question: We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Health Literacy Scale - 14 (HLS-14), the Brazilian Portuguese version. In the methodological study with a cross-sectional design, the following were performed: translation, cross-cultural adaptation and evaluation of the psychometric properties. After being subjected to a committee of experts, translated and adapted, the instrument was pre-tested with 52 adults and applied to 143 adults and older people of Piracicaba-SP. Internal consistency was assessed based on the Kendall correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha (>0.70), and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted using the chi-square test, the Standardized Residual Mean Square Root (SRMR), the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) (<0.05), the Comparative Fit Index (CFI) (>0.95) and the Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) (>0.95). The analysis of operational equivalence showed agreement between most of the questions, exception questions 6, 8, 9 and 14. Cronbach's alpha was 0.82. There was reasonable adjustment in the CFA: CFI=0.886, TLI=0.86, RMSEA=0.085 (90%CI: 0.065-0.105), SRMR=0.071, chi-square (74 degrees of freedom) = 149.510, p<0.001. The exclusion of question 5 increased the adjustment level to satisfactory. The Brazilian Portuguese version of HLS-14 can be considered a valid health literacy assessment instrument.