With the objective of incresing the germination of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds, mainly under low temperature, was used pre-hydration techniques and osmotic conditioning or priming. Initially, the seeds of sweet pepper of the hybrid Atenas AG-322 were submitted under the constant temperatures of 20, 25, 30ºC and under the alternate of 20-30ºC. The seeds were placed to imbibe in distilled water (pre-hydration) for, zero, one, three, six, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 hours and soon after they were dry until reach initial moisture content. After, the seeds were placed to germinate in temperatures of 20 and 25ºC. In another experiment seeds were conditioned with osmotic solutions of PEG 6000 in the potentials of 0.0; -0.5; -1.0 and -1.5MPa for periods of seven, 14 and 21 days, followed by seeds drying, and then placed to germinate at 20 and 25ºC. Soaking seeds for 72 hours and osmotic conditioning with PEG with -0.5MPa for 21 days treatments were more efficient in improving the germination of sweet pepper seeds under low temperature.