Common questions about Portuguese tax.

A NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) is the Portuguese Tax Identification Number, required for financial and legal transactions in Portugal. It is used by both residents and non-residents for activities such as opening a bank account, signing rental or purchase agreements, starting a business, filing taxes, and accessing public services.

There are two ways. In person at a Tax Office, presenting your passport or national ID card (for EU citizens), proof of address (for residents), and — for non-EU/EEA residents — a Portuguese tax representative. Or through a legal representative: if you're not in Portugal, you can appoint a tax consultant to obtain the NIF on your behalf.

Non-EU/EEA residents must appoint a fiscal representative in Portugal to handle tax obligations, such as obtaining a NIF, submitting tax returns, and managing VAT payments.

If you reside in Portugal for more than 183 days per year (interrupted or consecutive), you are considered a tax resident and must report your worldwide income to the Portuguese tax authorities. However, there are tax optimization strategies available, including special regimes for expats.

Normally, revenues earned by non-residents in Portugal are subject to a 25% tax withholding at the source. Taxes are deducted automatically, and in most cases non-residents do not need to file a tax return in Portugal. Instead, they can declare the income and claim any applicable tax credits in their home country, based on existing double taxation agreements (DTAs).

Personal income tax returns must be submitted between April 1 and June 30 of the year following the income year.

It depends on your tax residency status. Residents are taxed on their worldwide income, so they must declare and pay taxes on foreign income — though double taxation agreements (DTAs) may allow for tax credits. Non-residents are only taxed on income earned within Portugal and do not need to report foreign income. Those who previously qualified for the NHR regime may still benefit from exemptions or reduced rates on certain foreign income for the remainder of their 10-year period.

It depends. Normally, foreign private pensions are subject to Portuguese taxation. However, foreign government pensions are exempt.

Residents are taxed on their taxable income at progressive rates ranging from 13% to 48% as of 2025. They can also opt for a flat 28% tax on specific types of income. Non-residents are taxed at a flat rate of 25% on Portuguese-source income.

There are deductions to personal taxable income that help reduce the amount of IRS owed. Some of the most common are health expenses, education expenses, general family expenses, real estate deductions, and VAT deductions.

The standard corporate tax rate in Portugal is 20%, with a reduced rate of 16% for SMEs on the first €50,000 of taxable profit. Businesses may also be subject to municipal and state surcharges. In the simplified taxation regime, taxation is based on a percentage of revenue rather than profit, with different rates depending on the type of activity.

The Portal das Finanças is the official online platform of the Portuguese Tax Authority (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira — AT). It allows taxpayers to manage their tax obligations, access fiscal information, and submit IRS (personal income tax), VAT, and corporate tax returns.

E-Fatura is the online system of the Portuguese Tax Authority that registers and tracks invoices for tax deduction purposes. It lets taxpayers check, validate, and classify invoices issued in their name, ensuring they benefit from deductions on IRS.

Yes, Portugal offers tax incentives for foreign residents, especially for those relocating for work or investment purposes.

As of February 2025, Portugal's Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) tax regime is no longer available to new applicants. However, it was replaced by the IFICI (Incentivo Fiscal à Investigação Científica e Inovação), a new regime designed to attract highly skilled professionals, particularly those working in scientific research and innovation.