How to Move Your Company's Registered Office to Lisbon (2026)
Updated October 2026. Costs and deadlines checked on the official Portuguese portals on 19 October 2026.
To move a Portuguese company’s registered office to Lisbon, there are usually 3 steps. (1) Get a certificate of admissibility, but only if you change municipality and the company name is not a “fantasy” name. (2) Approve the new address in written minutes. (3) Register the change with the Commercial Registry online, for €170. The Registry then passes the change on to the Tax Authority and Social Security. Below we explain each step, with links to the official sources (all in Portuguese).
This guide is for information only. It applies to single-member private limited companies (unipessoal por quotas), private limited companies (Lda) and public limited companies (SA). It is not legal or accounting advice for your specific case.
Key takeaways
- Where: online, through the “Modificar cláusulas contratuais” service at registo.justica.gov.pt.
- Registration fee: €170 (online, standard request).
- Certificate of admissibility: €75, only when required.
- Deadline: request the registration within 2 months of the decision.
- Tax Authority and Social Security: receive the change from the Commercial Registry.
Before you start: choose the new address
Before you deal with the Registry, you need the full new address, including parish and postcode. If you won’t have your own office in Lisbon, you can use a virtual office in Lisbon as your registered office. The registered office does not have to be where the company operates. At Giraldo Works the address is on Rua Castilho, next to Avenida da Liberdade, from €20/month + VAT, and we only need the ID of the company representative to sign you up.
Need an address for your new registered office?
Step 1: check whether you need a certificate of admissibility
The certificate of admissibility (certificado de admissibilidade), issued by the National Register of Legal Entities (RNPC), confirms that the company name can be used. According to justica.gov.pt and gov.pt, when moving the registered office it is only needed if:
- the office moves to a different municipality (for example from Porto or Sintra to Lisbon); and
- the company name is not just a fantasy expression (with or without a reference to the activity).
If the company is already registered in the municipality of Lisbon, or if the name is just a fantasy expression, you can skip this step. The online registration form lists the certificate as optional.
According to registo.justica.gov.pt, a standard request costs €75, or €150 for an urgent request decided within 1 working day. Once approved, you have 3 months to make the change and request the registration.
Step 2: approve the move and record it in minutes
Article 12(2) of the Portuguese Commercial Companies Code states that, unless the articles of association say otherwise, the management may move the registered office within Portugal. In practice:
- if the articles say nothing to the contrary, the managers or board can decide the move;
- if the articles reserve this decision for the shareholders, you need a shareholders’ resolution.
Either way, the decision is recorded in minutes (ata). Also prepare the updated articles of association with the new address and the list of shareholders, because you will need all three documents in the next step. Documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a translation.
Step 3: register the change with the Commercial Registry
The change is registered through the Modificar cláusulas contratuais service. According to registo.justica.gov.pt:
- Log in with a Portuguese Citizen Card, Chave Móvel Digital, the digital certificate of a lawyer, notary or solicitor, or European authentication (eIDAS). If you have none of these, a Portuguese lawyer or solicitor can file the request for you.
- Enter the company (NIPC), your role and the new registered office address.
- Upload the documents: the minutes, the updated articles, the list of shareholders and, if needed, the certificate of admissibility.
- Pay by Multibanco reference within 5 days of submitting.
Two conditions matter. The request must be made within 2 months of the decision, and there is an extra fee after that. The company’s annual accounts filing must also be up to date.
If the request has errors, you will be notified and have 5 days to correct them, for an extra €30.
Step 4: Tax Authority and Social Security
Since Decree-Law 122/2009, the Commercial Registry passes registered office changes on to the Tax Authority and Social Security automatically and free of charge. That is why companies subject to commercial registration don’t need to file a separate change-of-activity return for a move of registered office (Article 32(3) of the VAT Code; see also the gov.pt VAT guide).
Even so, once the registration is final, we recommend asking your accountant to confirm that the new address appears on the Tax Authority portal and on Segurança Social Direta.
Step 5: update your address everywhere
- Invoicing software and invoice templates.
- Website, email signatures, social media profiles and your Google Business Profile.
- Bank, insurance, and contracts with clients and suppliers.
- Letterhead, business cards and proposals.
How much it costs to move your registered office
| Item | Cost | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of admissibility | €75 (standard) / €150 (urgent) | Move to another municipality, when the name is not a fantasy name |
| Registration of the change, online | €170 (standard) / €370 (urgent) | Always |
| Registration of the change, in person or by post | €200 (standard) / €400 (urgent) | If you don’t apply online |
| Correcting errors | €30 | Only if the request has errors |
Source: registo.justica.gov.pt and RNPC, checked on 19-10-2026. Does not include accountant’s or lawyer’s fees if you use one.
Common mistakes that delay the move
- Late annual accounts filing: it blocks the registration of the change.
- Forgetting the certificate of admissibility when changing municipality with a name that isn’t a fantasy name.
- Missing the 2-month deadline after the decision, which adds costs.
- Incomplete address: the registered office must state the district, municipality, parish and 7-digit postcode.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to change a company's registered office in Portugal?
According to registo.justica.gov.pt (checked on 19-10-2026), registering the change costs €170 online for a standard request. If the office moves to another municipality and the company name is not just a fantasy name, add the certificate of admissibility, which costs €75 for a standard request.
Can I change the registered office online?
Yes. You register it through the Modificar cláusulas contratuais service at registo.justica.gov.pt, using a Portuguese Citizen Card, Chave Móvel Digital, a legal professional’s digital certificate or European authentication (eIDAS). A Portuguese lawyer or solicitor can also file it for you.
Do I need a certificate of admissibility?
Only if you move to another municipality and the company name is not just a fantasy expression. If the office stays in the same municipality, or the name is a fantasy name, you don’t need one.
Who decides the move: the shareholders or the managers?
Under Article 12(2) of the Commercial Companies Code, the management may move the registered office within Portugal unless the articles of association say otherwise. If the articles reserve the decision for the shareholders, a shareholders’ resolution is needed.
Do I need to notify the Tax Authority and Social Security?
For companies subject to commercial registration, the Registry passes the change on to the Tax Authority and Social Security automatically. Article 32(3) of the VAT Code exempts these companies from filing a separate change return. Ask your accountant to confirm that the address has been updated.
What is the deadline to register the change?
The registration must be requested within 2 months of the decision approving the move. After that there is an extra fee.
Can I use a virtual office as my new registered office?
Yes, as long as the provider authorises it. At Giraldo Works you can use our Rua Castilho address in Lisbon as your registered office, from €20/month + VAT. We only need the ID of the company representative.
Move your registered office to central Lisbon
An address on Rua Castilho, next to Avenida da Liberdade, from €20/month + VAT. More than 250 companies already have their address at Giraldo Works.
