Building in Portugal
Welcome
Hello, and welcome. This is Super Structures General Contractors — a national general contractor headquartered in Powhatan, Virginia — here to help you and your clients build something that lasts. We're glad you're with us, and we look forward to connecting with you.
Portugal has quietly become one of Europe's most attractive places to build — foreign investment, a tourism wave, the Golden-Visa era, and a renovation boom in Lisbon and Porto. For a contractor it's an accessible EU entry point. But Portugal runs a formal, class-based licensing system, and you can't pour a footing without the right alvará. Let's get you set up properly.
How it works
Any company doing construction in Portugal — Portuguese or foreign — must hold a license from IMPIC (Instituto dos Mercados Públicos, do Imobiliário e da Construção). There are two instruments:
- The alvará — the contractor's permit, sized by class to the value of work you're allowed to perform (per Ordinance 212/2022).
- A certificate — for small works up to €40,000. You apply online through the IMPIC portal (or in person).
How to Get Licensed: Steps & Official Contacts
- The authority: IMPIC — www.impic.pt (Lisbon; tel. +351 21 794 6700; submit inquiries via the portal's Construction contact form).
- What it takes: a registered company; classify by the value class of work you'll pursue; for classes above class 2, show equity of at least 10% of that class's limit (or provide a guarantee / liability insurance); demonstrate suitable technical and financial capacity; then apply on the IMPIC portal.
Contact details and rules change — always confirm current requirements, fees, and contacts on the official site before you act.
Going Deeper (Intermediate)
EU/EEA contractors benefit from freedom of establishment, easing entry; non-EU firms set up a Portuguese entity or branch. Build to Eurocodes and Portuguese norms (metric). The renovation/tourism boom and Golden-Visa-era investment have made Lisbon and Porto especially active.
Advanced / Pro-Level
Classes scale with project value, so register the class that matches the work you'll chase — and note that equity/financial requirements rise with class. Plan for VAT (IVA) and Portuguese labor law, engage a Portuguese accountant and lawyer, and remember that projects are stamped by professionals registered with the Ordem dos Engenheiros / Ordem dos Arquitetos where required.
Practice Challenge
A foreign company wins a €1.5M renovation in Lisbon. What must it obtain from IMPIC before starting, and what financial test applies? (Answer: an alvará in the class that covers €1.5M of work — and because that's above class 2, it must show equity of at least 10% of that class's limit (or post a guarantee/insurance), applied for via the IMPIC portal. No alvará of the right class means it can't legally do the work.)
Takeaway: In Portugal every construction company needs an IMPIC alvará sized by class to the value of work (or a certificate for works ≤€40k), with equity requirements that rise by class — apply at impic.pt; EU firms establish easily, and Portugal's renovation/tourism boom makes it a strong, accessible European entry point.
Educational overview — not legal advice. Licensing rules, fees, and contact details change; always confirm on the official authority's website and engage local counsel before acting.