Non-resident IMT: the 7.5% flat rate

Decree-Law 97/2026 added a flat 7.5% IMT rate for non-residents buying urban property used exclusively as housing. It applies to deeds signed from 25 May 2026.

On a €400,000 home a non-resident pays €30,000 in IMT. A resident buying it as their permanent home would pay €18,236.65. The 0.8% stamp duty is the same for both.

Some sources mentioned 1 September 2026 as the start date. The Tax Authority and most official sources give 25 May 2026; if your deed falls between the two, check with a lawyer.

You are generally tax resident in Portugal if you spend more than 183 days a year there, or have a home there that you intend to keep as your habitual residence.

It depends on tax residency, not nationality. A Portuguese citizen living abroad who is not tax resident on the purchase date pays 7.5%. According to the Tax Authority's guidance, a buyer who has been tax resident in Portugal at any time before is not caught by the higher rate and pays the standard rates.

• Co-owners (unmarried, or married under separation of property): each buyer is assessed separately. A resident pays standard rates on their share and a non-resident pays 7.5% on theirs.
• Married under community property: there is a single assessment. The 7.5% applies only if both spouses are non-resident and have never been resident in Portugal.

You pay 7.5% at purchase, but you can claim back the difference to the standard rates if you:

• become tax resident in Portugal within two years of the purchase; or
• let the property as a home at a moderate rent (up to €2,300 a month) within six months of buying, keeping it let for at least 36 months within the first five years.

The claim is made to the Tax Authority within six months of becoming resident or signing the lease. A local lawyer or tax representative can file it for you.

No, only to urban property used exclusively as housing. Rural land pays 5% and other urban property (shops, offices, building plots) 6.5%, for residents and non-residents alike.

Buyers domiciled in a jurisdiction on Portugal's list of preferential tax regimes, companies included, pay 10%.

IMT is assessed through a Modelo 1 declaration, usually filed by your lawyer or at the Casa Pronta desk. It must be paid within 30 days of the assessment and before the deed. You need a Portuguese tax number (NIF) first.

Taxes and fees are paid in euros from a Portuguese or SEPA account. If your savings are in another currency, compare the exchange rate and fees before transferring a large amount: the difference between providers can be larger than the deed costs.