# Law No. 4274 of October 31, 1963

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105647936](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105647936)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4274-of-october-31-1963

## Summary
Law No. 4274 of October 31, 1963, is a Brazilian federal statute enacted during the presidency of João Goulart that establishes regulations for payments related to imports made by telephone service concessionaires. Published in Brasília, it operates as a specific legal instrument within the Brazilian legal system and applies to the entire jurisdiction of Brazil. Its official subject matter focuses on financial transactions involving foreign goods imported by telecommunications companies.

## Key Facts
- **Title:** Lei nº 4274, de 31 de outubro de 1963 (Law No. 4274 of October 31, 1963)
- **Alternative Name:** Lei nº 4274/1963
- **Classification:** Instance of a statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Country of Origin:** Brazil
- **Approval Date:** October 31, 1963
- **Publication Date:** October 31, 1963
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgated By:** João Goulart (President of Brazil at the time)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Jurisdiction:** Applies to all of Brazil
- **Primary Subjects:** Imports, Bank of Brazil, foreign goods, concessions, and payments
- **Digest/Topic:** "DISPÕE SOBRE PAGAMENTO RELATIVO AS IMPORTAÇÕES FEITAS POR EMPRESAS CONCESSIONARIAS DE SERVIÇOS TELEFONICOS E DA OUTRAS PROVIDENCIAS" (Deals with payment regarding imports made by telephone service concessionaires and other provisions)
- **Lexml Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-10-31;4274
- **Online Access:** Available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4274.htm

## FAQs

**What is the main purpose of Law No. 4274/1963?**
The law regulates how payments are to be made for imports carried out by companies that hold concessions to provide telephone services in Brazil. It is primarily an economic and administrative regulation.

**Who signed and enacted this law?**
The law was promulgated on October 31, 1963, by João Goulart in his role as the head of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

**Where can the full text of this law be found?**
The official text is available for public access on the Brazilian government's legal portal (Planalto) at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4274.htm and is indexed under the Lexml ID urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-10-31;4274.

**What legal classification does this law hold?**
It is classified as a "statute," which is a formal written document that creates law. As such, it is part of the broader category of legal acts and statutory law within the Brazilian legal system.

## Why It Matters
This law represents a specific intervention by the Brazilian federal government in 1963 to manage the financial operations of the telecommunications sector, specifically concerning the importation of foreign goods. By regulating how concessionaires—private or state-backed companies granted the right to operate telephone services—handled payments for these imports, the law aimed to control capital outflow and ensure compliance with national economic policy. Its enactment by President João Goulart places it within a historically significant period of Brazilian political and economic history. As a formal statute, it exemplifies the mechanism by which the Brazilian state exercises authority, creating binding legal norms that affect both public administration and private enterprises involved in critical infrastructure.

## Notable For
- **Telecommunications Regulation:** Specifically targets companies holding telephone service concessions, highlighting the government's role in this strategic sector.
- **Economic Governance:** Addresses the financial mechanics of importing foreign goods, reflecting the economic priorities of Brazil in 1963.
- **João Goulart Era:** Enacted by President João Goulart, situating the law within the political context of the early 1960s in Brazil.
- **Public Accessibility:** As a statute, the text is in the public domain and accessible to all citizens, a standard practice in Brazilian law.
- **Federal Jurisdiction:** Operates as a federal law, applying uniformly across all states and territories of Brazil.

## Body

### Legislative Identity and Classification
Law No. 4274 of October 31, 1963, is formally recognized as a **statute**. A statute is a foundational legal concept defined as a formal written document that creates law, serving as the manifestation of statutory law. It is classified as a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." This law follows the standard lifecycle of such instruments: it was preceded by draft laws and was caused by the act of legislation. As a statute, it is composed of legal norms and serves as the official record of a legal rule enacted by the government of Brazil.

### Enactment and Authority
The law was officially approved and promulgated on **October 31, 1963**. The approving authority is the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The act of promulgation was performed by **João Goulart**, who was serving as the President at that time. The location of its official publication was **Brasília**, the federal capital of Brazil. The entire process reflects the standard exercise of executive and legislative power within the Brazilian federal system.

### Subject Matter and Scope
The primary function of Law No. 4274/1963 is captured in its official digest: "DISPÕE SOBRE PAGAMENTO RELATIVO AS IMPORTAÇÕES FEITAS POR EMPRESAS CONCESSIONARIAS DE SERVIÇOS TELEFONICOS E DA OUTRAS PROVIDENCIAS" (Deals with payment regarding imports made by telephone service concessionaires and other provisions).

The law's scope is defined by its main subjects, which include:
- **Import (Importação):** The core topic, referring to the process of bringing foreign goods into the country.
- **Bank of Brazil (Banco Do Brasil):** A key financial entity likely involved in the payment or regulatory process.
- **Recruitment (Mercadoria Estrangeira):** Referenced in the context of importing foreign goods.
- **Concessionaire (Concessionaria):** Refers to the specific types of companies, namely telephone service providers, that are the target of the regulation.
- **Payment (Pagamento):** The financial transactions being regulated.

This law applies to the entire jurisdiction of **Brazil** and was written in **Brazilian Portuguese**.

### Official Identification and Access
The law is uniquely identified within the Brazilian legal information system by its **Lexml Brazil ID**: `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-10-31;4274`. This Uniform Resource Name (URN) provides a persistent and unique identifier for the legal document, facilitating its retrieval and reference in digital systems. The law is also cited legally as **Lei nº 4274/1963**.

The full text of the law is considered a public domain document, consistent with the "edict of government doctrine" which applies to statutes in many jurisdictions including Brazil, the United States, and France. This ensures unrestricted public access to the legal rules that govern society. The work is available online at the official Brazilian government portal: `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4274.htm`.

### Context within Brazilian Legal System
As a federal law enacted in 1963, Law No. 4274 is part of the vast body of statutory law that constitutes the Brazilian legal order. Brazil operates as a federal republic with a presidential system. The legislative power is vested in the National Congress of Brazil, which consists of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The current constitution, enacted in 1988, is the supreme law, but laws like Law No. 4274 from earlier periods remain in force unless revoked or amended by subsequent legislation. This particular law represents a specific regulatory intervention in the economic and infrastructure landscape of Brazil during a historically dynamic period.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-10-31;4274)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4274&ano=1963&data=31/10/1963&ato=a81IzZq50MVRVT9df)
3. LexML Brasil