How to Get a Portuguese Tax Number (NIF)

The NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal, also called número de contribuinte) is your nine-digit Portuguese tax number. It is issued by the Tax Authority (Autoridade Tributária, “Finanças”) and is usually the very first step for anyone who wants to buy property, rent a home, open a bank account or move to Portugal. You can get one without living in Portugal, and without becoming tax resident here.

What you need a NIF for

• buying or selling property, including signing the promissory contract (CPCV) and paying IMT,
• signing a rental contract,
• opening a bank account,
• setting up electricity, water and internet,
• buying or registering a car,
• applying for a visa or residence permit, for example the D7 visa,
• working in Portugal and registering for social security (NISS).

Getting a NIF with a foreign address does not make you tax resident in Portugal. You only become resident if you move here and register your Portuguese address with the tax office.

Do you need a fiscal representative?

The rules changed in 2022, and many websites still describe the old situation.

• When the NIF is issued, non-residents do not need a fiscal representative, whether they live in the EU or elsewhere.
• Once you have tax obligations in Portugal, for example when you buy property, rent it out, own a car or receive income here, residents of countries outside the EU and EEA must, within 15 days, either appoint a fiscal representative or sign up for electronic notifications from the tax office, through the Portal das Finanças or the ViaCTT electronic mailbox.
• If you carry out a business activity subject to VAT as a non-resident outside the EU, a fiscal representative remains mandatory even with electronic notifications.
• Residents of the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein can choose freely; neither option is mandatory.

Practical tip: to activate electronic notifications, you need the password for the Portal das Finanças. For foreign addresses it is sent by post and can take several weeks. Request it as soon as you have your NIF, not when the 15-day deadline is already running.

Three ways to get your NIF

1. In person at a tax office (Finanças) or a citizen’s shop (Loja do Cidadão)

This is free, and you usually leave with your number the same day. You need your passport or ID card and proof of your address.

You don’t have to apply in the town where you plan to live: any Finanças office in Portugal can issue your NIF, so choose one where you are anyway, for example during a viewing trip.

In practice, most Finanças offices now require an appointment, which you should book online through the Portal das Finanças. Appointments are often fully booked for days or weeks, and the online booking system frequently does not work. You can also try going to the office in person without an appointment, explaining that you could not book online. Many offices will still help, but there is no guarantee. If you go without an appointment:

• avoid Mondays, when offices are busiest after the weekend,
• arrive about 30 minutes before opening to be near the front of the queue,
• plan some extra time in case you are asked to come back.

2. Through a representative with a power of attorney

If you cannot come to Portugal, a lawyer, solicitor or other trusted person in Portugal can apply on your behalf. You sign a power of attorney and provide copies of your ID and proof of address. If you buy property, this person can also act as your fiscal representative afterwards.

3. Through an online service

There are now many online providers, some at very low prices from around €60. You upload your documents, sign a power of attorney digitally and usually receive your NIF within a few days to a week.

Our advice: don’t save in the wrong place. To use an online service, you have to send a copy of your passport or ID and a signed power of attorney in digital form. In the wrong hands, these documents can be misused. Before choosing a provider, check:

• who is behind the service: a company or professional registered in Portugal, with a physical address, a tax number and named, accountable people,
• who submits the application: ideally a lawyer or solicitor registered with their professional body,
• how your data is stored and protected: a clear privacy policy under the GDPR, secure upload instead of plain e-mail, and when your documents are deleted,
• what the power of attorney covers: it should be limited to the NIF application and, if needed, fiscal representation, not a general power over your affairs,
• what happens afterwards: whether the price includes the Portal das Finanças password, fiscal representation and help with electronic notifications.

We work with a trusted partner for this; see our online NIF service.

Documents you need

• valid passport or national ID card,
• proof of address in your home country, for example a recent utility bill or bank statement,
• if you apply through someone else: a signed power of attorney and a copy of your ID,
• if you appoint a fiscal representative: their acceptance, Portuguese tax number and ID.

After you receive your NIF

• Keep the NIF document (an A4 certificate from Finanças); you will be asked for it repeatedly.
• You don’t need a NIF card. Some services offer a plastic card with your tax number for an extra fee. It has no added value: the A4 document from Finanças, or simply your number, is all you need.
• Request your Portal das Finanças password, which you need for electronic notifications, property tax and later your tax returns.
• Update your address if you move to Portugal. This is what makes you tax resident, with all the consequences for your income tax.

How we can help

As part of our buyer’s agent and relocation services, we help you get your NIF, set up fiscal representation or electronic notifications and open a bank account, so you are ready before you make an offer. Book a free consultation.