# Law No. 6649 of May 16, 1979

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105659585](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105659585)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-6649-of-may-16-1979

## Summary
Law No. 6649 of May 16, 1979 (Lei nº 6649, de 16 de maio de 1979) is a Brazilian federal statute that regulates urban property leasing (locação predial urbana) and related provisions. Promulgated by President João Figueiredo and published in Brasília, it functions as a formal legal instrument establishing norms governing rental agreements, monetary corrections, time limits, and contractual rights within Brazilian jurisdiction.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 6649, de 16 de maio de 1979
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 6649/1979
- **Publication Date:** May 16, 1979
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgated By:** João Figueiredo (President of Brazil)
- **Entity Type:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Primary Purpose:** Regulates urban property leasing (regula a locação predial urbana) and provides related measures
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1979-05-16;6649
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6649.htm
- **Wikimedia Project Classification:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs

**What is the purpose of Law No. 6649/1979?**
This Brazilian federal law regulates urban property leasing (locação predial urbana) and establishes related legal provisions. It addresses contractual norms, monetary corrections, payment structures, rights, warranties, and enforcement mechanisms for rental agreements.

**Who approved and promulgated this law?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated by President João Figueiredo on May 16, 1979.

**What subjects does Law No. 6649/1979 cover?**
The law addresses a broad range of topics including time limits, inflation accounting (monetary correction), real property, economic value, readjustments, legal norms, penalties, prohibitions, rights, transfers, payments, warranties, contracts, debt collection, court decisions, and regulatory requirements.

**Where can the official text of this law be found?**
The official text is available through the Brazilian Presidency's legislative portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6649.htm and is indexed under the LexML Brazil identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1979-05-16;6649.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 6649 of May 16, 1979 represents a significant piece of Brazilian legislation governing urban property leasing relations. As a statute—an instance of formal written law—it provides the legal framework essential for regulating landlord-tenant relationships in urban areas across Brazil. The law's comprehensive scope, addressing everything from monetary corrections to contractual rights and enforcement mechanisms, demonstrates its role in establishing predictable legal standards for property rental transactions. During the period of its enactment under President João Figueiredo's administration, such regulatory frameworks were particularly important for urban development and housing policy in a rapidly urbanizing Brazil. The law exemplifies how statutory instruments function as concrete manifestations of legal norms, creating enforceable rules that govern everyday economic relationships between property owners and tenants.

## Notable For
- **Urban Property Regulation:** Specifically targets the regulation of urban property leasing (locação predial urbana), a critical area of civil law affecting millions of Brazilian residents
- **Historical Context:** Promulgated during the João Figueiredo presidency (1979-1985), the final leader of Brazil's military dictatorship period
- **Comprehensive Subject Coverage:** Addresses over 25 distinct legal subjects including contracts, warranties, debt collection, monetary correction, and court procedures
- **Federal Jurisdiction:** Applies uniformly across all of Brazil as federal legislation
- **LexML Integration:** Registered in Brazil's official legal document system with standardized identifier
- **Statutory Classification:** Exemplifies the formal statute category—a subclass of written work, document, and rule under Brazilian legal taxonomy

## Body

### Legislative Identity and Classification

Law No. 6649 of May 16, 1979 (Lei nº 6649, de 16 de maio de 1979) is classified as a **statute**—a formal written document that creates law. In Brazilian legal taxonomy, it represents an instance of a "legal term or legal concept" and functions as a manifestation of statutory law. The law operates as a "legal norm" and constitutes part of the broader Brazilian legal system.

The statute bears the legal citation **Lei nº 6649/1979** and is registered in Brazil's LexML system with the unique identifier **urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1979-05-16;6649**. LexML Brazil serves as the country's official system for identifying and exchanging legislative documents, ensuring standardized reference across legal databases and governmental systems.

### Promulgation and Authority

The law was promulgated on **May 16, 1979** through the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, with **João Figueiredo** serving as the promulgating authority. Figueiredo presided over Brazil from 1979 to 1985 as the last president of the military dictatorship period, overseeing the beginning of the country's transition to democracy. The promulgation took place in **Brasília**, Brazil's federal capital since 1960.

### Subject Matter and Scope

The law's digest summary states its primary purpose: **"REGULA A LOCAÇÃO PREDIAL URBANA E DA OUTRAS PROVIDENCIAS"** (Regulates urban property leasing and provides other measures). Its scope encompasses an extensive array of legal subjects:

**Property and Economic Subjects:**
- Real property (Imovel)
- Economic value (Valor)
- Purchasing (Aquisição)
- Alienation (Alienação)
- Transfer (Transferencia)

**Financial and Monetary Subjects:**
- Inflation accounting/monetary correction (Correção Monetaria)
- Readjustment (Reajustamento)
- Payment (Pagamento)
- Debt collection (Cobrança)

**Legal and Regulatory Subjects:**
- Legal norms (Normas)
- Legislation (Legislação)
- Regulation (Regulamentação)
- Definition (Definição)
- Design requirements (Requisitos)

**Procedural and Enforcement Subjects:**
- Contract (Contrato)
- Warranty (Garantia)
- Execution (Execução)
- Court decision (Julgamento)
- Decision (Fixação)

**Temporal and Administrative Subjects:**
- Time limit (Prazo)
- Prohibition (Proibição)
- Revocation (Revogação)
- Rights (Direitos)
- Transgression (Infração)
- Fine/penalty (Penalidade)

### Jurisdiction and Language

The law **applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil** in its entirety, operating as federal legislation binding across all states and territories. It was composed and published in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the Federative Republic of Brazil, which serves as the primary language for all governmental and legal documents in the country.

### Official Publication and Access

The official text of Law No. 6649/1979 is accessible through the Brazilian Presidency's legislative portal at:
**https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6649.htm**

This digital publication is maintained by the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency (Casa Civil) as part of Brazil's commitment to public access to legislation. Under the "edict of government doctrine," Brazilian statutes are in the public domain, ensuring that citizens have unrestricted access to the laws they must follow.

### Context Within Brazilian Legal Framework

Brazil operates as a **federal republic** with a civil law system heavily influenced by Portuguese legal traditions and the Napoleonic Code. Federal statutes such as Law No. 6649/1979 form part of the hierarchical legal structure below the **Constitution of Brazil** (currently the 1988 Constitution). The National Congress of Brazil, comprising the Federal Senate and Chamber of Deputies, serves as the legislative body responsible for creating federal statutes.

The law falls within the broader category of legislation concerning private law and civil obligations, specifically addressing property relations in urban contexts. As Brazil's population became increasingly urbanized throughout the 20th century—with approximately 188.5 million people living in urban areas by 2022—legislation governing urban property leasing became essential for housing policy and economic stability.

### Related Legal Concepts

As a statute, Law No. 6649/1979 shares characteristics with related legal instruments:
- **Acts:** Laws passed by legislature
- **Executive Orders:** Directives issued by executive authority
- **By-laws:** Rules made by local authorities

Statutes are distinguished as the "manifestation of statutory law" and are composed of legal norms. Their creation follows draft laws and results from the legislative process. In the Brazilian context, statutes must comply with constitutional principles and may be subject to judicial review by the **Supreme Federal Court (STF)**, Brazil's highest judicial authority.

### WikiProject Classification

The law is categorized under **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its recognition within structured knowledge systems dedicated to organizing and documenting Brazilian legislation. This classification facilitates cross-referencing with related legal documents and enables systematic access to Brazil's legislative corpus.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1979-05-16;6649)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=6649&ano=1979&data=16/05/1979&ato=5e7ITVU1EMrRVTee8)
3. LexML Brasil