What the certidão permanente predial is
It is online, real-time access to every entry in force on a property and to registration requests that are still pending. Instead of a paper document, whoever orders the certificate receives an access code. With that code, any person or organisation can view the certificate on the Land Registry website for 6 months.
In everyday Portuguese it is also called certidão predial, certidão do registo predial or certidão da conservatória. They are the same thing: the certificate issued by the Land Registry on the legal situation of a property.
The permanent certificate replaces the paper certificate for all legal purposes. Once you hand over the code, no public or private body can demand a paper certificate (Article 110(5) of the Portuguese Land Registry Code).
What it shows
- Property description: parish and municipality, type (urban or rural), layout, area and tax article.
- Owners: who acquired the property, when and how (purchase, inheritance, gift, division of an estate).
- Charges in force: mortgages, seizures, usufruct, easements and other registered encumbrances. This is why it is sometimes called a certificate of charges (certidão de ónus e encargos).
- Pending requests: registrations already requested but not yet completed, with the filing number and date.
For a flat or a shop, the certificate has two parts: the general description, which covers the whole building and is common to all units, and the description of the unit itself, with the entries that concern only that unit.
What it is used for
It is asked for in almost every property matter in Portugal:
- deeds of sale, gift or exchange;
- mortgages and mortgage transfers between banks;
- promissory contracts (CPCV), to confirm who is selling and what is registered;
- division of property after an inheritance or a divorce;
- rentals, to confirm that the landlord is the owner;
- planning and licensing applications at the town hall;
- court and tax proceedings.
Before paying a deposit on a house, it is the safest way to confirm that the seller is the owner and that there are no mortgages or seizures you were not told about.
How to read a permanent certificate
The certificate is in Portuguese. It starts with the property description and continues with the entries, in order. Each entry has a filing number (AP.) and a date. The most common ones:
| On the certificate | What it means |
|---|---|
| Aquisição · Causa: compra | The current owner (sujeito ativo) and who they bought from (sujeito passivo) |
| Hipoteca voluntária | The property secures a loan. It names the bank, the capital and the maximum amount secured |
| Penhora | The property has been seized in debt enforcement proceedings. It names the case and the amount |
| Usufruto | Someone else has the right to use the property without owning it |
| Provisório por natureza / por dúvidas | An entry that is not yet final, for example a purchase that has been promised but not completed |
The certificate only shows what is in force. A mortgage that has been cancelled does not appear.
How long it is valid
The code stays active for 6 months. During that time the certificate always shows the current situation: if a new registration request is filed on the property, it appears as pending. It can be viewed as often as needed by anyone who has the code.
In its last month it can be renewed for another 6 months, keeping the same code. See the guide on validity and renewal.
Permanent certificate or simplified information
| Permanent certificate | Simplified information | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal value of a certificate | Yes | No |
| Accepted for deeds, banks and courts | Yes | No |
| Shows | Every entry in force, in full | Owners and whether there are mortgages, seizures or other charges |
| Validity | 6 months | 1 year |
| Price | €39 | €19 |
For a formal act, order the permanent certificate. To confirm who owns a property before going ahead with a deal, the simplified land registry information is enough.
How to order
You need the description number and the parish, or the tax article from the caderneta predial. The guide how to get a Portuguese land registry certificate online explains where to find them. If you already have them, you can order the permanent certificate now.