How Much It Costs to Buy a Home in Portugal: Taxes in 2026

In short: when you buy property in Portugal, the two main taxes are IMT, which varies according to the value and use of the home, and Stamp Duty, at 0.8% of the value. For a €300,000 home that will be the main residence of a resident buyer, the taxes add up to about €12,942. Buyers who are not tax residents in Portugal pay, as a rule, IMT at 7.5% since May 2026, with some exceptions.

"How much will I spend on top of the price of the home?" Below we list each cost, show the official 2026 tables and do the math with a hypothetical property. The figures apply to mainland Portugal (the Azores and Madeira may have their own thresholds).

The costs, one by one

• IMT — Municipal Property Transfer Tax (Imposto Municipal sobre as Transmissões Onerosas de Imóveis): the tax paid on the purchase, similar to ITBI in Brazil.
• Stamp Duty (Imposto do Selo) — 0.8% on the purchase price and, if there is a mortgage, also on the loan.
• Public deed or authenticated document — the act that formalizes the purchase, before a notary, at the Casa Pronta desk or with a lawyer or solicitor.
• Land registration — the entry of the purchase in the land registry, which protects the buyer.
• Lawyer — review of the documents and support throughout the transaction (fees agreed case by case).
• After the purchase: IMI, the annual property tax, similar to IPTU in Brazil.

IMT: how it works in 2026

IMT is calculated on the higher of two values: the price in the deed or the VPT, the "taxable property value", which is the value of the property in the Tax Authority's records (Art. 12(1) of the IMT Code). It must be paid before signing: the notary, the lawyer or the desk that formalizes the purchase cannot complete the act without seeing proof of payment (Art. 49(1) of the IMT Code).

The rate depends on the use of the property. The 2026 tables are in Art. 17 of the IMT Code, with the amounts updated by the 2026 State Budget (Law 73-A/2025).

Table 1 — buyer's main residence (own permanent home)

"Own permanent home" (habitação própria e permanente) is the home where the buyer will live and have their tax domicile. The buyer has 6 months to move in; otherwise, the benefit is lost (Art. 11(8) of the IMT Code).

Table 2 — other housing (vacation home, rental property)

For other properties, the rates are flat: 5% for rural land and 6.5% for urban properties that are not residential, such as stores (Art. 17(1)(d) and (e)).

How to read the table: the value is split into two parts. The first goes up to the limit of the previous bracket and pays that bracket's average rate. The amount above that limit pays the marginal rate of the next bracket (Art. 17(3)). The example further below shows the calculation.

Exemption for low-value properties

When buying a main residence up to €106,346, there is no IMT (Art. 9(1) of the IMT Code). Stamp Duty is still due.

IMT Jovem: up to age 35

Since August 2024, buyers aged 35 or under who buy their first home to live in are exempt from IMT up to €330,539 (Art. 9(2) of the IMT Code). Above that amount, up to €660,982, they pay 8% only on the part exceeding €330,539 (Art. 17(1)(b)). The conditions are:

• being 35 or younger on the date of purchase;
• not being considered a dependent of another person for IRS (Portuguese personal income tax) purposes in the year of purchase;
• not having owned a residential property, or part of one, on the date of purchase or in the previous 3 years (Art. 9(3));
• using the property as their main residence (own permanent home).

There is also a Stamp Duty relief: young buyers do not pay the 0.8% up to the limit of €330,539, that is, up to €2,644.31 (Art. 7-A of the Stamp Duty Code). For a couple, the conditions are assessed for each person, in equal shares (Art. 9(4) of the IMT Code).

Can a foreign national use IMT Jovem? The law does not require Portuguese citizenship. It requires age, a first home and a main residence in Portugal. So, in practice, the benefit is designed for those who are or will become tax residents in Portugal. Buyers who are still non-residents generally fall under the 7.5% rate explained below.

Non-residents: 7.5% rate since May 2026

Decree-Law 97/2026 (Decreto-Lei) of May 20 created a new rule in Art. 17(10) of the IMT Code. When the buyer is a non-resident in Portugal for tax purposes, the purchase of residential property always pays 7.5% on the total value, with no exemptions or reductions. There are three exceptions:

• the buyer has previously been considered a tax resident in Portugal;
• the buyer becomes a tax resident in Portugal within 2 years after the purchase;
• the property is rented out as housing at a rent that does not exceed the limits of Decree-Law 97/2026, with a lease signed within 6 months after the purchase and rented for at least 36 months during the first 5 years.

In the last two cases, the buyer pays the 7.5% and then asks the Tax Authority for a refund of the difference (Art. 17(11) and (12)). The request must be made within 6 months from the date on which the buyer becomes a resident or signs the lease.

Practical example: Marcos lives in São Paulo and buys an apartment in Lisbon before moving. At the deed, he is still a non-resident: he pays 7.5%. A year later, he already lives in Portugal and becomes a tax resident. He has 6 months from that date to request a refund of the difference. Anyone who is relocating should plan this sequence carefully. See when you become a tax resident in our article on tax residence between Brazil and Portugal.

Stamp Duty: 0.8% on the purchase and more on the loan

According to the General Stamp Duty Table (Tabela Geral do Imposto do Selo):

• Purchase of the property: 0.8% on the value (item 1.1), paid together with IMT;
• Home loan with a term of 5 years or more: 0.6% on the amount borrowed (item 17.1.3);
• Loan interest: 4% on the interest charged by the bank (item 17.3.1), over the life of the loan.

The mortgage created together with the loan, to secure it, does not pay separate Stamp Duty (item 10 of the Table). The bank usually charges the tax on the loan when the contract is signed.

Deed, Casa Pronta and land registration

The purchase can be made by public deed before a notary or by a private document authenticated by a lawyer, solicitor or registrar. A common option is the Casa Pronta desk of the Institute of Registries and Notary (IRN), where the purchase and the registration are done in the same appointment. According to the official service page (accessed on October 2, 2026), the cost is:

• €375 for a single registration act (for example, only the purchase);
• €700 when there is more than one registration act (for example, a purchase with a bank loan);
• plus €50 for each additional property.

Land registration is the entry of the purchase in the land registry. It is what makes the purchase enforceable against third parties and protects the buyer. When the purchase is made by deed or authenticated document, the entity that formalizes the act must arrange the registration (Art. 8-B of the Land Registry Code). Outside Casa Pronta, notary and registration fees vary from case to case; ask for a quote in advance.

Lawyer: what this cost covers

The lawyer checks the land registry certificate (mortgages, attachments and other encumbrances), the property tax record (caderneta predial) and the energy certificate, reviews the promissory purchase agreement (contrato-promessa) and can prepare the authenticated document and handle the registration. Fees are agreed case by case. See the list of documents on our page on buying and selling property.

NIF and bank account

First of all, the buyer needs a NIF, the Portuguese tax identification number. Without it, it is not possible to declare and pay IMT. See how to obtain it on our page on the NIF. A bank account in Portugal is not legally required to buy, but it makes payments easier and is essential to apply for a home loan from a Portuguese bank.

Example: a €300,000 property

Imagine a €300,000 apartment on the mainland, with a VPT below that value. Taxes only (without deed, registration and legal fees):

A) Main residence, resident buyer over 35

• IMT: €198,347 × 1.7274% = €3,426.25, plus €101,653 × 7% = €7,115.71. Total IMT: €10,541.96.
• Stamp Duty: €300,000 × 0.8% = €2,400.00.
• Taxes on the purchase: €12,941.96.

B) Vacation home, resident buyer

• IMT: €198,347 × 2.2636% = €4,489.78, plus €101,653 × 7% = €7,115.71. Total: €11,605.49.
• Stamp Duty: €2,400.00.
• Taxes on the purchase: €14,005.49.

C) Non-resident buyer, no exception applies

• IMT: €300,000 × 7.5% = €22,500.00.
• Stamp Duty: €2,400.00.
• Taxes on the purchase: €24,900.00.

D) Young buyer aged 35 or under, first home, main residence

• IMT: €0 (value below €330,539).
• Stamp Duty: €2,400.00 − deduction of up to €2,644.31 = €0.

If there is a €200,000 loan over 30 years, Stamp Duty on the loan is added: €200,000 × 0.6% = €1,200.00, plus the 4% on the interest paid over the life of the loan.

After the purchase: IMI

IMI (Municipal Property Tax, Imposto Municipal sobre Imóveis) is charged every year to whoever owns the property on December 31 (Art. 8 of the IMI Code). The rate for urban properties ranges from 0.3% to 0.45% of the VPT and is set by each municipality (Art. 112(1)(c) of the IMI Code). Payment is made in May if the amount is up to €100; in May and November if it is from €100 to €500; and in May, August and November if it is above €500 (Art. 120 of the IMI Code).

There is an IMI exemption for 3 years for a main residence with a VPT up to €125,000, when the gross income of the household in the previous year does not exceed €153,300. The municipality may extend it for another 2 years (Art. 46 of the Tax Benefits Statute). High-value property holdings may also pay the Additional IMI (Adicional ao IMI).

Common mistakes

1. Calculating IMT on the price alone. If the VPT is higher, the tax is calculated on it.
2. Buying as a non-resident without planning. The 7.5% rate is paid at the deed; the refund depends on a request made within 6 months.
3. Using the main residence table and not living in the property. Without moving your tax domicile there within 6 months, the benefit is lost and the tax is charged.
4. Signing the promissory purchase agreement without reviewing the land registry certificate. Encumbrances and debts on the property should be checked before the down payment.

• IMT Code, Art. 17 (2026 rates, Law 73-A/2025; paragraphs 10 to 12 added by Decree-Law 97/2026)
• IMT Code, Art. 9 (own permanent home exemption and IMT Jovem — Decree-Law 48-A/2024)
• IMT Code, Arts. 11 (loss of benefit), 12 (taxable value) and 49 (proof of payment before the deed)
• Decree-Law 97/2026 of May 20 (Art. 6 — 7.5% rate for non-residents)
• Stamp Duty Code, Art. 7-A (deduction for young buyers)
• General Stamp Duty Table (items 1.1, 10, 17.1.3 and 17.3.1)
• IMI Code, Arts. 8, 112 and 120
• Tax Benefits Statute, Art. 46 (temporary IMI exemption)
• Justiça.gov.pt — Casa Pronta desk, costs (accessed on October 2, 2026)
• Land Registry Code — Decree-Law 224/84 (Art. 8-B)

Sene & Araújo Sociedade de Advogados team. Content prepared and reviewed by the firm's lawyers, admitted to the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) and the Portuguese Bar Association (Ordem dos Advogados), with offices in São Paulo and Albufeira. The provisions cited were checked against the official sources listed above. Meet the team.