The heat treatment is used often for overcoming seed dormancy in forest, but this still has the potential to control micro-organisms transmitted by seeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of moist heat via heat treatment on the physiological quality and seed health of canafistula - Peltophorum dubium. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replications. Seeds collected in 2006, are from different places of the State of Parana and were subjected to the following heat treatments: T0 - 0 min, T1 - 5 min, T2 - 10 min, T3 - T4 and 15 min - 20 min immersion in water at 80 ° C. After being processed, the seeds were subjected to the tests of the first germination, germination, seedling length, fresh weight, dry weight and sanity. The results indicated that immersion in water for 10 min at 80 ° C promotes seed germination canafistula therefore overcoming dormancy with higher germination percentage (70%) and seedling length (12 cm.plântula-1 .) The immersion of canafistula seeds in hot water at 80 ° C for 10 min is recommended to promote the germination of species, functioning as a mechanism for breaking dormancy. The same treatment at different times, is not enough to prevent the incidence of fungi without affecting the physiological quality of seeds.