This article is about Brazilian labor law (CLT, NR-1, Law 14.457 and related rules). It does not apply to other countries. The source texts are in Portuguese; this is a translation.
Late vacations are expensive, but they rarely show up as a risk until someone does the math. The rule is objective, and it can be tracked person by person.
The deadlines
- Accrual period: 12 months of work.
- Granting period: the company has the following 12 months to grant it (CLT, art. 134).
- Payment: up to 2 days before the vacation starts (art. 145).
- Splitting: up to 3 periods, with the person's agreement, one of them with at least 14 days and the others with at least 5.
Watch the start date
The CLT prohibits starting vacation in the 2 days before a holiday or a paid weekly rest day (art. 134, § 3). With the 2 days of rest brought by Constitutional Amendment 141/2026, from December 2026, the start calendar may get tighter, especially in schedules with days off on alternating days. The amendment does not address this point: check with your lawyer or accountant before scheduling 2027 vacations.
The double payment
Vacation granted after the granting period is paid double (art. 137).
Hypothetical example
Salary of R$ 3,000:
- Normal vacation: R$ 3,000 + 1/3 = R$ 4,000.
- Past the deadline: R$ 8,000.
In a team where 5 people went past the deadline, the difference is R$ 20 thousand.
Where the problem hides
- "I sold all my vacation": the law only allows converting one third of the period into cash.
- Vacation on paper, work in practice: the person signs, but keeps answering requests.
- Tracking in a spreadsheet, with no expiry alert.
How to track it
A report with each person's deadline solves the paper side. For the part the paper does not show, you have to ask. IP's check-in includes vacation and days off, and the account of someone who did not really rest becomes a signal for HR.
Source: CLT (Brazilian Labor Code), arts. 134 (§ 3), 137 and 145; Federal Constitution, art. 7, XV (Constitutional Amendment 141/2026)
Informational content. It does not replace the advice of your lawyer or the company's occupational safety lead.