Buying Property in Portugal in 2026

From 2023, property investments are no longer a basis for obtaining a Golden Visa in Portugal. Other investment options such as business, funds, support for science or cultural heritage can now be considered to qualify for the programme.

Nevertheless, there are no restrictions on foreigners buying property in Portugal and a residence permit is still available for people with financially independent status. Non-residents can purchase residential and commercial properties, as well as land plots. The process of buying and registering property in the country follows a number of steps.

Find a property

Make a list of properties that match your preferences as a buyer. The city, district and your budget are the main things to take into account. Once you have found one or more options that interest you, a real estate agency or the property owner will arrange viewings. Don’t hesitate to ask your real estate agent any questions about the property, payment procedures or potential discounts.

Get a lawyer

Before buying real estate, you will need a lawyer to take care of all the necessary documentation.

Get a tax number and open a bank account

A tax identification number (número de identificação fiscal or NIF) will allow you to open a bank account to buy the property.

It is required for all financial transactions in Portugal. To obtain one:

• EU/EEA residents can apply in person at their local Finanças Tax Office with their passport and proof of address.
• Non-EU/EEA residents must appoint a tax representative in Portugal to submit the application.

Sign the preliminary sales contract and pay the deposit

The preliminary sales contract (Contrato Promessa de Compra e Venda) is formalised by a notary. You will need to make a down payment from 10% to 30% of the price. Doing this reserves the property and takes it off the market. If the agreement is broken by the seller, they will have to pay you back double that sum.

Get the sales contracts notarised

All the agreements between parties must be certified by a notary.

Pay municipal real estate purchase tax

The buyer of property in Portugal pays a transfer tax (Imposto Municipal sobre Transmissões, IMT) of 1–8% and stamp duty (Imposto do Selo, IS) of 0.8%.

Блок внимания

From August 2024, people under the age of 35 purchasing their first property for permanent residence will be exempt from paying IMT and stamp duty, if the value of the property does not exceed 316,772 euros and it is not rented out.

Do the due diligence

Between the provisional and final sale agreements (1–6 months), your lawyer carries out the due diligence and gets the following documents:

• excerpt from the land register (Certidão de Teor), containing information regarding location and type of the property as well as all modifications to property ownership;
• tax registration of the property (Caderneta Urbana/Rustica Predial or Caderneta Predial) defining the surface area of the land, floor space and number of residential buildings;
• habitation licence (Licença de Habitação) issued by local authorities confirming the property meets regulatory standards (for a property built after 1951);
• technical certificate of the property (Ficha Técnica de Habitaçã) outlining the construction’s specifications and plans, contractor and supplier details (for buildings certified after 30 March 2004);
• energy performance certificate (Certificado Energetico) proving conformity with energy regulations.

Sign the final sales contract

The signing of the final contract (Escritura Publica de Compra e Venda) takes place in the presence of a notary. At this stage, the buyer pays the remaining amount of the transaction.

Register your property and get the title deed

The transaction is considered closed as soon as the new owner’s name is recorded on the official land register (Conservatoria de Registo Predial). To get the title deed (Certidão de Teor), you must send certified copies of the sales contract to the land register and tax authorities.

Costs of buying and registering property in Portugal