# Law No. 3900 of June 8, 1961

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648063](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648063)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3900-of-june-8-1961

## Summary
Law No. 3900 of June 8, 1961 is a Brazilian federal statute that regulates the counting of effective service time for military personnel specifically for the purposes of the military inactivity (retirement) law. It was enacted under President Jânio Quadros and applies nationwide in Brazil.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3900, de 8 de junho de 1961
- **Alias:** Lei nº 3900, de 8 de junho de 1961
- **Publication Date:** June 8, 1961
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, under President Jânio Quadros, via promulgation
- **Legal Classification:** Instance of a statute (a formal written document that creates law)
- **Primary Subject Matter:** Regulates the counting of effective service time ("contagem de tempo de efetivo serviço") for effects of the military inactivity law ("lei de inatividade dos militares")
- **Jurisdiction:** Applies to Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Official Citation:** Lei nº 3900/1961
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-06-08;3900
- **Full Text URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3900.htm
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law
- **Project Focus:** Listed on the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What is the core purpose of Law No. 3900/1961?**
This law establishes the rules for calculating and counting the effective service time of military personnel, which directly determines their eligibility and benefits under the separate legal framework for military retirement or inactivity.

**When was Law No. 3900/1961 enacted and who approved it?**
It was published on June 8, 1961, and was approved by the Presidency of the Republic, specifically by President Jânio Quadros, through the act of promulgation.

**How is this law officially cited in legal references?**
The standard legal citation for this statute is "Lei nº 3900/1961," which combines its number and year of enactment.

**Where can the complete, authoritative text of the law be accessed?**
The full text is officially available at the Brazilian government's legislative portal at the URL: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3900.htm.

**In which country and language does this law have legal effect?**
The law applies within the jurisdiction of Brazil and its text is in Brazilian Portuguese, making it legally binding for all matters within its scope across the country.

**What type of legal instrument is Law No. 3900/1961?**
It is classified as a statute, meaning it is a formal written document enacted by the legislative/executive authority that creates a specific legal rule or regulation.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3900/1961 is a critical component of Brazil's military legal framework, providing the precise methodology for calculating the service time that qualifies military personnel for retirement or inactive status. By standardizing the "contagem de tempo de efetivo serviço," it ensures uniformity and fairness in the application of pension and benefit entitlements for members of the armed forces. This statute translates the broader principles of military inactivity law into concrete, operational rules, directly impacting the careers, financial planning, and post-service lives of thousands of military personnel and their families. Its existence prevents ambiguity and disputes over service credit, contributing to the administrative stability and personnel management of Brazil's military institutions.

## Notable For
- **Specific Regulatory Focus:** It is notable for its narrow, technical focus on the procedural rules for counting military service time, rather than establishing broad policy.
- **Historical Context:** Enacted in 1961 during the presidency of Jânio Quadros, placing it within a specific period of Brazilian political history.
- **Part of a Larger System:** It functions as a regulating statute ("Lei de Regulamentação") that provides the detailed implementation rules for a primary law concerning military inactivity.
- **Documentation:** It is formally documented in Brazil's national LexML system with a unique identifier and is preserved in the official presidential legislation archive.
- **Community Recognition:** Its inclusion in WikiProject Brazilian Laws highlights its relevance for systematic documentation and curation of Brazil's statutory corpus.

## Body

### Legal Classification and Nature
Law No. 3900/1961 is formally classified as an **instance of a statute**. In legal and knowledge organization systems, a statute is defined as a formal written document that creates law, encompassing acts, executive orders, and by-laws. As a statute, this Brazilian law is a concrete manifestation of statutory law, composed of legal norms and resulting from the legislative process. It is a subclass of "written work" and "document," and its text is in the public domain as an official government edict.

### Historical Enactment and Authority
The law was **published on June 8, 1961**, in the nation's capital, **Brasília**. The act of approval is attributed to the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, with the specific head of state at the time being **President Jânio Quadros**. The determination method recorded is **promulgation**, indicating the final step by the executive branch that gave the law its binding force. This situates the statute within the early 1960s period of Brazilian governance, prior to the 1964 military coup.

### Substantive Content and Scope
The **law digest** provides a concise summary of its purpose: "REGULA A CONTAGEM DE TEMPO DE EFETIVO SERVIÇO PARA OS EFEITOS DA LEI DE INATIVIDADE DOS MILITARES." This translates to "Regulates the counting of effective service time for the effects of the military inactivity law." The **main subjects** associated with the law, as tagged in knowledge bases, are:
- **Regulamentação** (Regulation)
- **Tempo De Serviço** (Service Period / Time of Service)
- **Contagem** (Counting)
- **Militar** (Military)

These subjects confirm that the statute's entire scope is dedicated to the technical, procedural regulations governing how time in service is computed for military personnel seeking retirement or transfer to inactive status. It does not create the right to retirement itself but dictates how the qualifying period is measured and verified.

### Jurisdictional and Linguistic Parameters
The law **applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil** and its **language of work or name is Brazilian Portuguese**. These parameters are absolute; the statute's rules are enforceable only within Brazilian national territory and its legal system, and its authoritative text is in Portuguese. Any translation would be for informational purposes only and not have legal standing.

### Access, Identification, and Citation
The law has a persistent **LexML Brazil identifier**: `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-06-08;3900`. This URN (Uniform Resource Name) provides a stable, machine-readable reference for digital systems. The **work is available at the official URL**: `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3900.htm`, hosted on the Brazilian presidential portal (planalto.gov.br), which archives federal legislation. The standard **legal citation** format is **Lei nº 3900/1961**, used in legal documents, court opinions, and academic references to uniquely identify this statute.

### Documentation and Project Context
The law's **Wikidata description** is simply "Brazilian law," placing it within the broad category of national legislation. It is explicitly listed on the **focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, a collaborative Wikimedia effort to improve the coverage and quality of articles related to Brazilian legislation on Wikipedia and related projects. This indicates the statute is recognized as a distinct, citable entity worthy of dedicated documentation within that community's scope.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-06-08;3900)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3900&ano=1961&data=08/06/1961&ato=4a9oXTE5keVRVT854)
3. LexML Brasil