From CPCV to escritura: the sale process in Portugal step by step

In Portugal a sale usually happens in two moments: first the promissory contract (CPCV) with a deposit, then the final deed (escritura). Between the two, the buyer arranges the money and both sides get the documents ready. Here is what happens at each step, and what you as the seller need to watch.

Updated 30 September 2026 · official sources at the bottom of the page

The steps at a glance

1. Documents in order and a realistic asking price
2. Offer and, sometimes, a short reservation
3. Promissory contract (CPCV) with a deposit (sinal)
4. Preemption rights checked
5. Buyer arranges financing; both sides prepare the deed
6. Deed (escritura) at a notary, lawyer or Casa Pronta
7. Registration, handover and tax return

1. Before you have a buyer

A smooth sale starts before the first viewing. Have the caderneta predial, the certidão permanente and the energy certificate ready, and check that the land registry and tax records describe the same property. Our guide on documents you need to sell explains each one. If you live abroad, also sort out your NIF and access to the Portal das Finanças now; see selling as a non-resident.

2. The offer and a possible reservation

Offers in Portugal are often made by email or message, sometimes through the buyer's lawyer. An accepted offer is not yet binding. Some buyers ask to "reserve" the property with a short agreement and a small payment while their lawyer checks the documents. That is possible, but put in writing what happens to the money if either side walks away, and keep the period short.

3. The promissory contract (CPCV)

The contrato-promessa de compra e venda, CPCV for short, is the moment the deal becomes serious. In it, seller and buyer promise to sign the deed later, on agreed terms. A good CPCV states at least:

• the parties, with their NIF, and the property with its land registry and tax references;
• the price, the deposit and how and when the rest is paid;
• the date or deadline for the deed, and who schedules it;
• the condition in which the property is handed over (empty, furnished, with or without a holiday rental registration);
• conditions, for example that the buyer obtains a mortgage;
• what happens if one of the parties does not go ahead.

For a home, the CPCV must be in writing and the signatures are normally certified in person (reconhecimento presencial) by a notary, lawyer or solicitor. Have it drafted or checked by your own lawyer — not only by the buyer's.

4. The deposit (sinal)

With the CPCV the buyer usually pays a deposit, the sinal. Under the Portuguese Civil Code, the deposit works in both directions by default: if the buyer withdraws without a valid reason, they lose it; if the seller withdraws, the seller must pay back double. Depending on the contract, the other party may in some cases be able to ask a court to enforce the sale itself (execução específica); how this works for your contract is a question for your lawyer. This makes the CPCV a real commitment for you as the seller, so only sign when you are sure about the price and the date.

5. Preemption rights (direito de preferência)

Some parties may have a legal right to buy the property on the same terms before your buyer: for example a tenant, a co-owner, or a public body in certain areas. The notary or lawyer checks which rights apply. For public entities, the sale is announced on the Casa Pronta platform so they can say whether they use their right. Allow time for this before the deed.

6. Between the CPCV and the deed

The buyer arranges the mortgage; the bank sends a valuer to the property. You make sure the documents are still valid on the deed date — especially the certidão permanente — and ask your bank for the mortgage release (distrate) if a loan is still registered. Before the deed, the buyer pays the transfer tax (IMT) and stamp duty (Imposto do Selo) through the tax authority; the proof of payment is needed at signing.

Agree how meter readings, community charges and the property tax of the current year are settled. If the property is rented out as holiday accommodation, agree what happens to bookings and the registration.

7. The deed (escritura)

The transfer is completed with the final contract. There are three common ways to sign:

• a public deed (escritura pública) at a notary — see the Ordem dos Notários;
• an authenticated private document (documento particular autenticado) prepared by a lawyer or solicitor;
• the government's Casa Pronta service at a registry office, where the deed and registration are done in one go.

At signing, the buyer pays the remaining price. The deed records how the price was paid, so payments go by bank transfer or bank cheque, not in cash. Keys are usually handed over the same day.

Signing from abroad

You do not have to be in Portugal. Many sellers sign through a power of attorney (procuração) given to a lawyer, solicitor or someone they trust. If you sign it outside Portugal, it must be made in a form Portugal accepts: usually before a notary with an apostille, or at a Portuguese consulate, and sometimes with a certified translation. Describe the property and the powers precisely, and have the draft checked by the person who will use it.

8. After the deed

• The transfer is registered in the land registry (registo predial); with Casa Pronta this happens immediately, otherwise the notary or lawyer usually arranges it.
• The tax record is updated to the new owner.
• Cancel or transfer utilities, insurance and, where applicable, the holiday rental registration.
• Keep the deed and all invoices: you need them for the capital gains declaration the following year.

Recent changes

With the planning simplification of 2024 (Decreto-Lei n.º 10/2024), some documents such as the habitation licence and the ficha técnica are no longer required at the deed. Buyers and banks still often ask for them, so do not be surprised if they appear in the CPCV as a condition.

For the overall picture, go back to selling your house in Portugal. Selling in the south? Read what to watch in the Algarve.

Official sources

• Casa Pronta — official service for property transactions and preemption notices
• Ordem dos Notários — Portuguese notaries
• IRN — Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado (land registry)
• gov.pt — Pedir uma certidão permanente do registo predial
• Portal das Finanças — Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira
• Diário da República — Decreto-Lei n.º 10/2024 (Simplex urbanístico)

Consulted on 30 September 2026. Rules and forms change; when in doubt, always check the current page of the authority itself.

More guides on selling in Portugal

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules depend on your situation and change over time; have your case checked by a notary, lawyer or tax adviser in Portugal (and in the country where you live).