Setting up a company in Portugal involves several steps across multiple government systems: the Tax Authority (AT), the Companies Registry (IRN), and Segurança Social. For international founders doing this from abroad, or without Portuguese, it can be difficult to know where to start.
We manage the registration process on your behalf, advise on the right legal structure for your situation, and ensure your business is properly registered and active before you start trading.
ENI
Best for: freelancers, consultants, and self-employed professionals with a single owner and lower turnover.
LDA-S
Best for: individual founders who want limited liability and a corporate structure.
LDA-M
Best for: businesses with two or more shareholders.
We advise on the right business structure for your situation and collect all of the information and documentation needed to create your business.
Our legal partners prepare and submit the registration documents to the IRN (Companies Registry), including the company's articles of association.
Once registered, we activate your business with the Autoridade Tributária for VAT (if applicable) and register with Segurança Social.
We walk you through your new obligations, provide a summary of your registration, and you’re ready to do business.
This depends on several factors, but we typically advise that you plan on 4 weeks. Much of the processing time is dependent on which government office location the processing is assigned to, which is outside of our control. More complex structures or situations involving corporate shareholders may take longer.
No, we can register the company using a Power of Attorney document. The one step that requires the Managing Director of the company to be present is opening the business bank account after the legal entity is created.
The legal minimum is €1, though in practice a higher amount is common and may be required by banks or clients. We can recommend an appropriate amount based on your situation.
Yes. Foreign nationals can register companies in Portugal, though there are additional steps — including obtaining a NIF and, in some cases, providing apostilled documents from your home country.
Not always. VAT registration depends on your expected annual turnover and business activity. We advise on the threshold and timing as part of the registration process.
We'll walk you through the structure options and handle the registration process.
