Exit and Travel Authorization in the Club

Quick answer

To leave the comarca (judicial district) where they live — which is not the same as the municipality, since one comarca can cover several cities — every Pathfinder under 16 needs written authorization from their parents naming the leader in charge, with a notarized signature. That is what the ECA (article 83, as worded by Law 13.812/2019) and CNJ Resolution 295/2019 require. Judicial authorization only comes into play when that document does not exist. And if there is an overnight stay at a hotel or inn, article 82 of the ECA requires written authorization even for those who are 16 or 17.

A child under 16 traveling outside the comarca without their parents needs written authorization from the father, mother or guardian naming the leader who is accompanying them, with a notarized signature. With that document, judicial authorization is not required (ECA, art. 83, and CNJ Resolution 295/2019).
An overnight stay at a hotel, inn or similar follows a different rule: art. 82 of the ECA requires written parental authorization even for those who are already 16 or 17 — and the fine under art. 250 falls on the establishment that hosts them without it.
The Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual (SAD, 2020 edition) goes beyond the law: it requires written authorization whenever the activity leaves the urban perimeter, uses an inter-municipal road, or includes an overnight stay — and, for events outside the state, it asks for a notarized signature.

One month before the trip, the message drops into the parents' group: “I need the authorization notarized by Sunday.” Then comes the flood of questions — really a notary? my child is already 16, does he still need it? his dad lives in another state, who signs? what if it's just a hike nearby? While the secretary answers one by one on WhatsApp, the bus still doesn't have its folder ready.

The confusion has a simple cause: there is no single “the authorization.” Three different rules are talking at once — the Child and Adolescent Statute (the ECA, Law 8.069/1990), the resolutions of the National Council of Justice (the CNJ, the body that standardizes Judiciary procedures) and the South American Division's Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual. Each one demands something different, and the outing scenario determines which one rules.

This guide crosses all three, scenario by scenario: what the law requires, what the manual requires beyond that, who decides on what varies — and, at the end, a plain-text authorization template for you to copy, adapt and print. It ties in closely with what we already covered in child protection in the club: a well-made document is protection, not bureaucracy.

Which document does each outing require?

Before the table, one word that clears up half the confusion: comarca (judicial district). The ECA doesn't talk about municipalities — it talks about the comarca, the area served by a single courthouse, which can cover several municipalities. In other words: taking the club to the neighboring town sometimes doesn't even leave the comarca. When in doubt, your state's Court of Justice website shows which comarca serves each municipality.

The matrix below matches the real-world outing scenario with the minimum document and the rule behind the requirement. Read from top to bottom until you find your situation — and remember that rows stack (a trip to another state with an overnight stay at an inn needs both documents).

Outing scenario	Minimum document	Notarized signature?	Basis
Meeting at headquarters, within the urban perimeter, no overnight stay	Registration form and health form signed at the start of the year	No	Administrative Manual (Forms A and B)
Outing within the same municipality, outside the urban perimeter or on an inter-municipal road, no overnight stay	Written parental authorization for that specific outing	Not required by law	Administrative Manual (special meetings)
Outing to a contiguous comarca, in the same state or metropolitan region	Written parental authorization	No (the law waives judicial authorization in this case)	ECA, art. 83, §1, “a”
Trip outside the comarca, within the state, accompanied by a leader (not a relative)	Written authorization naming the leader in charge	Yes, by resemblance or authenticity	ECA, art. 83, §1, “b”, 2 + CNJ Res. 295/2019, art. 2
Trip to another state (regional, national or South American camporee)	Written authorization naming the leader; the manual also asks for authorization from the Juvenile Court	Yes, expressly required by the manual	Administrative Manual + CNJ Res. 295/2019
Accompanied by a grandfather, grandmother, uncle, or adult sibling (relative up to the 3rd degree)	Document proving the family relationship	No (the law waives it)	ECA, art. 83, §1, “b”, 1
Any activity with an overnight stay at a hotel, inn, guesthouse or similar — even at 16 and 17	Written parental authorization for the lodging	The law only requires written authorization; courts advise hotels to require a notarized signature	ECA, arts. 82 and 250
Pathfinder aged 16 or 17, domestic trip, no hotel overnight stay	Official photo ID; the law does not require authorization, but the club requires it under its own rule	Not by law	ECA, art. 83 (only covers those under 16)
Trip abroad without parents (camporee in another country)	Authorization from both parents, in two original copies	Yes; one copy is retained by the Federal Police at boarding	ECA, art. 84 + CNJ Res. 131/2011, art. 8

Notice what the matrix shows and almost no one says out loud: judicial authorization is the exception, not the rule. It only becomes mandatory when the parents' document is missing. With the right paperwork, signed and notarized, the club travels without going through the courthouse in the vast majority of cases.

What does Brazilian law actually require (ECA, articles 82 to 85)?

The heart of the rule is article 83 of the ECA: no child or adolescent under 16 may travel outside the comarca where they live, unaccompanied by their parents or guardians, without express judicial authorization. The age wasn't always 16: until 2019, the article only mentioned “child,” meaning it only covered those who were not yet 12; Law 13.812/2019 raised the limit to 16. That change is what caught many clubs off guard — suddenly, almost the entire caravan needed paperwork.

The same article lists the exemptions in §1: judicial authorization is not required when the destination is a contiguous comarca, in the same state or metropolitan region; when the Pathfinder travels with an ascendant or collateral relative up to the third degree who is of legal age (grandparents, great-grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles, adult nieces/nephews), with the family relationship proven by a document; or when they travel with an adult expressly authorized by the father, mother or guardian. It's this third case that fits the Pathfinder Club: the leader is the “adult expressly authorized.”

Here's the nuance that rarely comes up: the ECA doesn't use the phrase “notarized signature” for domestic travel. It was CNJ Resolution 295, of September 13, 2019, that set the format — it deals with domestic travel authorization and requires, in article 2, a public deed or private document with a signature notarized by resemblance or authenticity. In article 3, the same resolution requires the document to state its validity period and, if it is silent, the document is presumed valid for two years.

Overnight stays are a different chapter. Article 82 prohibits lodging a child or adolescent at a hotel, motel, guesthouse or similar establishment, unless authorized or accompanied by the parents or guardian — and here there's no age cutoff: it also applies to a 17-year-old Pathfinder. Failing to comply is an administrative offense under article 250, carrying a fine and, on repeat offenses, closure of the establishment. In other words: the inn hosting the caravan has its own interest in checking the paperwork, and it will.

For trips abroad, the pieces change: article 84 waives judicial authorization when the minor travels with both parents or guardian, or with one of them expressly authorized by the other through a notarized document — if they travel with a third party (the club leader, for example), authorization is needed from both. CNJ Resolution 131/2011 spells out the procedure: two original copies, one retained by the Federal Police at boarding, a signature notarized by resemblance or authenticity, and a validity period presumed to be two years when not stated. Article 85, meanwhile, prohibits a child or adolescent born in Brazil from leaving the country in the company of a foreigner residing or domiciled abroad without judicial authorization.

What does the Club Manual require beyond the law?

The Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual (South American Division, 2020 edition) is stricter than the Code — and that's on purpose. It states that every time a special meeting takes place outside the urban perimeter, uses inter-municipal roads, or includes an overnight stay, the club must require authorization from the parents or guardians, and that the Pathfinder does not take part in the activity without that written authorization. The manual itself includes a suggested form, Appendix F – Exit Authorization, in the forms and appendices section (page 225 of the 2020 edition). It's worth reading that appendix closely: it's lean — it identifies the Pathfinder, the event, departure and return times, the health declaration and the guardian's signature — but it doesn't have a field to name the accompanying leader or any mention of a notarized signature. That's why the template in the next section adds what federal law requires.

Two practical takeaways from this. First: authorization is per activity, not one annual signature kept in the folder. The manual repeats the requirement for excursions, camps, unit social events and camporees. Second: leaving the urban perimeter or taking an inter-municipal road already triggers the club's rule, even when federal law wouldn't even come into play because the comarca wasn't left.

For an event outside the home state, the manual asks for two steps: the guardian's signature notarized and an authorization from the municipality's juvenile court — in the manual's text, “Juizado de Menores,” an old term; today the correct name is Juvenile Court (Vara da Infância e da Juventude). The stated goal is to shield the directors judicially and civilly during the trip.

Some honesty is needed here about what varies. Under federal law, with parental authorization bearing a notarized signature naming the leader, a judicial permit is not required for domestic travel. The manual asks for one extra step, and some comarcas have their own Juvenile Court ordinances on events involving children and adolescents. Who decides, in practice: your Conference or Mission (the Field), which guides the caravan, the local Church Board, which votes on the activity, and the Juvenile Court of your comarca. Call all three before printing 60 forms.

The South American Division's minor-protection guidelines, published on October 23, 2024, close the loop from another angle: no official off-site activity involving minors is allowed without an approval vote from the Church Board and without authorization from the parents or legal guardians. The same document prohibits children from sleeping in rooms or tents with adults other than their parents or holders of court-granted custody. This isn't excessive caution: it's the structure that makes abuse hard to happen.

For camps, the manual also requires collecting, from every underage participant, the signed authorization, medical prescriptions, medications and instructions for any special needs, all gathered in a safety folder — and hiring transportation from a reputable company, with insurance for everyone. If you're setting up the structure for the outing, it's worth reading the guide on how to set up a camp as well.

Read alsoChild protection in the club

What does the authorization template you can copy look like?

The text below is a generic template written by us, built from what the rules require — it is not a reproduction of the official form. If your Field already distributes its own form, use the Field's version: it takes priority. Copy it, replace what's in brackets, print it in two copies and bring both on the trip.

MINOR'S EXIT AND TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION

I, [FULL NAME OF FATHER, MOTHER OR LEGAL GUARDIAN], [nationality], [marital status], holder of RG (ID) No. [_____] and CPF (tax ID) No. [_____], residing at [FULL ADDRESS], in the capacity of [father / mother / legal guardian] of [FULL NAME OF THE MINOR], born on [__/__/____], holder of identity document No. [_____], EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZE him/her to travel and stay, including overnight, at the activity [NAME OF ACTIVITY], held by the [CLUB NAME] Pathfinder Club, of the Seventh-day Adventist Church of [CITY/STATE], from [__/__/____] to [__/__/____], to [CITY/STATE AND LOCATION], under the responsibility and in the company of [FULL NAME OF THE LEADER IN CHARGE], RG No. [_____], CPF No. [_____].

I further authorize, in case of emergency and if I cannot be reached, medical and hospital care for the minor. Relevant health information: [allergies, ongoing medications, dietary restrictions, special needs].

This authorization is valid exclusively for the activity and period described above.

[CITY], [__] of [MONTH], [YEAR].

______________________________________
[Signature of the father, mother or legal guardian — signature notarized by resemblance or authenticity]
Contact phone numbers: [_____] and [_____]

Each field is there for a reason. The table below shows which line of the document backs which requirement — it's what separates an authorization that works from a nice-looking paper that protects no one:

Field	Why it can't be missing
Full details of the person signing	Proves that the person authorizing really is the father, mother or legal guardian
Full name of the companion	The law refers to a “person of legal age expressly authorized”: without the leader's name and ID, the exemption doesn't apply
Departure and return dates	The authorization must state a validity period; if omitted, it's presumed valid for two years (CNJ Res. 295/2019)
Destination and activity name	Ties the document to that specific trip and prevents generic use, which the manual doesn't accept
Explicit mention of the overnight stay	This is what article 82 of the ECA requires for lodging at a hotel, inn or similar
Authorization for emergency care and health information	Keeps the leader from being stuck with no answer at the ER at 2 a.m.
Notarized signature	This is the format required by CNJ Resolution 295/2019 for domestic travel without judicial authorization

About the notary: with notarization by resemblance, the notary compares the signature against the specimen already on file — it's usually the fastest route, and it requires the guardian to have a signature already registered at that specific notary office. By authenticity, the guardian signs in front of the notary, ID in hand. Both formats are accepted under the CNJ resolutions. Fees vary by state, since each Court of Justice publishes its own fee schedule — arrange the timing with the parents at least two weeks in advance.

What if the parents are separated, or the person signing isn't the father or mother?

For domestic travel, the letter of the law is lenient: the ECA refers to a person authorized “by the father, mother or guardian,” in the singular. One signature is enough. For trips abroad with a third party, the standard changes: authorization is required from both parents, under article 84 of the ECA and CNJ Resolution 131/2011.

In practice, though, here's advice from someone who has seen it go wrong: when there is shared custody — the arrangement Brazilian law treats as preferred when both parents are fit — or any sign of conflict between them, ask for both signatures. Legally, one is enough; practically, two keep the trip from turning into a family dispute with the director caught in the middle. And if one of the parents can't be located, the club isn't the one to decide: the family needs to go to the Juvenile Court for the authorization to be supplied by the court.

Who counts as “legal guardian,” anyway? It's whoever has recognized custody or guardianship — and that's proven with a document. A grandmother who has raised her grandchild for ten years without court-ordered custody is not, technically, a legal guardian: in that case, either the family formalizes the custody, or the authorization must be signed by the father or mother. When one of the parents has passed away or lost parental authority, attach the death certificate or the court ruling to the authorization.

Relatives up to the 3rd degree (grandparents, great-grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles, adult nieces/nephews) are exempt from authorization by law — but they must prove the relationship with a document. A birth certificate usually settles it.
Stepfathers and stepmothers do not count as relatives up to the 3rd degree for this purpose, unless there is adoption or custody. If the stepfather is taking the Pathfinder to a camporee, he counts as an “authorized adult” — and needs the document.
A Pathfinder in institutional care or under guardianship: talk to the Juvenile Court first. There's no shortcut here.

What else needs to be in the folder before the bus leaves?

Authorization is the most visible piece, not the only one. The manual calls the whole set the safety folder, and it's the responsibility of the club secretary. The checklist that works:

Exit authorization for each minor, in two copies, with a notarized signature when the scenario requires it;
Copy of the identity document of the Pathfinder and of the guardian who signed;
Updated health form (the manual's Form B), with allergies, chronic conditions and ongoing medication, along with a copy of the medical prescription when there is one;
Labeled medications, handed over to the leadership — never loose in a backpack;
Emergency contact list for each family, printed out (cell signal tends to fail right at camp);
Minutes with the Church Board's vote approving the activity;
Active registration and annual insurance for all participants;
Transportation contract with a reputable, properly licensed company.

That last item hides an expensive trap. The policy summary in the manual is explicit: the insurance covers regular members in activities approved by the local Church Board, including the trip from home to the site — and it excludes ground transportation not regulated under the Traffic Code and by ANTT (the national land transport agency). In plain terms: the counselor's brother's friend's van, without registration for passenger transport, may be exactly the detail that leaves the club without coverage on the worst possible day. It's worth revisiting the details in the club's annual insurance.

And here's the honest division of roles: the official member registration and the annual insurance live in the SGC, the South American Division's official system — and nothing replaces that. No app, spreadsheet or WhatsApp group issues a policy or counts as registration with the church; if the name isn't there, the Pathfinder isn't insured. See how it works in SGC: what it is and how to sign in. What tools like Desbravai handle is the other side of the week — notifying families, keeping the club's schedule and communication in one place — and that doesn't replace a single field in the SGC.

If the destination is the 2027 South American Camporee, in Barretos (SP), the math is simple: for clubs from outside São Paulo, it's an interstate trip, with overnight stays, over several days. That falls under the matrix's strictest row — notarized signature and an early conversation with the Field. Start gathering the paperwork months in advance, not weeks.

Which mistakes make the authorization worthless?

An invalid document is worse than no document at all, because it creates a false sense of security. These are the slip-ups that show up most often in last-minute checks — and how to fix each one:

Mistake	Why it invalidates the document	Fix
Not naming the accompanying leader	The legal exemption requires a person of legal age expressly authorized	Full name, RG and CPF of the person responsible for the trip
Authorization “for all activities of the year”	The manual requires authorization for every outing that fits the rule	One document per activity, with dates and destination
No notarized signature when leaving the comarca	CNJ Resolution 295/2019 requires a public deed or a notarized signature	Notary office, by resemblance or authenticity
WhatsApp screenshot or photo of the paper	There's no recognizable signature or original copy to check	Signed physical document, in two copies
Signature from someone who isn't the legal guardian	Without custody or guardianship, the signature doesn't authorize anything	Signature of the father, mother, or custody document
No mention of the overnight stay	Lodging has its own rule under art. 82 of the ECA, with no age cutoff	An explicit sentence authorizing lodging for the period
Folder with only one copy	If the copy is retained during a check, the club is left without one	Two copies — mandatory abroad, prudent within Brazil

One last point that isn't legal, it's human: authorization is a conversation, not a form. When the club hands parents a written notice with the schedule, address, times, phone numbers and the name of whoever will be looking after their child, the signature comes quickly and without friction. When only the paper to sign shows up, distrust follows — and it's legitimate. In fact, the manual recommends exactly this before camporees: gather the parents, explain the plan, and only then send the form.

Frequently asked questions

The questions that come up most at the club secretary's desk during travel week — answered with the rule in hand.

Does a 16-year-old Pathfinder need authorization to travel with the club?

Under federal law, no: article 83 of the ECA only covers those under 16, so for domestic travel a 16- or 17-year-old adolescent gets by with an official photo ID. But there are two big caveats. If the activity includes lodging at a hotel, inn or similar, article 82 requires written parental authorization at any age below 18. And the club's Administrative Manual requires written authorization for every minor on outings with an overnight stay, an inter-municipal road, or that leave the urban perimeter. In practice, the club asks for it — and does the right thing.

Does the travel authorization really need a notarized signature?

It depends on the scenario. Within the comarca, or to a contiguous comarca in the same state or metropolitan region, the law doesn't require anything at a notary office — the club asks for the document under its own internal rule. The caveat is an overnight stay at a hotel or inn: even close to home, hotels tend to require notarized authorization, following guidance courts have given the industry. When a child under 16 leaves the comarca accompanied by the leader, CNJ Resolution 295/2019 requires a public deed or a private document with a signature notarized by resemblance or authenticity. And the Administrative Manual requires notarization whenever the event is outside the home state.

Do I need a judicial permit to take the club to a camporee in another state?

Under federal law, no, as long as each Pathfinder under 16 brings parental authorization with a notarized signature naming the leader in charge — that's exactly the scenario that waives judicial authorization under article 83, §1, of the ECA. The Administrative Manual, however, advises also seeking authorization from the municipality's juvenile court, to shield the directors judicially and civilly. This varies by comarca and by Field: check with your Conference or Mission and with the local Juvenile Court before deciding.

How long is a travel authorization valid for?

For however long the signer specifies. The CNJ resolutions require the document to state a validity period and, if it's silent, the document is presumed valid for two years — this applies both to domestic travel (Resolution 295/2019) and to trips abroad (Resolution 131/2011). At the club, however, authorization should be per activity: the manual requires the document for every outing that fits the rule, with specific dates and destination.

Does an authorization sent via WhatsApp or a photo of the document count?

Not as a travel document. The rule requires a document with a notarized signature, and the original copy is what will be checked during a stop, at hotel check-in, or in an emergency. A message is fine for coordinating deadlines and answering questions with the family, but it never replaces the paper. The secretary's practical rule: without the physical copy in the folder, the name doesn't make it onto the boarding list.

What if the trip is to another country?

Everything changes. Traveling without the parents, with the club leader, authorization is required from both parents, with a notarized signature, in two original copies — one of them stays retained by the Federal Police at boarding, under CNJ Resolution 131/2011. In addition, article 85 of the ECA prohibits a child or adolescent born in Brazil from leaving the country accompanied by a foreigner residing or domiciled abroad without judicial authorization. Add to that a valid passport and the destination country's requirements, and start the process months ahead of time.

Sources and references

ECA — Lei 8.069/1990 (arts. 82 a 85) — Legal basis for lodging minors (art. 82) and for authorization to travel within the country and abroad (arts. 83 to 85).
Resolução CNJ nº 295, de 13/09/2019 — Sets the format for domestic travel authorization: public deed or notarized signature, and the presumed two-year validity period.
Resolução CNJ nº 131, de 26/05/2011 — Procedure for authorization to travel abroad: two original copies, retention by the Federal Police, and the document's validity.
Manual Administrativo do Clube de Desbravadores (DSA, 2020) — Requirement for written authorization on outings with an overnight stay, an inter-municipal road, or departure from the urban perimeter; Appendix F, excursions, camps and insurance.
Orientações da Igreja Adventista sobre prevenção de abuso (DSA, 23/10/2024) — Requires a Church Board vote and parental authorization for off-site activities involving minors, and regulates overnight stays.
TJSC — Hospedagem de crianças e adolescentes — Court guidance on written, notarized authorization for lodging and the penalties under art. 250 of the ECA.

The ECA, the CNJ resolutions and the Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual are official rules that apply to every club in Brazil; the requirement for a judicial permit, the form's format, submission deadlines and notary costs, however, vary by Conference/Mission, by comarca and by state. Rules and sources checked on 21/07/2026 — confirm with your board, with your Field and with the local Juvenile Court before traveling. This content is informational and does not replace legal advice.

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Published on June 15, 2026

Exit and Travel Authorization in the Club

Quick answer

🧭Which document does each outing require?

⚖️What does Brazilian law actually require (ECA, articles 82 to 85)?

🏕️What does the Club Manual require beyond the law?

✍️What does the authorization template you can copy look like?

👪What if the parents are separated, or the person signing isn't the father or mother?

🚌What else needs to be in the folder before the bus leaves?

🚫Which mistakes make the authorization worthless?

Frequently asked questions

Sources and references

Keep exploring

Child protection in the club

Annual club planning

Pathfinder Club Bylaws