# Law No. 6420 of June 3, 1977

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105659713](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105659713)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-6420-of-june-3-1977

## Summary
**Law No. 6420 of June 3, 1977** (Lei nº 6420/1977) is a Brazilian federal statute that establishes legal norms regarding the administration and organization of federal educational institutions. Promulgated by President Ernesto Geisel, the law specifically addresses the nomination of directors, the functioning of federal universities, and the competency of autarchies within the Brazilian higher education system.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 6420, de 3 de junho de 1977
- **Type of Instrument:** Statute (Federal Law)
- **Date of Promulgation:** June 3, 1977
- **Approving Authority:** Ernesto Geisel, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 6420/1977
- **LexML Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1977-06-03;6420`
- **Primary Subjects:** Federal Universities, Higher Education, Nomination of Directors, Educational Administration, Autarkies.
- **Official URL:** Available at the Planalto government archive (`https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6420.htm`)

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Law No. 6420/1977?**
The law regulates the organization and maintenance of federal educational institutions, specifically focusing on the nomination of head teachers (directors), administrative competency, and the functioning of federal universities and autarchies.

**Who signed Law No. 6420/1977 into force?**
The statute was approved and promulgated by Ernesto Geisel, the President of Brazil at the time, acting in his capacity as the head of the Executive Branch.

**What specific areas of higher education does this law address?**
It addresses a wide range of administrative and operational aspects including the definition of legal norms, time limits for processes, authorization of activities, and the structural organization of federal universities and educational establishments.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 6420 of June 3, 1977, represents a significant statutory manifestation of Brazilian educational policy during the military dictatorship era. As a formal written document creating law, it serves as the concrete evidence of statutory law governing the federal higher education system. The law matters because it codifies the relationship between the Federal Government (União Federal) and its educational entities, defining the scope of "autarkies" (autonomous agencies) and the specific competencies required for their management. By establishing clear rules for the nomination of directors and the maintenance of educational institutions, it provides the legal framework necessary for the operation of federal universities, ensuring that government authority in education is documented, accessible, and enforceable.

## Notable For
- **Educational Governance:** Specifically targets the administrative structure of Federal Universities and educational institutions in Brazil.
- **Executive Authority:** Notable for being promulgated by President Ernesto Geisel, reflecting the centralized legal norms of the 1977 political context.
- **Statutory Classification:** Serves as a distinct example of a "statute"—a formal written document enacted to create law—differentiated from general legal acts or executive orders.
- **Public Accessibility:** Like all statutes, it is part of the public domain in Brazil, ensuring unrestrained public access to the legal rules governing federal education.

## Body

### Legal Classification and Definition
Law No. 6420 is classified as a **statute** (Estatuto), which is a formal written document enacted to create law. As a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule," it functions as the physical or formal expression of legal norms. In the context of the Brazilian legal system, which operates as a federal republic under the 1988 Constitution, this statute was created through legislation and serves as an official record of the rules enacted by the government. It is distinct from generic "laws" as it is the specific written instrument containing the legal text.

### Legislative Context and Promulgation
The law was officially approved by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil** on June 3, 1977. The promulgation was performed by **Ernesto Geisel** (President from 1974–1979), exercising the executive authority to enact federal legislation. The document was published in **Brasília**, the federal capital of Brazil, establishing its validity across the entire national territory (Jurisdiction: Brazil). The text is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the country.

### Subject Matter and Scope
The content of Law No. 6420 covers a comprehensive array of subjects related to the administration of federal entities. The law explicitly addresses the following topics:
- **Educational Administration:** It defines rules for the nomination (*Nomeação*) of staff, specifically **Head Teachers** (*Diretor*), and outlines the general **Management** (*Administração*) and **Organization** (*Organização*) of institutions.
- **Institutional Types:** The statute focuses on **Federal Universities** (*Universidade Federal*), **Educational Institutions** (*Estabelecimento De Ensino*), and **Autarkies** (*Autarquia*—autonomous government agencies).
- **Operational Regulations:** It sets guidelines for the **Functioning** (*Funcionamento*), **Maintenance** (*Manutenção*), and **Authorization** (*Autorização*) of these bodies.
- **Legal Framework:** The text establishes **Legal Norms** (*Normas*), defines **Competency** (*Competencia*), sets **Time Limits** (*Prazo*), and specifies **Design Requirements** (*Requisitos*) for compliance.
- **Governmental Relations:** It clarifies the role of the **Federal Government of Brazil** (*União Federal*) and the **President of Brazil** (*Presidente Da Republica*) in these processes.

### Identification and Access
As an official legal document, Law No. 6420 is indexed under several identifiers to facilitate retrieval and citation:
- **LexML Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1977-06-03;6420`
- **Legal Citation:** `Lei nº 6420/1977`
- **Digital Access:** The full text is accessible online via the official Brazilian government portal at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6420.htm`.

This law is tracked by **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, highlighting its relevance in the organization of legislative knowledge. As a statute, it falls under the broader category of "legal terms or legal concepts" and acts as a manifestation of statutory law within the Brazilian hierarchy of norms.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1977-06-03;6420)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=6420&ano=1977&data=03/06/1977&ato=b68ITWE9UNnRVT692)