Law of Brazil

Module 6

Contract, land, family and succession: the Civil Code, contracts and remedies, civil liability, property and the registry, foreigners and rural land, marriage and stable union, wills and inheritance

Private law in Brazil is codified in the Civil Code of 2002, which governs contracts, civil liability, property, family and succession, and it is read in the light of the Constitution. Contracts must serve their social function and respect objective good faith. Ownership of land is transferred only when the deed is registered at the Real Estate Registry, and foreigners face limits on rural land. Family law recognises marriage and stable union, divorce without waiting periods and a default regime of partial community of property. Succession reserves half of an estate for necessary heirs. For an outsider, the practical risks are informal agreements, buying land without registration and no will.

General education on the law of Brazil, using invented people and businesses. It states laws and procedures in simplified form and is not legal advice. The law and its practice change, and every case turns on its facts, the authority and the state concerned. It does not offer legal representation or a legal opinion on any case. Consult a Brazilian lawyer for any real matter.

This course was written on 6 November 2026. To the best of our knowledge, it describes the law of Brazil as it stood on that date. Laws change, and we may have missed or misunderstood something. If you notice a change, or have other information, please do not hesitate to contact us: we will review it and update the course. We do not claim to be the final source of the law.