What you need, in the order you need it
Buying or selling in Portugal runs on paperwork: certificates that expire, taxes that are paid before the deed rather than after it, and a handful of jobs that fall to you the week you get the keys. These are the lists I work from with my own clients.
General information, checked in October 2026. Taxes and fees change each January, and every purchase is different, so confirm the details for yours with your lawyer.
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For owners who would rather let than sell, or need to do both: what to have ready and what to agree in writing.
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A season-by-season checklist for looking after a home on this coast, whether you live in it or visit it.
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Immediately After Purchase
The deed is signed and the keys are yours. These are the jobs for the next few weeks, roughly in order.
On the day of the deed
Collect every set of keys and remotes, and photograph the water, electricity and gas meter readings. Keep your copy of the deed (escritura) and the receipts for IMT and stamp duty safe: you will need them when you sell. Change the locks.
Water, within 15 working days
Put the water contract in your name. In Cascais that is Águas de Cascais, which asks for your ID, NIF, the deed (or a property record from the last 12 months) and the meter reading. New owners have 15 working days before supply can be cut. In Sintra the supplier is SMAS de Sintra.
Electricity and gas
Both are open markets, so you choose the supplier. You will need the supply point codes from a previous bill: the CPE for electricity and the CUI for gas. Ask the seller for a recent bill before the deed.
Internet and television
Book early, as installation can take a week or two. Many contracts carry a 12- or 24-month loyalty period, so ask before you sign.
Insurance
Arrange multi-risk home insurance from the day you own the property. Fire cover is required by law for apartments in a condominium, and your bank will require insurance if you have a mortgage.
The condominium
For an apartment, introduce yourself to the administrator, set up the monthly condominium payment, and ask for the regulations and the latest minutes if you do not already have them.
Property tax (IMI)
Whoever owns the property on 31 December pays that year's IMI, billed the following spring. Payment is in up to three instalments: by 31 May, 31 August and 30 November, depending on the amount. Cascais set its 2026 rate at 0.35% of the property's tax value (VPT). Sign up for electronic notifications on the Portal das Finanças so the bills reach you.
Additional property tax (AIMI)
If the tax values of your Portuguese homes add up to more than €600,000 (€1.2 million for a married couple who opt to be taxed jointly), an additional tax applies on the excess: 0.7% up to €1 million, 1% above that, and 1.5% above €2 million. It is paid in September.
If you are moving here
Update your tax address at Finanças, get a certificate of residence from your parish council (Junta de Freguesia), and register with your local health centre. If you live abroad, sign up for electronic tax notifications or appoint a fiscal representative so nothing goes astray.
Start a file for the day you sell
Keep invoices for any improvement works. Documented improvement costs from the last 12 years can reduce the capital gain when you eventually sell.
Buyers
What to have in place before you make an offer, what you will be asked for, and what the purchase will cost on top of the price.
Before you start looking
- A Portuguese tax number (NIF). You cannot buy without one. A lawyer can obtain it for you. If you live outside the EU, you no longer have to appoint a fiscal representative, provided you sign up for electronic notifications on the Portal das Finanças.
- A Portuguese bank account. Useful for the deposit, the taxes and the bills that follow.
- A lawyer of your own, to check the property's legal status and draft or review the contracts. Andreia de Deus Rijo works with my clients.
- Financing, if you need it. Talk to a bank or mortgage broker early: approvals have their own expiry dates and must fit the contract's deadlines.
Documents you will be asked for
- Passport or ID card, valid through to the deed, and your NIF.
- Address, nationality, marital status and matrimonial property regime.
- Bank details (IBAN). Treat any last-minute change of bank details as a red flag and confirm it by phone.
- Proof of the source of your funds. Portuguese anti-money-laundering law applies to every property purchase.
- Your mortgage approval, if you are financing.
The steps
- Offer. Agreed in writing with the seller.
- Due diligence. Your lawyer checks the land registry certificate, tax record, licences and any debts or charges.
- Promissory contract (CPCV). Signed by both parties, with a deposit, the price, the payment terms and a deadline for the deed.
- Taxes. IMT and stamp duty are paid before the deed, not after it.
- Deed and registration. Signed before a notary or registry officer, then registered in your name. You can sign by power of attorney if you cannot be here.
Purchase taxes in 2026 (mainland Portugal)
IMT, the property transfer tax, depends on the price and on whether the home will be your permanent residence. Within each band, a marginal rate applies up to €660,982 (€633,931 for second homes); above that, one flat rate applies to the whole price. Stamp duty of 0.8% of the price is added in every case.
| Price | Your permanent home | Second home or investment |
|---|---|---|
| Up to €106,346 | Exempt | 1% |
| Up to €145,470 | 2% | 2% |
| Up to €198,347 | 5% | 5% |
| Up to €330,539 | 7% | 7% |
| Up to €633,931 | 8% | 8% |
| €633,931 to €660,982 | 8% | 6% on the whole price |
| €660,982 to €1,150,853 | 6% on the whole price | 6% on the whole price |
| Above €1,150,853 | 7.5% on the whole price | 7.5% on the whole price |
For example: a €1,500,000 second home pays IMT of 7.5% (€112,500) plus stamp duty of 0.8% (€12,000), so €124,500 before deed, registration and legal fees. Buyers aged 35 or under may be exempt on a first permanent home up to €330,539. Buyers based in jurisdictions on Portugal's tax-haven list pay a flat 10%. A mortgage adds stamp duty of 0.6% on the amount borrowed.
Sellers
Most delays in a sale come from a missing or expired document. Gather these early, and check the dates before the promissory contract and again before the deed.
The documents, how long they last, and where to get them
| Document | What it is | Valid for | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ID and NIF of every owner | Identity, tax number, address, marital status and property regime. A spouse may need to consent or sign. | Until the ID expires; it must be valid on the day of the deed | Issuing authority; NIF from the Portal das Finanças |
| Land registry certificate (Certidão Permanente) | Who owns the property, and any mortgages, liens or pending registrations. | 6 months; renew in the last month | Registo Predial Online: €15 online, €20 in person |
| Property tax record (Caderneta Predial) | The tax description of the property, its owners and its tax value (VPT). | 12 months officially, or until the property changes. One issued in the last 6 months is safer. | Portal das Finanças (free for the owner) or a tax office |
| Energy certificate | Required to sell or let. The energy class must appear in any advertising. | 10 years for a standard home | A qualified expert registered with ADENE |
| Habitation licence (Licença de Utilização) | Confirms the property may be lived in, or evidence that it is exempt (older buildings). | No routine expiry | The Câmara Municipal |
| Technical housing file (Ficha Técnica) | The building as constructed, for homes licensed from March 2004. | No routine expiry | The owner or developer |
| Condominium regulation and recent minutes | For apartments: approved works, special charges, disputes and rules. | Ask for the current regulation and the latest minutes | The condominium administrator |
| Condominium charges declaration | Confirms current charges and any debts on the apartment. | Specific to the sale; the administrator has 10 days to issue it | Requested by the owner from the administrator |
| Mortgage discharge (Distrate) | If a mortgage is paid off at the deed. | Specific to the sale; request it well ahead, at least 10 days | Your bank |
| Power of attorney | If anyone signs on an owner's behalf. | While in force and covering the sale | A notary, lawyer or solicitor |
| Inheritance documents | If the property belongs to an estate: every heir must sign or be represented. | Must reflect the current heirs | Registry or notary (Habilitação de Herdeiros) |
| Company documents | If a company sells: commercial registry certificate, beneficial owner record and the representative's ID. | Must be current | Empresa Online; RCBE portal |
Some sales must first be offered to public bodies with a right of first refusal. The notice is published through Casa Pronta (€15), and they have 10 working days to respond before the deed can go ahead.
Tax on the sale
Since 2023, both residents and non-residents are taxed on half of the capital gain, at Portugal's progressive income tax rates. The gain can be reduced by purchase costs and by documented improvement works from the last 12 years, and there is relief for reinvesting in a new permanent home. Ask before you agree a price: Andreia can work out what you will owe.
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I can check your documents, tell you what is missing, and give you a straight valuation.
How I SellProperty Maintenance
Salt air, winter rain and summer heat are hard on houses here, and Sintra's damp is harder still. A little each season saves a large bill later.
Autumn September to November
- Clear gutters, downpipes and terrace drains before the rains.
- Check roof tiles, flat roofs and terrace waterproofing.
- Sweep chimneys and service the boiler or heat pump.
- Close down the pool or switch it to winter mode.
Winter December to February
- Ventilate, and run dehumidifiers: damp and mould are the most common winter problem, especially in Sintra.
- Check window seals and shutters after storms.
- If the house is empty, arrange regular visits to air it and check for leaks.
Spring March to May
- Clear vegetation where the law requires it: owners of land around buildings in rural or forest areas must keep a fuel-free strip of at least 50 metres. The deadline is normally 30 April; it was 31 May in 2026.
- Have the house checked for termites, which swarm in spring.
- Service the air conditioning and reopen the pool.
- Treat exterior metalwork and paint against salt corrosion.
Summer June to August
- Keep the garden watered and the vegetation down: fire risk is highest now.
- Test the alarm and the smoke detectors before you travel.
- Pay the second IMI instalment by 31 August, if your bill has three.
All year: renew your home insurance on time, attend or follow the condominium's annual meeting, and if you live abroad, consider a property manager or a trusted key-holder who can let in trades and check the house after storms.
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