Can a foreigner buy property in Portugal?

Foreigners may buy on much the same terms as citizens

Portugal allows foreigners to buy property on the same terms as Portuguese citizens. A buyer needs a Portuguese tax number and the sale is recorded before a notary or in the land register.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

Foreigners may own land, including rural land.

Houses and flats

Houses and apartments can be bought without nationality-based approval.

Buying through a company

A foreign buyer may buy through a Portuguese company.

Limits and closed zones

Rural land and protected coastal areas carry planning limits for every buyer.

What to watch for

Check the property's registration and planning status. Portuguese law expects a tax number (NIF) for any purchase.

Understand the legal system first

Portugal belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Portugal legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Portugal with another country →

Official sources

ePortugal: the Portuguese government's citizen portal

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.