Portuguese property purchases rest on a handful of documents that a notary will check at the final deed. The documents aren’t the whole story of due diligence — but if any of them is missing, wrong, or tells a different story from the seller’s pitch, it’s the clearest early warning sign a buyer can get.
Four are legally mandatory for any transaction. A fifth is required for buildings constructed after 2004. A handful more are useful but not obligatory. This guide covers what each one is, what it proves, and the red flags to watch for.
The four mandatory documents
1. Licença de Utilização (LU)
The utilisation licence issued by the local câmara (municipality) that confirms the property can legally be used for residential purposes. Without it, a sale cannot complete.
What to check:
- The licence number and date of issue
- That the registered use is “habitação” (residential) — not commercial, mixed, or industrial
- That the licence covers the whole property, not just part
Exemption: buildings completed before 7 August 1951 pre-date the licensing system and don’t need an LU. The notary will instead accept a certidão de isenção de licença de utilização from the câmara confirming the exemption applies. If a seller claims the property is pre-1951 but can’t produce the exemption certificate, that’s a problem — ask for it before you sign anything.
2. Certificado Energético (CE)
The energy certificate, mandatory for every sale since Decreto-Lei 118/2013. Issued by a licensed ADENE-accredited perito qualificado.
What to check:
- The rating, on a scale of A+ (best) to F (worst)
- The validity date — certificates are valid for 10 years
- Whether recommendations for improvement are listed (they often are; they’re not obligations)
Most Lisbon apartments in pre-renovation period buildings come in at D or E. A renovated apartment with double glazing and insulation typically hits B or C. The rating is rarely a deal-breaker, but it’s a useful benchmark for future utility bills and for any rental income positioning.
3. Caderneta Predial Urbana (CPU)
The fiscal property booklet, issued by the tax authority (Autoridade Tributária). It’s the fiscal identity card of the property.
What to check:
- The Valor Patrimonial Tributário (VPT) — the taxable value on which IMI and IMT are calculated. A VPT significantly below the sale price is normal; one that’s artificially low can be a sign the câmara hasn’t revalued in a long time.
- The registered owner(s) — must match the seller(s) of record
- The fracção (apartment unit) identifier and the artigo matricial (registry number) — these must tie through to the Certidão Permanente
- Area recorded — should match what the LU states and what you’re seeing
The CPU is issued free of charge via the Portal das Finanças and is usually a few weeks old at most when presented. If the seller hands you a CPU from years ago, ask for a fresh one.
4. Certidão Permanente do Registo Predial (CRP)
The land registry certificate — the one document that actually proves ownership. It’s issued by the Conservatória do Registo Predial and is a live, real-time record of title.
What to check:
- The current registered owner matches the seller
- Any hipoteca (mortgage) registered against the property — normal, but the seller must discharge it at or before completion
- Any penhora (attachment), arresto (seizure) or execução fiscal (tax enforcement) — these are serious and must be resolved before purchase
- Any servidões (easements) or direitos de preferência (rights of first refusal) that might affect use
- The descrição (property description) — should match the CPU
The CRP is the single most important legal document in a Portuguese transaction. It’s where fraud, undisclosed debts, contested inheritances, and double-dealt sales appear. A buyer’s lawyer will pull a fresh one within days of completion regardless of what the seller has provided.
The conditional fifth: Ficha Técnica da Habitação (FTH)
The technical housing file, required by Decreto-Lei 68/2004 for buildings whose construction licence was issued after 30 March 2004. It records the building’s construction specifications: materials, systems, structural information, approved suppliers.
If the building is pre-2004, the FTH does not exist and isn’t required. If the building is post-2004 and the FTH is missing, the seller has a legal obligation to obtain one before completion — this can be a delay but isn’t usually a deal-breaker. Most central Lisbon stock is pre-2004 so this only really matters in Parque das Nações, newer parts of Marvila and Olivais, and in newer developments.
Useful supplementary checks (not legally required)
Not obligatory — but worth asking for on a serious diligence pass:
- Planta / projecto aprovado — the approved floor plan on file with the câmara. Confirms the property matches what’s officially registered, which is relevant if any walls have been moved since.
- Declaração de não-dívida ao condomínio — a letter from the building’s administrator confirming no outstanding service charges. At the escritura, unpaid condomínio can legally transfer to the buyer.
- Certidão de infraestruturas — only relevant for new-build developments. Confirms the utility infrastructure has been certified.
- Contas bancárias do edifício — building accounts. Worth reading if there’s any signal the condomínio has issues (ongoing litigation, missed maintenance, etc.).
- Recibos de IMI, água, luz — recent utility and tax receipts. Useful confirmation there are no hidden arrears.
Who gathers all of this
In practice, the buyer rarely chases these documents directly. On a typical Lisbon purchase:
- The seller’s agent or lawyer provides the LU, CE, CPU and FTH (if applicable) at the point of CPCV (the promissory contract).
- The buyer’s lawyer pulls a fresh CRP independently from the Conservatória, and verifies everything cross-references correctly.
- The notary checks the full set again at the escritura and blocks completion if anything is missing or inconsistent.
As a buyer’s agent we make sure the full pack is assembled and reviewed before you sign CPCV — signing without it is where most preventable problems start.
Red flags to watch for
If any of these appear, slow down:
- An old CPU (more than a few months) — may hide a recent VPT revaluation
- An LU that describes a different property (wrong area, wrong floor, wrong fracção) — happens more than you’d think
- A CRP with an undischarged mortgage the seller hasn’t explicitly promised to clear at completion
- A seller refusing to show the condomínio non-debt declaration — often signals there’s a dispute or arrears
- An exemption certificate for a pre-1951 building that’s clearly newer than 1951 — the building has been reconstructed and needs a proper LU
These are solvable problems, but every one of them can add weeks or tens of thousands of euros if not caught early.
What to do with all of this
You don’t need to become an expert on Portuguese property law. You do need to understand what each document is, ask to see it before CPCV, and have someone competent check that everything reconciles.
If you’d like us to walk you through a specific property’s documents or explain what a seller has (or hasn’t) produced, book a free call.