# Law No. 3844 of December 15, 1960

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648846](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648846)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3844-of-december-15-1960

## Summary
Law No. 3844 of December 15, 1960, is a Brazilian statute enacted to amend the Lease Law (Law No. 1,647 of 1951), primarily addressing tenant-landlord relations by extending lease agreements and regulating debt collection. Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek, it reflects mid-20th-century efforts to stabilize urban housing amid rapid industrialization. The law remains accessible via official government portals and is cited as Lei nº 3844/1960.

## Key Facts
- **Enactment Date:** December 15, 1960.
- **Promulgated By:** President Juscelino Kubitschek.
- **Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3844/1960.
- **Primary Purpose:** Amended the 1951 Lease Law (Lei do Inquilinato) to extend lease terms and regulate rental debt.
- **Key Provisions:** 
  - Extended lease agreements (prorogation).
  - Established rules for debt collection and correlation of rental values.
  - Modified legal norms governing tenant-landlord obligations.
- **Publication:** Officially published in Brasília, with the full text available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3844.htm.
- **LexML Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-12-15;3844.
- **Wikidata Description:** "Brazilian law."
- **Focus Area:** Part of WikiProject Brazilian Laws.

## FAQs
**What is Law No. 3844 of December 15, 1960?**  
This law amended Brazil’s 1951 Lease Law, extending lease terms and clarifying rules for rental debt collection. It was enacted during a period of urban growth to stabilize housing markets.

**Who approved the law?**  
The law was promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek, whose administration focused on modernization and infrastructure projects like the new capital, Brasília.

**What were the main changes introduced by the law?**  
Key changes included prorogation (extension) of leases, updated procedures for debt collection, and adjustments to rental value calculations to address inflation and urbanization pressures.

**Is the law still in effect?**  
While later legislation, such as the 1995 Civil Code, has superseded parts of the 1960 law, its historical role in shaping tenant rights and rental regulations remains significant.

**Where can the full text be accessed?**  
The law is publicly available via the Brazilian Presidency’s legal database (https://www.planalto.gov.br) and the LexML Brazil portal.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3844 of 1960 played a critical role in Brazil’s mid-20th-century urban development by addressing housing instability. As industrialization drove migration to cities, the law aimed to balance tenant protections with landlord rights, reflecting broader socioeconomic shifts. Its amendments to lease terms and debt rules helped mitigate conflicts arising from rapid urbanization, setting precedents for later housing policies. The law also underscores the Kubitschek administration’s focus on legal frameworks to support modernization, aligning with infrastructure projects like Brasília’s construction. Today, it serves as a historical reference for understanding the evolution of property law in Brazil.

## Notable For
- **Historical Context:** Enacted during Juscelino Kubitschek’s "50 Years of Progress in 5" era, linking it to Brazil’s rapid modernization.
- **Full Legal Citation:** Formally designated as Lei nº 3844/1960, maintaining its status as a primary legal document.
- **Amendment of Lease Law:** Directly modified the 1951 Lease Law, influencing tenant-landlord relations for decades.
- **Public Accessibility:** Freely available online via government portals, ensuring transparency and compliance with Brazil’s public domain policies for legal texts.

## Body

### History and Legal Context
Law No. 3844 was enacted on December 15, 1960, during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek (1956–1961), a period marked by rapid industrialization and urbanization. The law amended the 1951 Lease Law (Law No. 1,647), which had established foundational rules for rental agreements. By 1960, housing shortages and inflation-driven rent disputes necessitated updates to extend lease terms and clarify debt collection processes. The legislation reflected the government’s efforts to stabilize urban centers amid mass migration from rural areas.

### Key Provisions
1. **Prolongation of Leases:** The law extended the duration of rental agreements to mitigate frequent displacements caused by short-term contracts.
2. **Debt Collection Rules:** It standardized procedures for recovering unpaid rents, addressing landlords’ concerns while protecting tenants from arbitrary evictions.
3. **Rental Value Correlation:** Introduced mechanisms to adjust rents in response to economic fluctuations, though this provision required further clarification in subsequent laws.
4. **Legal Norms:** Codified obligations for both tenants and landlords, emphasizing mutual responsibilities to reduce litigation.

### Legal Significance
Law No. 3844 bridged gaps in the 1951 legislation, adapting rental regulations to the challenges of Brazil’s urban boom. Its focus on prorogation and debt mediation influenced later housing policies, including the 1995 Civil Code, which retained principles of tenant protection. The law also highlighted the Kubitschek administration’s use of statutory reforms to address socioeconomic issues, complementing physical infrastructure projects like the construction of Brasília.

### Current Status and Accessibility
Though partially superseded by modern legislation, Law No. 3844 remains a reference for historical legal studies. Its full text is preserved in Brazil’s official legal database (https://www.planalto.gov.br) and the LexML Brazil portal, ensuring public access as required by the country’s transparency laws. The statute’s durability underscores Brazil’s commitment to maintaining a codified legal tradition, even as newer laws evolve to meet contemporary needs.

### Related Entities and Classifications
- **Statute Classification:** As a formal written law, it aligns with the global definition of statutes as legislative acts, distinct from unwritten legal principles.
- **Jurisdiction:** Exclusively applicable to Brazil, reflecting the federal government’s authority over rental regulations at the time.
- **Language and Format:** Published in Brazilian Portuguese, adhering to the country’s legal documentation standards.
- **Digital Preservation:** Part of WikiProject Brazilian Laws, emphasizing its role in open-access legal scholarship.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-12-15;3844)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3844&ano=1960&data=15/12/1960&ato=71bk3Y650dVRVT060)
3. LexML Brasil