How to Register a Company (Lda.) in Portugal: Step-by-Step Guide

A Sociedade por Quotas — usually shortened to Lda. — is Portugal's private limited company and by far the most common structure for small and medium-sized businesses. It can be formed by residents and non-residents alike, by individuals or by other companies, and it can be done entirely remotely through a lawyer.

This guide walks through every step, in the order it actually happens.

1. Decide the basics

Before any paperwork, settle these points with your co-founders:

2. Get a NIF for every partner and manager

Every individual partner and manager needs a Portuguese tax number (NIF). Foreign companies that become partners need a Portuguese tax number too. Non-residents from outside the EU/EEA must appoint a fiscal representative or sign up for the Tax Authority's electronic notifications. See our NIF guide for foreigners.

3. Choose and approve the company name

You have two options:

1. Pre-approved name — pick a name from the government's list of pre-approved names (firmas pré-aprovadas). It is free and immediate, but you can't choose the words.
2. Your own name — apply for a certificado de admissibilidade (name approval certificate) from the RNPC. It costs €75 (€150 if urgent), typically takes 1–5 working days and is valid for three months.

The name must end in "Limitada" or "Lda." — and include "Unipessoal" for a single-member company. Prepare three options in case your first choice is refused.

4. Prepare the articles of association (pacto social)

The articles set out the company's name, registered office, object, capital, quotas and how managers are appointed. You can:

• use the pre-approved articles — a standard template, cheaper and faster to register; or
• have a lawyer draft custom articles — needed if you want rules on share transfers, pre-emption rights, special voting or several managers with different powers.

5. File the incorporation

There are two main routes:

• Empresa Online — the incorporation is filed online by our partner lawyer on your behalf. The registry fee is €220 with pre-approved articles or €360 with custom articles. Nobody needs to travel to Portugal.
• Empresa na Hora — a registry service that creates the company in a single appointment for €360, using a pre-approved name and pre-approved articles. Our lawyer attends on your behalf under a power of attorney.

Once registered you receive the company's NIPC (tax number), the access code to the certidão permanente and the registration of the articles.

6. After incorporation

The company exists, but a few filings are still due:

• Start of activity — the declaration of start of activity is submitted to the Tax Authority, together with the VAT regime choice. This is normally handled by your certified accountant.
• Social Security — the company is registered with Segurança Social; paid managers and employees are enrolled.
• RCBE — declare the company's beneficial owners within 30 days. See our RCBE guide.
• Accountant — every Lda. must have a certified accountant.
• Bank account and capital — open a business bank account and pay in the share capital. Partners can defer paying in their contributions until the end of the company's first financial year.

How long does it take?

With all documents ready, a standard online registration usually takes 2–4 weeks. Empresa na Hora can be completed in 24–48 hours, subject to appointment availability. The most common delays are waiting for NIF numbers, apostilled foreign documents and the name certificate.

How much does it cost?

Government fees start at €220. Add the name certificate if you choose your own name, and professional fees for the lawyer. Our cost guide breaks this down, and the cost calculator gives you a total in seconds.

Who files the registration?

Our partner lawyers file the registration for you. Filing requires a qualified digital signature, and foreign documents need to be checked, translated and certified — they take care of all of it, 100% online, so you never need to visit Portugal. Start your registration.