Lex (URN)
URN namespace, a type of Uniform Resource Name, that allows accurate identification of laws and other legal norms
Lex is a URN namespace, a type of Uniform Resource Name (URN), that allows accurate identification of laws and other legal norms.
LexML Brazil and Italy (Civil law countries) officially recognize the URN LEX standard draft. Brazil using LEX URNs since 2009, as a namespace for sources of law.
The urn:lex was included in the official IANA list of "Formal URN Namespaces" in 2022, with its template, as required by the IANA process.
Lex became finalized as informational RFC 9676 with the IETF in May 2025
Syntax
The URN syntax of the LEX identifier has a hierarchical structure as follows:
"urn:lex:"<NSS>
where NSS is the Namespace Specific String composed as follows:
<NSS>::=<jurisdiction>":"<local-name>
where:
<jurisdiction> is the part providing the identification of the jurisdiction, generally corresponding to the country where the source of law is issued.
<local-name> is the uniform name of the source of law in the country or jurisdiction where it is issued; its internal structure is common to the already adopted schemas.
Illustrative examples of sources of law identified by lex URNs: urn:lex:it:stato:legge:2003-09-21;456 (Italian act)
urn:lex:fr:etat:lois:2004-12-06;321 (French act)
urn:lex:es:estado:ley:2002-07-12;123 (Spanish act)
urn:lex:ch:glarus:regiere:erlass:2007-10-15;963 (Glarus Swiss Canton decree)
urn:lex:eu:council:directive:2010-03-09;2010-19-UE (EU Council Directive)
urn:lex:us:federal.supreme.court:decision:1963-03-18;372.us.335 (US FSC decision)
Concrete examples
Real URN LEX resolver at Brazil, the country where URN LEX was adopted since 2009, with the LexML.gov.br portal:
urn:lex:br:federal:constituicao:1988-10-05;1988: Brazilian Constitution of 1988.
urn:lex:br:federal:lei:2008-06-19;11705: Law nº 11.705, of June 19, 2008, known also as "Brazilian Prohibition".
Transparent identifiers
URNs are used as unique identifiers (unique IDs), like using ISBN to identify books. The URN is also nominated as a "public (unique) ID".
The public source identifies “Lex (URN)” as uRN namespace, a type of Uniform Resource Name, that allows accurate identification of laws and other legal norms. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around namespace, type and Uniform.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Lex (URN)”, the useful work is to connect “uRN namespace, a type of Uniform Resource Name, that allows accurate identification of laws and other legal norms” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 14, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q6537508. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2009, 2022, 2025 and 2003.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Lex (URN)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Lex (URN) primary sources, Lex (URN) archive and namespace research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Lex (URN)”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Lex (URN)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.