---
slug: prazo-pra
lang: en
titulo: Maximum deadline for the Union, States, and Federal District to implement Environmental Regularization Programs (PRAs)
resposta: The maximum deadline for implementing PRAs is 1 year, extendable for another year by an act of the Executive Branch head.
curto: PRAs: 1 year (extendable)
tema: Licensing
revisada: 2026-10-04
proxima: 2027-04-04
---

## Data
| Who               | Initial deadline | Extendable deadline | Source                                                                 | Data of record          |
|--------------------|------------------|---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------|
| Union              | 1 year          | 1 year              | Law 12.651/2012, art. 59 (original wording)                           | 25/05/2012              |
| States and DF      | 1 year          | 1 year              | Law 12.651/2012, art. 59 (original wording)                           | 25/05/2012              |
| Union (general rules) | 180 days      | —                   | Law 12.651/2012, art. 59, §1º (original wording)                      | 25/05/2012              |
| Union (general rules) | —              | —                   | Law 13.887/2019, art. 59, §1º (updated wording)                       | 06/09/2019              |

Data consulted on 04/10/2026.

## Basis
- [Law No. 12.651/2012 (Planalto, in Portuguese)](https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2011-2014/2012/lei/l12651.htm): Art. 59 sets a 1-year deadline for the Union, States, and Federal District to implement PRAs, extendable for an equal period by an act of the Executive Branch head; the original §1º required the Union to regulate general rules within 180 days; Law 13.887/2019 maintained the obligation to implement PRAs but amended §1º without changing the initial deadline.

## How it applies
The Union, States, and Federal District have 1 year (from the publication of Law 12.651/2012) to implement PRAs, with the possibility of a 1-year extension by an act of the Executive Branch head. The Union must issue general rules within 180 days (non-extendable deadline), while States and the Federal District must detail them according to their specificities (art. 24 of the Constitution).

## Limits
- Initial deadline: Counted from the publication of Law 12.651/2012 (25/05/2012); no mention of automatic adjustments due to subsequent legislative updates.
- Extension: Requires a formal act by the Executive Branch head (Union, State, or Federal District), not automatic.
- Union’s general rules: The 180-day deadline (art. 59, §1º) applies to regulation, not to the implementation of the PRA itself.
- Exceptions: Law 14.595/2023 modified deadlines for landowners' adherence to PRAs (art. 59, §2º), but did not alter the implementation deadline for federal entities.
- Primary source: This record covers only art. 59 of Law 12.651/2012 and its changes up to Law 13.887/2019. Later changes (e.g., Law 14.595/2023) should be verified directly in the source to confirm impacts on implementation deadlines.
- Scope: Applies to the institutional program implementation (PRA), not to deadlines for rural landowners' adherence or compliance with commitment terms.