Selling property in Portugal: the steps and the documents, from listing to deed

Selling a house is, first of all, a question of order. The papers first, then the light, and the price in its own time.

Anyone selling property in Portugal for the first time soon learns that the hard part is not finding a buyer: it is reaching the deed without surprises. Here, in order, are the steps and the documents needed to sell a house in Portugal in 2026, with what has changed in recent years and what buyers still ask for, whatever the law says.

Before the viewings, the papers. Then, the light.

1. Selling property in Portugal: the documents you need

Gather them before you list. A complete file shortens the negotiation and stops the buyer from turning every gap into an argument for a lower price.

• Caderneta predial urbana. The property's tax record, obtained from the Portal das Finanças. It identifies the property, its areas and the VPT, its taxable value.

• Certidão permanente do registo predial. The land registry certificate, requested online. It confirms who owns the property and whether there are mortgages, attachments or other encumbrances.

• Energy certificate. Mandatory from the moment the house is advertised: the energy rating must appear in the listing. It is issued by an assessor qualified by ADENE and, for homes, is valid for ten years.

• Statement of condominium charges. For flats, the building's administrator issues a statement of any debts on the unit, which is presented at the deed.

• Mortgage release (distrate). If a loan is still outstanding, the bank issues the release and the balance is paid on the day of the deed itself.

• Licença de utilização and ficha técnica da habitação. The occupancy licence and the housing technical file. They have not had to be shown at the deed since 2024, but since 1 October 2026 the deed must state whether the property's urban title (título urbanístico) exists and is presented, exists but is not presented, or is missing. A deed that says nothing can be annulled. Banks still ask for the licence before lending, and so do well-informed buyers. Having it is worth money. Our guide to the habitation licence and houses built before 1951 explains the change.

• Owners' documents. Identification and NIF, the tax number, of every owner. For inherited property, the habilitação de herdeiros, the declaration of heirs; for couples, details of the matrimonial property regime.

Check, too, that the areas and rooms recorded in the caderneta and the land registry match the house as it actually stands. Enclosed balconies, outbuildings or attics never legalised are the most frequent cause of delay.

2. Valuing the house and setting the price

Price is the most important decision in the sale, and the one most prone to error. A house listed above the market stalls; listed below it, it leaves money on the table. We explain it all in how much is my house worth: property valuation.

The patio, the stone, the late-afternoon shade. This is what the photograph has to sell.

3. Preparing the house

The first viewings happen on a screen. Before the photographs: small repairs, paint where needed, fewer objects and more light. Discreet home staging, showing what each room is for, does more than any last-minute renovation.

Then professional photography and, for exceptional properties, video and a well-drawn floor plan. A house with a history deserves to have it told: who designed it, when, what remains of the original materials.

“A well-presented house does not look bigger. It looks obvious.”

4. Choosing how to sell

You can sell on your own or through a real-estate agency licensed by IMPIC, holding an AMI licence. The relationship is formalised in a contrato de mediação imobiliária, the agency agreement, which sets the commission, the term and whether there is exclusivity. Under an exclusive mandate, a single agency handles the sale and invests more in promoting it; under an open mandate, several agencies list the same house.

For singular properties there is also the discreet sale, with no public listing, presented only to qualified buyers. It is the thinking behind our off-market properties.

5. The offer and the CPCV

Once an offer is accepted, the parties sign the contrato promessa de compra e venda, the CPCV, a binding promissory contract of sale. It fixes the price, the deadline for the deed, the conditions, such as obtaining a mortgage, and the deposit, the sinal.

By custom, the deposit sits between 10% and 20% of the price. The law sets the consequences: if the buyer walks away without grounds, the deposit is lost; if the seller does, it is returned double. The signatures must be certified and the contract must describe the property precisely.

Between the CPCV and the deed, one to three months usually pass.

6. The deed

The sale is completed by escritura, a public deed before a notary, or by a documento particular autenticado, a certified private deed, for example at a Casa Pronta desk or a lawyer's office. Beforehand, the buyer pays IMT, the property transfer tax, and stamp duty. On the day, the buyer's bank pays, the seller's mortgage is released if there is one, and the keys change hands. Registration in the new owner's name is usually done in the same act.

7. After the sale

• Transfer the contracts for water, electricity, gas and telecoms, and notify the condominium of the sale.

• IMI. The municipal property tax is due from whoever owns the property on 31 December. A sale in December or in January changes who pays that year's tax.

• Capital gains (mais-valias). The sale is declared in the following year's IRS return, in Annex G. Find out how much you pay and how to reduce the tax.

Frequently asked questions

What documents do I need to sell a house in Portugal?

The caderneta predial urbana, the certidão permanente from the land registry, the energy certificate and the owners' identification documents. For flats, the condominium administrator's statement of charges. If there is a mortgage, the bank's release, the distrate. The licença de utilização no longer has to be shown at the deed, but since October 2026 the deed must state whether the urban title exists, and banks and buyers still ask for it.

Can you sell a house in Portugal without a licença de utilização?

Yes, but not in silence. The licence has not had to be shown at the deed since 2024, but since 1 October 2026 (Decreto-Lei 108/2026) the deed must state whether the urban title exists and is presented, exists but is not presented, or is missing; a deed that says nothing can be annulled. Many banks will not finance a property without a licence, which reduces the number of buyers and the price.

How much is the deposit on a CPCV?

There is no amount fixed by law; it usually sits between 10% and 20% of the price. If the buyer walks away, the deposit is lost; if the seller does, they must return it double.

Who pays IMI in the year the house is sold?

Each year's IMI is due from whoever owns the property on 31 December. Sell in November and that year's IMI falls to the buyer; sell in January and you still pay the previous year's.

How long does it take to sell a house in Portugal?

It depends on the price, the paperwork and the type of property. Between the CPCV and the deed, one to three months usually pass: the time the buyer needs to secure financing.

Further reading: Estate Agent Fees in Portugal: Contract, Exclusivity, Commission, and Home Staging an Old House: Preparing a Period Home for Sale.

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Would you rather we handled everything, from the paperwork to the deed? Sell with Wiseguys Properties or get in touch.

Sources: Decreto-Lei n.º 10/2024 (Simplex urbanístico); Decreto-Lei n.º 108/2026 (revision of the planning regime, in force since 1 October 2026); Lei n.º 8/2022 (horizontal property regime); Civil Code, article 442; Energy Certification System for Buildings. General information, updated October 2026. Wiseguys Properties, AMI 23109 · info@wgpadvisors.com