What to check before buying property in Portugal

Most foreign buyers in Portugal run the process guided by the side that is selling. The agency presents its own portfolio, the developer its own project, the residency consultant its own programme. Each is doing their job. None of them is positioned to tell you not to buy.

The list below covers the documents we ask for when assessing an opportunity and what we look for in each. The Portuguese names are given deliberately, so you can request them directly from the seller, the agent or your lawyer.

1. Who actually owns it

The first question looks the simplest: does the seller own the property? In Portugal the only valid answer sits in the land registry, not in the seller's description.

Certidão Permanente do Registo Predial

The land registry certificate. Shows the registered owner, the boundaries and every charge recorded against the property. It can be verified online with an access code; insist on a valid code rather than a PDF copy sent to you.

Caderneta Predial Urbana

The tax authority record. Shows the taxable value (VPT), the typology and the registered area. It should be consistent with the land registry.

• ·Does the registered name match exactly the person who will sign?
• ·Was the property inherited? If there are multiple heirs, all of them must join the sale.
• ·Do the areas in the registry and the Caderneta agree? If not, the reason should be explained in writing.
• ·If a power of attorney is being used, is it current and wide enough to cover the sale?

2. What is attached to it

The registry's ónus e encargos section lists what burdens the property. Some charges do not block a sale but do transfer their cost to you, which is why reading this section matters more than confirming that a sale is possible.

• ·Mortgages (hipoteca): if one is to be discharged at completion, say so explicitly in the contract.
• ·Seizures and injunctions (penhora, arresto).
• ·Pre-emption rights (direito de preferência): the municipality, a tenant or a neighbour may hold one. In protected areas this can add weeks to the timetable.
• ·Usufruct and easements (usufruto, servidão).
• ·Unpaid service charges: in Portugal condomínio debt attaches to the property and can pass to the new owner.

3. Is the building legal, and licensed for use

A flat being lived in does not mean it is legally classified as housing. In renovated older buildings and roof conversions in particular, the licence and the reality can diverge.

Licença de Utilização

The use licence issued by the municipality, setting out what the property may be used for. Buildings from before 1951 may not have one, in which case ask the council for a written statement of status.

Ficha Técnica de Habitação

The technical datasheet, mandatory for homes built or substantially renovated after 2004. Lists materials and technical installations.

Certificado Energético

The energy certificate, mandatory for sale and letting. A low rating tells you about heating and insulation costs before you commit.

• ·Do the room count and floor area on the licence match the flat you viewed?
• ·Has an enclosed balcony, a subdivided room or a roof extension been registered?
• ·Is a commercially classified unit being sold as residential? That affects both financing and tax.

4. If you are planning short-term letting

If your yield assumption rests on short-term letting, know from the outset that it depends on a separate licence and is not possible in every building.

• ·The Alojamento Local (AL) registration attaches to the property and does not transfer automatically.
• ·Some districts of Lisbon and Porto restrict new AL registrations. This has to be checked area by area.
• ·The building's owners can vote to limit short-term letting. Read the condomínio minutes.
• ·Historic AL income shown by a seller is not evidence that you will earn the same.

5. Contract structure and payment

A Portuguese sale happens in two stages, and most of the risk is taken at the first one.

CPCV — Contrato Promessa de Compra e Venda

The promissory contract. Typically 10-30% of the price is paid here. If the buyer walks away they lose that deposit; if the seller does, the general rule is that they repay double. Do not sign this before your checks are finished.

Escritura Pública

The public deed executed before a notary. Taxes must already be paid at this point.

• ·The CPCV can include conditions allowing you to withdraw if documentary gaps are not resolved. Ask for them.
• ·If you are borrowing, the contract should let you exit if the mortgage is refused.
• ·Payments should go to the seller's own account. A request to route funds to a third party is a serious warning sign.
• ·You will need a NIF (tax number) and usually a Portuguese bank account to transact.

6. What sits outside the price

The asking price is not what you pay. With taxes, notary and registration, legal fees and works, the total runs noticeably above it. For non-resident buyers, the IMT rate changed significantly in 2026.

We have set out every cost line and a calculator in a separate piece: The real cost of buying property in Portugal

7. Thinking about the exit first

The last question to ask before buying is what happens when you sell. Nobody raises it while a sale is in progress.

• ·Who buys this property after you: a local family, or another foreign investor? The second is more exposed to shifts in demand, currency and regulation.
• ·How many months does a comparable property take to sell in that area?
• ·What tax applies to the gain, and how does the double taxation treaty between your country and Portugal affect it?

The short checklist