What changed for foreign buyers in Portugal in 2026

Portugal's rules for foreign buyers have moved in three areas: the transfer tax for non-residents, the residence programme and short-term letting. This briefing explains each one for an agency and says what is firm and what should be re-checked before it is quoted to a client.

Transfer tax: a flat rate for non-residents

As reported in May 2026, a new rule applies a flat 7.5 percent IMT, the municipal transfer tax, to buyers who are not tax residents in Portugal, from 21 May 2026. Reports say it replaces the progressive scale for these buyers and gives no reduced rate for lower prices. They also say the flat rate does not apply to a buyer who is already a tax resident, or who becomes one within two years, and that a reimbursement mechanism exists for those who become resident. One example in the reports shows the difference on a EUR 1 million villa as roughly EUR 15,000 between a non-resident and a resident.

Treat the details with care. An earlier note in December 2025 expected a rate of about 9 percent and said the details were still pending, so reports differ in their timing and numbers. Before quoting any figure, confirm the rate, the exceptions, the way a refund works and the transitional rules with a tax adviser, and put the check date on the quote. Stamp duty, reported at 0.8 percent of the price, is charged in addition.

What to do as an agency:

• Add "tax residence now" and "plan to become a Portuguese tax resident, and when" to your first enquiry form.
• Show the buyer the cost of the purchase in two cases, as a non-resident and, if the plan is real, as a future resident, with the caveat that the second case depends on conditions and proof.
• Never promise a refund or a rate. Quote the rule and name the adviser.

Residence by investment: the property route is closed

The real-estate route to the Portuguese golden visa was closed by the housing law of 2023 and reports say it remains closed in 2026. The routes still described are fund subscriptions at the EUR 500,000 level, cultural donations at EUR 250,000, research and certain job-creation investments. Buyers who ask for a visa through an apartment purchase should hear that this route no longer exists. The buyers who are left are mainly EU citizens, who need no visa, and buyers who purchase for use and investment without a residence aim. Check the current programme with an immigration lawyer before saying anything about funds.

Short-term letting: municipalities decide

The national framework for short-term letting (alojamento local) was revised by Decreto-Lei 76/2024, in force since 1 November 2024. Guides describe the main effects: the national suspension of new registrations ended, the extraordinary contribution on licences was revoked, registrations are of indefinite duration and are transferable outside containment areas, and municipalities decide where to set containment areas. A registration is made by prior notice through the electronic one-stop service and produces a number in the national register; the municipality has a set period to object, longer in containment areas.

The effect on buyers is local. Guides report that Lisbon introduced containment rules in December 2025 and that in central Lisbon and Porto new registrations are in practice not issued, so an investor cannot count on getting one. One guide also mentions an EU regulation on short-term rental data that applies from 20 May 2026. Before an investor buys for short-term letting, check in writing the registration status of the property, the municipal rules for that area and whether the registration can be transferred. Do not rely on the seller's claim.

Long-term letting

Reports mention a planned lower tax rate for landlords who let for twelve months or more at rents below a ceiling, which a guide gives as EUR 2,300 a month, and describe it as expected. Treat it as a proposal until you see the law.

Compliance keeps tightening

Estate agents are already subject to the Portuguese anti-money-laundering rules and to the sector regulator's instructions. The EU's single anti-money-laundering regulation is reported to apply from 10 July 2027, designating real-estate professionals as obliged entities with customer due diligence on transactions above a threshold. See our briefing on serving expat buyers for the basic file.

What to update in your own materials

• Replace any old IMT table with a statement that the rate depends on tax residence and a date of last check.
• Remove any reference to a residence permit through a property purchase.
• For each short-let listing, state the registration status and the municipal rule.
• Ask every enquiry for citizenship, tax residence and the plan to move.

Working with D.H. Realting

D.H. Realting is a trilingual (Russian, English, Polish) overseas-property platform. We introduce buyers, including expats living in Poland, the EU and elsewhere, to properties abroad, and we support the process on the buyer's side. Agencies and developers in Portugal that handle the deal locally and would like to be introduced to such buyers can contact us through our partners page.

This briefing is informational only and is not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules change and apply case by case, so confirm every point with a qualified local lawyer before acting. Last checked on 11 October 2026.