{"id":3150,"date":"2026-07-21T11:28:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T10:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/?p=3150"},"modified":"2026-07-21T11:28:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T10:28:00","slug":"due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"Real Estate Due Diligence in Portugal"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal\/#Due_diligence_imobiliaria_uma_exigencia_juridica_nao_uma_formalidade\" >Real estate due diligence: a legal requirement, not a formality.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal\/#O_quadro_normativo_em_vigor\" >The regulatory framework in force<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal\/#Registo_predial_e_cadastro_o_que_efetivamente_muda_em_2026\" >Land registry and cadastral records: what will actually change in 2026?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal\/#Conformidade_urbanistica_e_documentacao_tecnica\" >Urban planning compliance and technical documentation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal\/#Riscos_de_branqueamento_de_capitais\" >Money laundering risks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal\/#Advogado_e_notario_papeis_distintos_responsabilidades_complementares\" >Lawyer and notary: distinct roles, complementary responsibilities.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal\/#Porque_e_que_so_um_advogado_pode_assegurar_a_validade_juridica_da_operacao\" >Why is it that only a lawyer can guarantee the legal validity of the transaction?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal\/#Checklist_orientador_nao_substitui_a_apreciacao_juridica\" >Guiding checklist (does not replace legal advice)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/due-diligence-imobiliaria-em-portugal\/#Nota_final_da_equipa\" >Final note from the team<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Due_diligence_imobiliaria_uma_exigencia_juridica_nao_uma_formalidade\"><\/span><strong>Real estate due diligence: a legal requirement, not a formality.<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Real estate due diligence consists of a thorough investigation and verification of the legal, registration, urban planning, and tax status of a property, as well as the suitability and legitimacy of the parties involved in the transaction. In Portugal, this process has been gaining regulatory density, especially regarding the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing (ML\/TF), which makes compliance the central axis of any responsible real estate operation\u2014whether it involves buying and selling, long-term leasing, or the establishment of guarantees.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"O_quadro_normativo_em_vigor\"><\/span><strong>The regulatory framework in force<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The regime applicable to &quot;real estate entities&quot;\u2014a concept that encompasses mediators, developers, and, where applicable, professionals involved in the transaction\u2014is essentially based on three pillars:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Law No. 83\/2017, of August 18 \u2014 establishes measures to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, imposing preventive duties of identification, due diligence, communication, refusal and training.<\/li>\n<li>Regulation No. 603\/2021, of July 2 (IMPIC) \u2014 regulates the sectoral application of those duties to the real estate market, including limits on cash payments and procedures for reporting suspicious transactions.<\/li>\n<li>The goAML platform \u2014 updated in 2026 \u2014 centralizes the systematic communication of real estate operations and transactions to IMPIC and the communication of suspicious transactions to the Financial Information Unit (UIF) of the Judicial Police.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In practice, these regulations translate into the mandatory implementation of a true &quot;know your customer, know your transaction, know your process&quot; system \u2014 identifying the origin of funds and the beneficial owner has ceased to be a good practice and has become a legal obligation, with administrative and, in certain cases, criminal liability for those who fail to comply.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Registo_predial_e_cadastro_o_que_efetivamente_muda_em_2026\"><\/span><strong>Land registry and cadastral records: what will actually change in 2026?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Verification of the registration status remains the primary filter for legal certainty: a permanent certificate from the land registry (to confirm ownership, encumbrances, mortgages, liens, and pending legal actions), an updated property tax assessment document, and, in the case of property owned by a legal entity, a certificate from the commercial registry attesting to the powers of representation of the person granting the deed.<\/p>\n<p>Decree-Law No. 87\/2026, of April 15, amended the regime of the simplified cadastral information system and the Single Building Counter (BUPi), extending the free georeferencing of rural and mixed properties until September 30, 2026, and establishing charges from October onwards. For rural and mixed properties without consolidated cadastral registration, confirmation of georeferencing in BUPi has become a relevant step in due diligence, with a direct impact on the security of the title.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conformidade_urbanistica_e_documentacao_tecnica\"><\/span><strong>Urban planning compliance and technical documentation<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Due diligence doesn&#039;t end with the land registry. It&#039;s essential to confirm the existence and validity of the occupancy permit, the correspondence between the existing construction and the project approved by the municipal council, the current energy performance certificate, and, where applicable, the technical data sheet for the dwelling. Discrepancies between the physical reality of the property and the municipal documentation are a frequent cause of nullity of transactions or the impossibility of executing the deed, and only a careful technical-legal analysis allows for their identification before any contractual commitment.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Riscos_de_branqueamento_de_capitais\"><\/span><strong>Money laundering risks <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Portuguese real estate market remains among the preferred destinations for international investment, which exposes it, in an increased way, to the risk of structured operations designed to conceal the illicit origin of funds, including the use of &quot;shell buyers&quot;. Compliance due diligence therefore implies the identification of all participants and their respective beneficial owners, the analysis of the economic coherence of the operation and, whenever justified, the communication of the operation to the competent authorities.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Advogado_e_notario_papeis_distintos_responsabilidades_complementares\"><\/span><strong>Lawyer and notary: distinct roles, complementary responsibilities.<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It is common to confuse the intervention of a notary (or a professional authorized to authenticate private documents, under Decree-Law No. 116\/2008 of July 4) with the prior legal assessment that falls to a lawyer. The notary confirms the identity of the parties and formalizes the contractual intent at the time of the deed, but does not negotiate, does not assess risks, nor defend the interests of either party. It is the lawyer&#039;s responsibility, prior to the deed, to identify risks, negotiate conditions, coordinate the registration, urban planning and tax due diligence, and ensure that the client understands the scope and consequences of what they are about to sign.<\/p>\n<p>The fiscal dimension of the operation \u2014 calculation of IMT (Property Transfer Tax), Stamp Duty, potential VAT liability, and the correct application of special regimes, such as the reinvestment of capital gains \u2014 also requires coordination between the civil and tax aspects of the transaction, otherwise tax contingencies may arise that only an integrated legal analysis can anticipate and mitigate.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Porque_e_que_so_um_advogado_pode_assegurar_a_validade_juridica_da_operacao\"><\/span><strong>Why is it that only a lawyer can guarantee the legal validity of the transaction?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<table width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Providing legal advice and drafting contracts for remuneration constitute acts specific to the legal profession, in accordance with Law No. 49\/2004, of August 24, and the Statute of the Bar Association (Law No. 145\/2015, of September 9).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Only a lawyer possesses the training, independence, and professional responsibility (including the corresponding mandatory insurance) necessary to assess, on a case-by-case basis, the validity and legal effectiveness of a real estate transaction\u2014something that no generic model, digital platform, or checklist can replace.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The lawyer&#039;s intervention is not limited to formal review: it involves assessing the risk of litigation, verifying the chain of ownership, analyzing tax implications, and defending the client&#039;s interests in the negotiation and drafting of contractual clauses.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Every preliminary purchase and sale agreement (CPCV), lease agreement, mortgage loan agreement, or deed draft must always be prepared and\/or previously validated by a lawyer before signing \u2014 the use of template drafts without case-by-case legal assessment is one of the main factors of post-contractual litigation identified in practice.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Checklist_orientador_nao_substitui_a_apreciacao_juridica\"><\/span><strong>Guiding checklist (does not replace legal advice)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The following list systematizes the elements typically verified in real estate due diligence. It is merely indicative: its analysis, interpretation, and the conclusions drawn regarding the validity and legal security of the transaction are always the responsibility of the lawyer.<\/p>\n<table style=\"height: 500px;\" width=\"1091\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"29%\"><strong>Verification area<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"70%\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Document \/ element to be validated<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"29%\">Ownership and registration<\/td>\n<td width=\"70%\">Updated permanent certificate from the land registry.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"29%\">Registration status<\/td>\n<td width=\"70%\">Property registration document and, if applicable, registration in the BUPi (Unified Property Booklet).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"29%\">Burdens and charges<\/td>\n<td width=\"70%\">Confirmation of the absence (or identification) of mortgages, liens, and lawsuits.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"29%\">Legitimacy of the parties<\/td>\n<td width=\"70%\">Certificate of commercial registration and powers of attorney, when applicable.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"29%\">Urban planning compliance<\/td>\n<td width=\"70%\">License for use and correspondence with the approved project.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"29%\">Energy efficiency<\/td>\n<td width=\"70%\">Energy certificate in effect<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"29%\">BC\/FT Compliance<\/td>\n<td width=\"70%\">Identification of the parties, beneficial owner and source of funds.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"29%\">Contractual documentation<\/td>\n<td width=\"70%\">Preliminary purchase agreement and draft deed prepared or validated by a lawyer.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nota_final_da_equipa\"><\/span><strong>Final note from the team<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The strengthening of the regulatory framework in 2026 confirms a clear trend: the legal security of a real estate transaction increasingly depends on specialized and continuous technical monitoring, and less and less on generic checks or reliance on the good faith of the parties.<\/p>\n<p>Our team remains available to assist with real estate due diligence, review and validate contracts, and ensure that each transaction fully complies with current legal and compliance requirements. We recommend that any contract, promise, or draft be submitted for legal review before signing.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Legal Notice<\/strong><\/h2>\n<table width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><em>This newsletter is for informational purposes only, was prepared based on the legislation in force at the time of its publication, and does not constitute or replace legal advice. It is always recommended to consult a lawyer before making any investment decision or signing any contractual documents.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Due diligence imobili\u00e1ria: uma exig\u00eancia jur\u00eddica, n\u00e3o uma formalidade A due diligence imobili\u00e1ria consiste na investiga\u00e7\u00e3o e verifica\u00e7\u00e3o aprofundada da situa\u00e7\u00e3o jur\u00eddica, registral, urban\u00edstica e fiscal de um im\u00f3vel, bem como da idoneidade e legitimidade das partes envolvidas na transa\u00e7\u00e3o. Em Portugal, este processo tem vindo a ganhar densidade normativa, sobretudo em mat\u00e9ria de preven\u00e7\u00e3o [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3156,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sem-categoria"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3150"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3155,"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3150\/revisions\/3155"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondlegal.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}