Short answer. Brazil has no technical standard for blast or fallout shelters. The official rules concern temporary shelters for people displaced by disasters. Under Lei 12.608/2012, each municipality must organise and run temporary shelters "in adequate conditions of hygiene and safety" 1. The federal social-assistance system (SUAS) sets how these shelters are offered and co-funded: MDS Ordinance 1.172/2026 sets the procedure 3, and the per-person amounts come from CNAS Resolution 223/2026, as summarised by the MDS 2.
Who is responsible for public shelters?
Your municipality. Article 8, item VIII, of Lei 12.608/2012 gives municipalities the duty to organise and administer temporary shelters (abrigos provisórios) to assist the population in a disaster 1. The shelters are part of the SUAS Protection Service in Public Calamities and Emergencies, a high-complexity special protection service 2. It covers everyone affected by the event: people who lost their home (desabrigados), people who had to leave it (desalojados) and other vulnerable groups 2.
What forms can a public shelter take?
Ordinance 1.172/2026 defines three forms of temporary accommodation, which the MDS describes as follows 23:
| Form | What it is |
|---|---|
| Collective | Shared spaces organised by the public authority, such as schools, gyms, community centres or adapted temporary structures |
| Family | Separate housing units, rooms or hotel rooms for one family |
| Individual | The same, for a person alone |
A collective shelter must guarantee safety, hygiene, accessibility and technical support from SUAS staff 2. The MDS recommends family or individual accommodation for families with young children, older people and people with disabilities, and when people need more privacy 2. The rental of these units must be arranged by the public authority, and hotels may be contracted for emergency accommodation 23.
How is a shelter funded?
When the federal government recognises an emergency or calamity, the municipality can request federal co-funding 3. A variable amount applies once at least 10 people are sheltered: R$ 400 per person from the 10th to the 1,000th, R$ 200 per person from the 1,001st to the 10,000th, and R$ 100 per person beyond that 2. The municipality may file a new request each month while the federal recognition lasts and people still need shelter, and may still request co-funding for up to 12 months after the recognition ends 3. Federal money may not be handed to people in cash as housing or rent assistance: the municipality must make the contracts 23.
How can I check that my municipality is prepared?
To receive this funding, a municipality signs a Term of Acceptance (Termo de Aceite) in the federal Sou SUAS system, approved by its social-assistance council 23. The term is valid for five years and can be signed before a disaster, which speeds up funding 23. You can ask your municipal social-assistance secretariat or council whether it has been signed. For shelter locations in an emergency, call civil defence on 199; see public shelters in Brazil.
Do these rules apply to a private shelter?
No. They govern public temporary shelters run by municipalities 123. We found no Brazilian rule that sets technical requirements for a private blast or fallout shelter. Any construction must be designed by a qualified engineer and approved by your municipality. Phaenyx does not give construction instructions; see building a shelter.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a federal list of shelters?
We found none. Each municipality organises its own shelters 1.
Can a hotel be used as a shelter?
Yes. Ordinance 1.172/2026 allows the temporary contracting of hotels for emergency accommodation 3, and the MDS lists them among the options for family or individual accommodation 2.
Which rule replaced Ordinance 90/2013?
MDS Ordinance 1.172/2026, in force since its publication on 23 March 2026, sets new parameters for federal co-funding and expressly repeals Ordinance 90 of 3 September 2013 3.
Sources
- Presidência da República (Planalto) — Lei nº 12.608, de 10 de abril de 2012 (Política Nacional de Proteção e Defesa Civil) — https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2011-2014/2012/lei/l12608.htm (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Ministério do Desenvolvimento e Assistência Social, Família e Combate à Fome (MDS) — FAQ – Perguntas Frequentes: Cofinanciamento Federal do Serviço de Proteção em Situações de Calamidades Públicas e Emergências — https://www.gov.br/mds/pt-br/acoes-e-programas/calamidades-publicas-e-emergencias/cofinanciamento-federal/faq-perguntas-e-respostas-att-jun26.pdf (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Imprensa Nacional (Diário Oficial da União) — Portaria MDS nº 1.172, de 20 de março de 2026 (Diário Oficial da União, 23 de março de 2026, Seção 1, p. 31) — https://www.in.gov.br/web/dou/-/portaria-mds-n-1.172-20-de-marco-de-2026-694474204 (accessed 2026-10-27)
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Sources
- Presidência da República (Planalto) · Lei nº 12.608, de 10 de abril de 2012 (Política Nacional de Proteção e Defesa Civil) checked 2026-10-20
- Ministério do Desenvolvimento e Assistência Social, Família e Combate à Fome (MDS) · FAQ – Perguntas Frequentes: Cofinanciamento Federal do Serviço de Proteção em Situações de Calamidades Públicas e Emergências checked 2026-10-27
- Imprensa Nacional (Diário Oficial da União) · Portaria MDS nº 1.172, de 20 de março de 2026 (Diário Oficial da União, 23 de março de 2026, Seção 1, p. 31) checked 2026-10-27