Company registration in Portugal

Choose the right company type

Most small businesses register as a Lda, a private limited company where each partner’s liability is limited to the capital. The minimum capital is €1 per quota, and a company with one owner uses the unipessoal version. Capital does not have to be paid in at once: the gov.pt guidance allows the deposit to be made after incorporation, within the period the registry sets, or by the end of the first financial year for a Lda.

An SA suits larger companies and investors. It needs share capital of at least €50,000, with shares of at least one cent each. A foreign company that wants to operate in Portugal for more than one year must set up a permanent representation and comply with commercial registry rules, which is usually done through a branch.

One practical point decides the route: the two online routes, Empresa Online and Empresa na Hora, cannot be used when the capital includes assets that must be registered, such as property or vehicles. In that case the company is formed with a notary or a lawyer instead.

What you need before you start

Every partner needs a Portuguese tax number (NIF) on the date of incorporation, and a foreign company that is a partner needs a Portuguese company number (NIPC). Foreign individuals and companies can own a Portuguese company, and there is no residence requirement.

• identity documents for each owner and director
• a NIF for each owner and director
• an approved company name and a registered office address in Portugal
• the business activity and the capital each partner will contribute
• for foreign company partners, a registry certificate and the details of the people who control them

As a law firm we also have to identify our clients and the beneficial owners of a company, and we may ask where the funds come from. Our anti-money-laundering rules require a valid identity document, the person’s address, their tax number and, for companies, an official registry certificate. It is part of the process, and we explain it on the first call.

What it costs and how long it takes

The cost has two parts: the state fees and the lawyer’s fee. Through Empresa Online the state fee is €220 with a pre-approved articles of association and €360 with a custom one. A trademark registered together with the company costs an additional €100 for the first class. Our fixed fee for a Lda starts from €1,190 and is confirmed in writing before we begin.

For comparison, published prices for company formation in Portugal range from about €1,000 for a lawyer’s fee on a digital platform to several thousand euros for full-service providers, and independent guides put a typical first-year budget, including an accountant, between about €2,000 and €4,500. Every price list we have seen shows state fees separately, as we do.

Timing depends on the route. After a complete filing the registry processes a company in 5 days with a pre-approved articles of association and 10 days with a custom one, if no problems arise. Corrections must be made within 5 days. Our median from signing to a registered company is 9 days. A notary or lawyer route usually takes a few weeks.

Taxes and registrations

A new company is registered with the commercial registry, receives its NIPC and appears in the permanent registry certificate. Within 30 days of incorporation it must declare its beneficial owners in the RCBE register, and it must confirm that information every year.

• Corporate income tax (IRC): the general rate is 19% for periods starting in 2026 and the law lowers it in steps to 17% by 2028.
• Small and medium companies: 15% on the first €50,000 of taxable profit, and the general rate on the rest.
• VAT: the standard rate is 23% on the mainland and 22% in Madeira.
• Accounting: companies in Portugal need a certified accountant (contabilista certificado) to prepare and sign the accounts and the annual filings.

A tax representative is not required for residents of EU and EEA countries. For residents of other countries the duty usually arises once a tax relationship starts, for example when buying property or working as self-employed. We check which case applies to you before we request the NIF.

Opening a bank account

You do not need a bank account to incorporate a Lda, but you need one to trade. The usual file contains the registry certificate and articles of association, identity documents and proof of address for the owners and directors, the tax start-of-activity declaration and the details of the beneficial owners. Banks may ask for more, depending on the business and the owners’ profile.

We prepare the file, introduce you to banks that serve foreign founders and follow the application. Approval is always the bank’s decision, and we do not promise it. What we can do is tell you early if something in your profile needs explaining, so that the application is complete the first time.

Residency for founders

Owning a Portuguese company does not give you the right to live in Portugal, but it supports a residence application. The D2 visa for entrepreneurs and independent professionals is valid for 120 days and is followed by an appointment at AIMA, the immigration agency. The standard processing time is 60 days. The checklist asks for proof of means of at least €920 in the bank over the last three months, which is the 2026 minimum wage, proof of accommodation, a criminal record certificate and proof of the registered business with a business plan.

Since October 2025, entrepreneurs with an innovative company in a certified incubator can obtain residence without a prior visa. The Golden Visa routes for real estate ended in 2023, and the remaining routes need investments of €250,000 to €500,000 or the creation of jobs. Citizens of EU, EEA and Swiss countries do not need a visa and register their residence at the local council within 30 days after the first three months.

The Madeira option

Madeira’s international business centre offers a reduced corporate income tax of 5% for licensed entities. The regime has been extended to 2033, but a new licence must be obtained by 31 December 2026. The conditions are either 1 to 5 jobs with an investment of at least €75,000 within two years, or 6 or more jobs. Madeira also applies its own regional rates: a general corporate income tax rate of 13.3% and a VAT rate of 22%. It suits companies that will employ people on the island, so we assess your plan before recommending it.

Mistakes to avoid

• choosing the Empresa Online route when the capital includes property, which the online route does not accept
• forgetting the beneficial owner declaration in the 30 days after incorporation
• opening the company without an accountant, who is required to sign the accounts
• assuming the bank will approve the account, and not preparing the file
• treating the company and the residence permit as the same application

This guide is general information and is not legal advice. Rules change, and your situation may need a different route.