public administration, and practitioners working with Brazilian law, Law No. 3841/1960 serves as an important reference point for understanding the legal foundations of public sector employment and municipal governance in Brazil. Its continued availability through official government portals demonstrates Brazil's commitment to maintaining access to its legislative history, which is essential for legal interpretation, historical research, and ensuring continuity in public administration.

## Notable For

- **Historical Significance:** Enacted during the Kubitschek presidency (1956-1961), a period known for major infrastructure development and modernization in Brazil, including the construction of Brasília.
- **Comprehensive Scope:** Addresses multiple interconnected aspects of Brazilian public administration, including municipalities, federal entities, states, autarkies, and public service employment.
- **Official Preservation:** Remains accessible through the official portal of the Brazilian federal government (Presidência da República), demonstrating Brazil's commitment to preserving its legislative heritage.
- **Legal Classification:** Classified as a statute (lei), the primary form of federal legislation in Brazil, distinguishing it from other legal instruments such as decrees, regulations, or judicial decisions.
- **Bilingual Documentation:** While the law itself is in Brazilian Portuguese, it is catalogued in international legal databases and classification systems, facilitating cross-border legal research.

## Body

### Legislative Context and Enactment

Law No. 3841 of December 15, 1960 was promulgated during a pivotal era in Brazilian history. President Juscelino Kubitschek, who served from 1956 to 1961, pursued an ambitious development program focused on industrialization, infrastructure development, and the construction of a new capital city, Brasília. The law emerged within this context of significant administrative transformation, reflecting the growing complexity of federal governance and the need for comprehensive legal frameworks to regulate public administration.

The law was published in Brasília, which had recently been established as the new capital city. The transfer of the capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília occurred on April 22, 1960, making Law No. 3841/1960 one of the early federal statutes published in the new capital. This timing underscores the administrative modernization underway during this period.

### Legal Nature and Classification

As a statute (lei), Law No. 3841/1960 represents a formal written document that creates law within the Brazilian legal system. Statutes are distinguished from other legal instruments by their formal enactment through the legislative process and their signature by the President of the Republic. In the hierarchy of Brazilian law, statutes occupy a primary position, establishing binding legal rules that apply throughout the national territory.

The law's classification as a statute also connects it to broader legal concepts. Statutes are considered manifestations of statutory law (direito statutory), which constitutes one of the primary sources of law in Brazil alongside case law, doctrine, and custom. This classification situates Law No. 3841/1960 within the fundamental structure of Brazilian legal ordering.

### Subject Matter and Regulatory Scope

Law No. 3841/1960 addresses a comprehensive range of subjects related to Brazilian public administration:

**Municipalities (Municípios):** The law establishes provisions concerning Brazilian municipalities, which are the fundamental administrative divisions of Brazilian territory. Municipalities possess autonomous status under the Brazilian Constitution and are governed by organic laws (leis orgânicas). The law's provisions regarding municipalities likely address their relationship to federal and state authorities, administrative organization, or financial matters.

**Federal Government (União Federal):** The law contains provisions relating to the federal government of Brazil, which constitutes the highest level of public administration in the country. The federal government exercises executive, legislative, and judicial functions through its various branches and agencies.

**Federative Units (Estados):** Brazil is organized as a federation composed of 26 states and one Federal District. The law addresses matters concerning these federative units, which possess their own constitutions, governments, and legislative assemblies. The relationship between federal and state authorities is a fundamental aspect of Brazilian federalism.

**Autarkies (Autarquias):** The law covers public autonomous entities known as autarquias, which are legal entities created by the state to perform specific public services with administrative and financial autonomy. Examples include regulatory agencies, public foundations, and certain public service providers.

**Public Service and Employment:** A significant portion of the law addresses matters concerning public service (serviço público), including provisions for employees (funcionários/pessoal), periods of service contribution (tempo de serviço), employment advantages and benefits (vantagens), and the counting or calculation (contagem) of service time for various purposes such as retirement, promotions, and other employment-related entitlements.

### Official Documentation and Access

Law No. 3841/1960 is preserved in official government archives and remains accessible to the public through digital platforms. The official text is available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3841.htm, which is the official portal of the Brazilian federal government where federal legislation is published.

The law is catalogued in LEXML, the Brazilian legal information system, under the identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-12-15;3841. LEXML is a comprehensive database that provides access to Brazilian legislation, jurisprudence, and legal doctrine, facilitating research and legal practice.

### Relationship to Broader Legal Framework

Law No. 3841/1960 exists within a broader system of Brazilian legislation governing public administration. It forms part of a complex legal framework that includes constitutional provisions, other federal laws, decrees, regulations, and normative instructions that collectively regulate the organization and functioning of Brazilian public administration.

The law's provisions regarding public service employment connect to broader civil service regulations that govern hiring, promotion, compensation, benefits, and retirement of public servants. These regulations have evolved significantly since 1960, with subsequent legislation modifying and updating many aspects of public employment.

### Historical and Administrative Significance

From a historical perspective, Law No. 3841/1960 represents the legal framework of Brazilian public administration during a period of significant transformation. The late 1950s and early 1960s saw substantial changes in how the Brazilian government organized and administered public services, reflecting the country's transition from a primarily rural society to an increasingly urban and industrialized nation.

The law's comprehensive scope, addressing municipalities, federal entities, states, and public employment, reflects the interconnected nature of Brazilian public administration. Rather than addressing these matters in separate legislative instruments, the law provides a unified framework that recognizes the relationships between different levels and entities of government.

### Preservation and Legal Continuity

The continued availability of Law No. 3841/1960 through official government channels demonstrates Brazil's commitment to preserving its legislative heritage. This accessibility is essential for legal practitioners, researchers, and citizens who need to understand the legal foundations of current administrative practices.

Legal continuity is particularly important in public administration, where past legislation often forms the basis for current rights and obligations. The preservation of laws like No. 3841/1960 enables legal interpretation in light of historical context and ensures that the evolution of Brazilian administrative law can be traced and understood.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-12-15;3841)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3841&ano=1960&data=15/12/1960&ato=37fUTW650dVRVT413)