Documents you need to sell a home in Portugal

A Portuguese sale rarely stalls on price. It stalls on paperwork: a certificate that has expired, a pool that is not on the land register, or a tax number nobody can find. This guide explains every document, where it comes from and when you need it.

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

The short list

• Caderneta predial — the tax record of the property, from the tax office (Autoridade Tributária).
• Certidão permanente — the up-to-date extract from the land registry (registo predial).
• Licença or autorização de utilização — the habitation licence from the town hall (câmara municipal).
• Certificado energético — the energy certificate, needed before you advertise.
• Ficha técnica da habitação — the technical file of the home, for more recent buildings.
• NIF — your Portuguese tax number, plus a valid passport or ID card.

Depending on your situation you may also need the statement of the condominium, the bank's mortgage release, proof of your marital property regime, or documents about a holiday rental registration. We cover those below.

1. Caderneta predial (tax record)

The caderneta predial is issued by the Portuguese tax authority. It identifies the property by its artigo matricial (tax article number), gives the address, the areas, the use (housing, land, commerce) and the tax value used for property tax. Buyers, notaries and banks all ask for it.

As the owner you can download it on the Portal das Finanças with your NIF and password, or ask a representative to do it for you. Check it carefully: the areas and the description should match what is actually there. An extension, an extra bedroom or a converted garage that the tax office does not know about will come up during the sale, and it is easier to correct before you have a buyer.

2. Certidão permanente (land registry extract)

The certidão permanente do registo predial shows who owns the property and whether there are mortgages, seizures or other charges on it. It is an online certificate: you receive an access code that you share with the buyer, the notary or the bank, and they can read the current version themselves. You can request it through the official gov.pt service. It is valid for a limited period, so check the expiry date before the deed is signed.

Two things to compare: the owner named on the certidão must be you (after an inheritance this is often not yet the case), and the description in the land registry must match the caderneta predial. Differences between the two registers are one of the most common reasons a deed is postponed.

3. Licença or autorização de utilização (habitation licence)

This licence from the câmara municipal confirms that the building may be used as a home. Buildings from before the national building regulations of 1951 did not need one; the town hall can issue a certificate confirming that.

Since the planning simplification of 2024 (Decreto-Lei n.º 10/2024), the notary no longer has to see the licence at the deed. In practice, most buyers and nearly every mortgage bank still ask for it, because it is their proof that what they buy is legal. If you have it, add it to your document pack. If you cannot find it, the town hall archive can usually give you a copy.

4. Certificado energético (energy certificate)

An energy certificate is required when you sell and must exist before you advertise: the energy class has to be shown in the listing. It is issued by a qualified expert (perito qualificado) registered in the national system run by ADENE, the SCE, where you can also check whether a certificate is valid. Certificates have an expiry date; if yours was made years ago for a previous sale or rental, check it.

5. Ficha técnica da habitação (technical file)

The ficha técnica da habitação describes how a home was built: materials, installations, areas. It exists for homes whose building licence was requested from 2004 onwards. Like the habitation licence, it is no longer mandatory at the deed since 2024, but buyers of recent apartments and villas often still want to see it. Older homes do not have one, and that is normal.

6. NIF and identification

Every owner who sells needs a Portuguese tax number (número de identificação fiscal, NIF). If you bought the property, you already have one; look for it on the deed or the caderneta. Heirs who never had a NIF must request one, and a non-resident can do that through the official NIF service, sometimes with a fiscal representative. More on that in our guide on selling as a non-resident. Also bring a valid passport or ID card for every seller.

7. Documents that depend on your situation

• Apartment or shared building: a statement from the condominium administrator listing any outstanding charges. Buyers and notaries ask for it, so request it in good time.
• Mortgage still running: the bank's release (distrate) and a statement of the amount due on the day of the deed. The bank usually attends the signing or sends the release in advance.
• Married or in a registered partnership: proof of your marital property regime; your spouse may have to sign or consent even if only one name is on the deed.
• Inherited property: the documents of the inheritance (habilitação de herdeiros) and registration of the heirs in the land registry, before the sale.
• Holiday rental (Alojamento Local): the registration number in the national tourism register. Find out what happens to the registration when you sell; buyers will ask.
• Signing from abroad: a power of attorney (procuração), prepared so that it is accepted in Portugal. See the sale process step by step.

When do you need what?

Not everything is needed on the first day. A practical order:

1. Before you advertise: energy certificate, caderneta predial and certidão permanente. With these three you can describe the home correctly and answer the first questions.
2. Before the promissory contract (CPCV): the habitation licence and, where relevant, the condominium statement and ficha técnica. The buyer's lawyer will check them.
3. Before the deed: a valid certidão permanente, your NIF and ID, the mortgage release and anything the notary or Casa Pronta asks for.

Common problems and how to avoid them

The registers do not match. The land registry, the tax record and the reality on the ground describe three different houses. Start early; correcting a register takes time.

Works were never licensed. A pool, annex or closed veranda without a permit can scare a buyer's bank. Get advice from a local architect or lawyer on whether it can be legalised before you set the price.

The seller is not yet the registered owner. After an inheritance, register the heirs first. Read our guide on selling an inherited house abroad.

Want the full picture for Portugal first? Start on our page about selling your house in Portugal, or read what matters in the Algarve. Our general checklist for selling abroad also helps.

Official sources

• gov.pt — Pedir uma certidão permanente do registo predial
• Portal das Finanças — Certidões e comprovativos (caderneta predial)
• SCE / ADENE — Sistema de Certificação Energética dos Edifícios
• Diário da República — Decreto-Lei n.º 10/2024 (Simplex urbanístico)
• gov.pt — Pedir o número de identificação fiscal (NIF)
• Turismo de Portugal — Registo Nacional de Turismo (Alojamento Local)
• Casa Pronta — official property transaction service

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).