Selling property in Portugal: Complete guide 2025

Selling a home can be one of life’s biggest financial decisions that can often feel complex, stressful, and overwhelming, with many hidden costs and legal requirements. Selling a home in a different country can be even trickier as you’ll need to navigate a different legal and practical process. Whether you’re selling property in Portugal as a resident or non-resident, you’ve got a lot to think about.

In case you need to repatriate funds after selling your Portuguese property, we’ll also cover international money transfer considerations, demonstrating how providers like Wise can compare with banks when transferring large sums internationally.

This guide covers:

Key takeaways

• Before you can sell your property in Portugal it’s important to understand the practical and legal framework used
• Getting professional help from a local real estate agent or solicitor can help the process go smoothly
• When selling a property in Portugal you may have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) – if you’re a non-resident the CGT rate applied may vary depending on your worldwide income. Getting professional tax support is essential
• Selling any property can take a significant time, depending on market conditions, the property type, and the time taken to manage the legal handover
• Once you’ve sold your property in Portugal you must settle your financial obligations, and can then transfer your funds – if you’re sending your payment overseas, a provider like Wise can help you cut the overall costs of your transfer

Legal requirements for selling property in Portugal

Selling a property can be a complex process – but before you even start it’s important that you understand all your local and cross border legal obligations. This guide covers key points – but it’s also good practice to get local advice from professionals who can address your specific situation and ensure you’re prepared properly to sell your property in Portugal.

Some legal requirements it helps to know about:

• It’s mandatory to have a Portuguese TIN tax number to sell a property there – you can apply for this online if you don’t already have one
• It is a legal requirement for sellers to declare property defects or issues to the buyer. Aside from defects other items such as restrictions or outstanding planning applications are covered.
• You must have a valid energy certificate for the property – certificates last 10 years, so it’s worth checking if yours is still valid before you sell

What are the documents needed to sell a property in Portugal?

The full range of legal documents required for a property sale in Portugal can vary a little depending on the type of property, and its age, among other factors.

Your notary will manage most of the process, letting you know what paperwork you need to prepare – usually including:

• Your own ID
• Property land registry certificate
• Property caderneta predial
• Licença de utilização (not always needed for modern properties)
• Property plans and technical file
• Energy certificate
• Any relevant mortgage documents.

Other documents may be needed for a condominium sale – your agent can advise if you need to provide anything else.

How to sell a property in Portugal: Step-by-step guide

While every journey is a little different, the process to sell property in Portugal will look quite similar in most cases. Here’s an outline of the usual steps involved with selling a property in Portugal.

Step 1 – Get professional help and start the market analysis

Before you can put your Portuguese property on the market, you’ll need to get a valuation and prepare your local support team.

Although it’s not mandatory to use an agent, a licensed local real estate agent can help you assess your property’s market value. Look out for agents licensed by INCI. You may also want to consider whether undertaking any repairs or renovations would increase the property value. If this is something you choose to do, you’ll need to weigh the improvement costs against potential gains in asking price to decide if it’s worthwhile. Ultimately, a broad range of factors influence property value including location, property type, age, size, and condition – getting professional help to make a realistic price assessment can be a huge help.

Step 2 – Preparing documentation and advertising your property

Your next steps will be supported by your local advisors and must include preparing the legal paperwork and advertising your property.

Your agent or legal advisor may recommend professionals to complete any necessary checks and surveys – for example if you need an up to date energy certificate for the property. Energy certificates usually last for 10 years and are arranged through representatives working for ADENE (the Portuguese Energy Agency).

Your agent will also take a lead on preparing property descriptions and area information. Together you can create your preferred marketing strategy to help your property sell as quickly as possible.

Step 3 – Managing viewings, receiving and evaluating offers

Once your property is advertised, it’s time to start conducting property viewings to find a buyer. Your agent can support this – particularly handy if you’re non-resident, or if your Portuguese isn’t strong enough to manage buyer questions. Once you have received an offer – or even multiple offers – your agent and legal advisor can help you understand the offer format and structure, which you may not be familiar with.

Step 4 – Contract exchange and legal completion

After agreeing a sale, the buyer’s solicitor will draw up a promise of sale document called a CPCV (Contrato de Promessa de Compra e Venda). Once you have checked it over and agreed to it, the buyer will pay the deposit of about 10% of the asking price, and all due diligence checks will need to be completed.

Step 5 – Settlement and fund transfer

The final step is for the seller and buyer to meet at the office of the appointed notary, to sign the final paperwork, called the Escritura Publica de Compra e Venda. The property ownership passes over to the buyer once the outstanding purchase cost has been paid, and the sale is completed.

Once the process is complete you’ll receive the net sale proceeds by bank transfer. We’ll look at the likely tax obligations you’ll need to think about – and also how best to send your money to your home country once you’ve received it – in a moment.

Selling a property in Portugal: Tax implications and responsibilities for property sellers

So – what tax do you pay if you sell a property in Portugal?

Ultimately the tax implications of selling a Portuguese property vary depending on factors including whether it’s your primary residence, and the value of the sale.

There is also different tax treatment if you’re a resident versus non-resident of Portugal.

Property sale taxes: Portuguese residents

As a Portuguese resident you may need to pay capital gains tax (CGT) if the property you sell is a second home or investment property. 

If you are selling a primary residence, and then reinvest the proceeds from your sale in another property in Portugal or elsewhere in the EU you may be exempt from CGT. Some other exemptions may also apply depending on how long you’ve owned the property.

If you have to pay CGT, generally 50% of the gain is subject to tax. CGT in Portugal is 28% at the time of writing where a flat rate is applied. Consult a tax professional to check you’ve calculated your dues correctly.

Property sale taxes: Non-residents

As a non-resident you’re likely to have to pay CGT on the sale of your Portuguese property, in the same way a Portuguese resident would for a second property or investment. 

For non-residents, 50% of gains arising are taxed at marginal rates from 13% and 48%. Importantly, if you’re not a tax resident, worldwide income received may be used to determine the tax rate applicable to property gains, even if your income is not normally taxed in Portugal.

As tax is complex – and even more complicated if you’re navigating an unfamiliar system – you’ll need to get professional advice to ensure you comply with all your legal obligations.

Income tax declaration requirements

If you sell a property in Portugal, you’ll need to have your legal advisors talk you through the CGT implications, and any other declarations you might have to make to stay legally compliant.

Usually if you are a Portuguese resident you need to include the gains in your next standard tax return, and the amount of tax you pay is calculated on this basis.

Is it necessary to declare a property sale on income tax as a non-resident in Portugal?

Non-residents should seek professional tax advice to ensure they are declaring all relevant gains after selling a property. 

You may also need to take tax advice in your country of tax residence, as many countries tax worldwide income including foreign property sales.

International considerations for cross-border property sales

If you’re a foreigner selling a Portuguese property it’s important to know the regulatory requirements and your tax reporting obligations in both Portugal and your own home country. Depending on your home country and where you’re a tax resident you may have obligations to the authorities in more than one location.

Once you’re confident that you’ve settled all your tax obligations you may want to move your funds from Portugal to your home country. In this case, bear in mind that source of funds documentation is typically needed when transferring large amounts internationally. In this case, that may be proof of your property sale and a bank statement showing the money reaching your Portuguese bank for example.

It’s also crucial to find providers for cost-effective international transfers and currency exchange management. When you’re sending a high value payment, small percentage changes in the exchange rate used can mean a large fee to pay in the end. Finding a provider which uses the mid-market rate, or as close as possible to it, can often be the best way to ensure you’re getting a good deal on your transfer. Providers like Wise can help.

Bank vs. Wise: International transfers of large sums

To give you an idea of how this works, here’s a comparison of the price of a bank and Wise for sending money to an account in your own name based overseas. For this example we imagine we are sending 50,000 EUR from your Portuguese property sale to a USD account in the US.

Sending 50,000 [country currency] to USD	Sending money with Wise	Sending money with ING
Send money fees	207.17 EUR	15.00 EUR
Exchange rate	1.16305	1,15316
Total received in USD	57,911.55 USD	57,640.70 USD

*Discount on sending money fees for sending more than 20k USD abroad. Data taken from Wise comparison site, on 26th August 2025.

In this example, you can see that you get more in USD in the end with Wise. This is despite the fact that Wise’s transfer fees look to be higher compared to the fee used by ING.

The key difference here is that Wise uses the mid-market rate, while the bank adds a percentage fee to the rate used. This is a common practice, but it can mean you’re paying more in fees than you expect. On high value payments in particular, this cost can add up significantly until the conversion cost is far higher than the upfront fee you’re paying for the transfer. 

Wise offers a solution for international property sellers, with international transfers that use mid-market rates and transparent fees, which include a discount for sending large amounts abroad. You can also use Wise rate lock features to protect against currency fluctuations, and if you’d prefer you can receive your payment in EUR to a Wise account to convert it at a later stage.

How much does it cost to sell a property in Portugal? Cost breakdown

The costs of selling a property in Portugal can go beyond CGT. Here are some common fees to consider:

• Real estate agent commissions: Portuguese real estate agents can have high fees, of around  3% – 10% of the property value.
• Legal and professional fees: You’ll need to have a notary to cover the legal aspects of the sale – this is likely to be around 1% of the sale cost. Notary fees can be 500 EUR – 1,500 EUR depending on the property type.
• Mandatory certificates and inspections: As the seller you must hold a valid energy certificate report for your property. If your certificate is over 10 years old, you’ll have to pay for a new one.
• Pre-sale preparation costs: Don’t forget to factor in any specific costs for things like repairs to your property before you put it on the market.

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

The timeline for selling a property in Portugal can vary enormously based on  

factors like market conditions and seasonal variations, property type, location, and pricing, marketing effectiveness and presentation quality. Finding a buyer could take anything from a few days to a few months – generally properties in cities move quicker as they may be in more demand.

You can expect the end to end processes associated with selling a property in Portugal to take several months – ask your agent for their timeline expectations before you start to market the property.

When is it a good time to sell property in Portugal?

There’s no best time to sell a property in Portugal – what’s best for you will depend on the property type, location and other similar factors. To decide on the right time to market your property you may want to monitor the advertised prices of similar property, and talk to local agents who may offer advice on timing.

Tips and best practices for successful property sales

Here are a few final thoughts to make sure your property sale in Portugal is a success:

• Get professional legal advice: Selling a property in another country is tricky – you’ll need local legal advisors on hand to help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure compliance with all legal requirements.
• Bear in mind currency conversion costs: If you need to repatriate the funds from your sale you’ll need to find a provider which offers low overall costs, including a good exchange rate. Tools like forward contracts or limit orders which are available from currency specialists can also help.
• Price your property carefully: Use recent sales data from your local area, and get a professional valuation to make sure you’re pricing your property appropriately.
• Have a diverse marketing strategy: Advertise your property on multiple channels and use work of mouth if possible to build interest.

Conclusion

While selling property in Portugal can be complex, it’s achievable – and you can make the process far less stressful by engaging the right local support teams early on.

When selling a property in a foreign country you will need to take time to get to know local laws, market conditions, and financial obligations such as taxes on your property value. Bear in mind you may also have reporting or other duties in your home country.

Once you’ve successfully sold your property and it’s time to repatriate your funds, check out providers like Wise to make sure you get a great deal on your transfer. Wise uses the mid-market rate on currency conversion and has automatic discounts on fees when sending higher value amounts which may mean you spend less on fees and keep more for yourself in the end.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What’s the best way to transfer my property sale proceeds internationally? 

To transfer property sale proceeds internationally you’ll need to find a good value, secure service which offers low fees and a fair exchange rate. Providers like Wise which offer the mid-market rate on currency conversion and automatic discounts on fees for higher value amounts can be a good pick.

Do I need to pay tax on my property sale if I’m a non-resident?

You may need to pay tax on a property sale as a non-resident, including capital gains tax in Portugal, and any taxes owed in your home country. Tax can be complex, so getting professional advice is essential to make sure you comply with all your obligations.

Do I pay tax in the country I live in if I sell a property in Portugal? 

This can vary depending on your country of residence, your tax residence and your personal situation. Get professional advice if you are not sure of your tax obligations in Portugal or in your home country.

What happens when I sell a property in Portugal?

When you sell a Portuguese property you’ll need to settle any outstanding taxes payable to the Portuguese government, at the point of closing the sale. You can then repatriate your funds if you choose to.

Is it necessary to use a real estate agent to sell my property? 

It is not a legal requirement to use a real estate agent to sell a property in Portugal – but doing so can mean you have a smoother sale experience, and get a higher price for the property in the end.

What to consider when selling a property in Portugal?

Remember to check out the legal and practical requirements for selling a property in Portugal, which may be different to your home country. You’ll need a good local team to advise you on legal and tax matters, the local real estate market and how best to proceed with your sale.

Useful resources

Portuguese government portal – English language information about buying and selling real estate

PWC – Portugal tax summary, including useful English summary of CGT on real estate

Portugal tax portal – local government site to manage tax and other official transactions 

Portuguese tax system – news page from the tax authorities for updates and information

Caderneta predial – Portuguese official resource to look up caderneta predial

Instituto dos Mercados Públicos, do Imobiliário e da Construção – resource for finding licensed real estate agent listings 

Wise – send international payments with low fees, after your property sale