Atlas · Licensing

Maximum annual limit for non-commercial forestry exploration in Legal Reserve is 20 m³

Reviewed on 2026-10-04 · next review 2027-04-04

Data

Data consulted on 04/10/2026.

Basis

• Law No. 12.651/2012 (Planalto, in Portuguese): Art. 23 establishes that sustainable management for non-commercial occasional forestry exploration in Legal Reserve, for consumption on the property, does not require environmental authorization and is limited to 20 m³/year. The motivation and volume explored must be declared to the environmental agency.

How it applies

This rule applies to all rural property owners or possessors, regardless of property size, provided the exploration is occasional (not continuous or systematic) and non-commercial (exclusively for personal consumption, such as firewood or wood for improvements). Prior declaration to the environmental agency is mandatory but does not require licensing.

Limits

• Applies only to occasional and non-commercial exploration: does not extend to continuous, commercial, or industrial activities.
• Exception for properties under item V of art. 3 of Law 12.651/2012 (small family rural properties or holdings): in these cases, the limit is reduced to 2 m³/ha/year, with additional restrictions (maximum of 15 m³/year per property and 15% of the Legal Reserve biomass).
• Mandatory declaration: even without licensing, the volume explored must be reported to the environmental agency.
• Subsequent changes: check for possible updates in Law 12.651/2012 or in state/municipal regulations that may modify the limits or requirements.
• Does not cover forest restoration: properties under item V of art. 3 are exempt from reforestation if the exploration is for personal consumption, but this does not apply to other cases.

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