José Alves de Cerqueira César (May 23, 1835 – July 26, 1911) was a Brazilian politician, governor of the State of São Paulo from December 1891 to August 1892. Cerqueira César was born in Guarulhos. He graduated from the Law School, University of São Paulo. He graduated in 1860, and was public defender in the city of Itapetininga. He was secretary and president of the Partido Republicano Paulista and in 1889 assumed the position of Treasury Inspector for the State of São Paulo. He died in São Paulo, aged 76.