How To Register a Property

The Balcão Único do Prédio (BUPi) 

Known by most as BUPi, the Balcão Único do Prédio was launched as an experimental project in 2017, and has extended across Portugal ever since.

It is a scheme aimed at owners of mixed buildings and rustic dwellings. It was created with four goals in mind – spatial planning, the valorization of resources, the identification of owners, and the prevention of fires.

Since the scheme’s introduction, owners who wish to restructure the ownership of their land are required to register with BUPi. It is currently free of charge to register, and the process can be completed online or in person.

Head over to the official BUPi page at the URL below for more information:

https://bupi.gov.pt/en/

Why Should Building Owners Register with BUPi? 

Registration is important for owners of qualifying buildings for the following reasons:

• The owner’s property rights are only guaranteed upon registering their building with the Conservatoire.
• Registration is mandatory for anyone looking to buy or sell land.
• It is 100% free of charge to register, but for a limited period only.
• Those who register will play a key role in helping local and national authorities prevent fires.

Land Registration: Protecting What’s Yours

It is important to understand that as a landowner, protecting your rights is only possible upon registering with the appropriate authorities. Registering your property with the Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority is not enough to safeguard your ownership rights.

To fully protect what’s yours, you must register the geolocation of your property as part of your official BUPi registration.

Where Can I Register My Property with the Balcão Único do Prédio?

You can register online or in-person, as outlined below:

Online Registration:

• Go to bupi.gov.pt and authenticate with your Citizen Card or Digital Mobile Key
• The service is free until August 23, 2023
• You must have your Citizen Card and the Land Registry with the matrix number

In-Person Registration:

• Go to the BUPi counter of the Municipal Council of the municipality where the property is located
• The service is free until August 23, 2023
• You must have your Citizen Card and the Land Registry with the matrix number

If unsure where your nearest BUPi counter is, there is a locater on the Portuguese government website. Find out more here.

Who is Eligible to Register a Property with the Balcão Único do Prédio?

You can (and must) register with BUPi if you own one or more of the following property types in Portugal:

Rustic Buildings

A rustic building is defined as a delimited part of the ground and the buildings on it that do not have economic autonomy (land intended for a use that generates agricultural or forestry income or that is directly allocated to the production of income of this type).

Mixed Buildings

This category encompasses buildings composed of a rustic part and an urban part (built property, with the land that serves as a patio or land intended for construction).

What Documents and Forms of Identity Are Required to Register?

To access BUPi online, you need to authenticate with a:

• Digital Mobile Key

or

• Citizen Card

To identify and register properties on BUPi online or in person, you will need:

• Citizen Card
• Property Register
• File with GPS coordinates
• Document proving that you are the owner of the property, such as the deed of purchase and sale.

If you do not have a document proving that you are the property owner, you can fill in this form and hand it in when registering your property at BUPi.

Information about the following people must be included on the form:

• Applicant – who is submitting the request. It can be the property owner or whoever represents them, such as a lawyer.
• Justifier – who wants to see the ownership of the property recognized – i.e., the property owner.
• Declarant – an eligible witness.

How Much Does it Cost to Register at Balcão Único do Prédio?

It is currently free but may incur service costs as of August 23, 2023.