This study introduces a type-curve technique for estimating rock permeability from capillary pressure measurements. The Brooks and Corey model in conjunction with the Wyllie and Gardner model were the basis for the development of this type-curve approach. The Wyllie and Gardner permeability model was used as the starting point for obtaining an analytical expression for permeability as a function of displacement pressure (P-d), pore geometrical factor (lambda), interfacial tension (gamma), fraction of pore volume available for flow (phi*), and porous medium configuration parameters (beta and n). The last parameters (beta and n) are assumed to be functions of porosity and irreducible water saturations, respectively. Parameters lambda and P-d are determined by matching the actual rock capillary pressure versus wetting-phase saturation (P-c-S-w) profile with that obtained from the Brooks and Corey model. Capillary pressure data for 62 rock samples representing a variety of sandstone and carbonate facies were used to test this approach. Permeability (k) of these samples ranged from less than 7 md to over 2500 md, and porosity (phi) ranged from 12 to 32%. In general, laboratory-measured permeability values matched reasonably well estimated permeability values using the proposed type-curve approach. An average absolute relative error of 7% was obtained with a standard deviation of 6%. For carbonate rocks characterized by a bimodal pore-size distribution, the capillary pressure data match in some cases two distinct type-curves rather than one. The use of an average pore geometrical factor for these cases is recommended, since it gives an accurate estimate of permeability. The use of this type-curve approach is restricted to air-brine drainage capillary data. This approach improves considerably the permeability evaluation from capillary pressure measurements, since it is based on the whole capillary pressure profile data rather than a single point and since it does not require an advance knowledge of fudge factors related to rock pore geometry. The approach is direct and is not plagued by any trial-and-error procedures.