HVR provides full accounting for foreign-owned Portuguese companies from €150/month (€300 and €600 tiers for higher volume): bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, Modelo 22 and IES — explained in English. Corporate tax 2026: 19% standard, 15% on the first €50,000 of SME profit (Law 64/2025), falling to 18% in 2027 and 17% in 2028. Dividends to non-resident owners carry 28% withholding, usually reduced to 5–15% by treaty. Non-EU owners need a fiscal representative — HVR coordinates a partner (€200–350/year).

By Hugo Ribeiro, Certified Accountant OCC no. 64356 · HVR Business Consulting · July 2026

Who this page is for

You own a Portuguese Lda or Unipessoal Lda — as an expat founder, a foreign holding company, or a remote owner who incorporated in Portugal — and you need the compliance run properly by someone who explains Portuguese rules in English. This is the service page; for the full background read the pillar guide to accounting for foreign-owned companies. Not incorporated yet? Start at open a company in Portugal — HVR formation consulting runs €750 / €1,500 / €2,500 depending on structure.

Corporate tax in 2026: 19% standard, 15% for SME profits

Add municipal surcharge (derrama) of up to 1.5% depending on the municipality, and autonomous taxation on specific expenses (company cars, undocumented costs, entertainment) — the line item that most surprises foreign owners. Estimate it with the autonomous taxation simulator.

Getting money out: salary vs dividends

Dividends to non-resident shareholders carry 28% withholding (35% for blacklisted jurisdictions), typically reduced to 5–15% under double tax treaties — but only if residence certificates and treaty forms are in place before payment. Manager salaries are deductible for the company but trigger Social Security. The right mix depends on your residence country and treaty; we model it before every distribution.

Payroll: what an employee really costs

Employer Social Security is 23.75% on top of gross salary (employee pays 11%), salaries are paid in 14 instalments (holiday and Christmas), and the DMR payroll declaration is due monthly. Run the numbers with the hiring cost calculator before making your first Portuguese hire.

The compliance calendar your accountant runs

• Monthly: SAF-T invoice file to AT (by the 5th), DMR payroll declaration, VAT return (monthly regime)
• Quarterly: VAT return (quarterly regime), payments on account where due
• Annually: Modelo 22 by 31 May, IES by 15 July, inventory communication, transfer pricing file where required

Transfer pricing: the basics foreign owners must know

Any transaction between your Portuguese company and related parties — your foreign holding, your own consultancy abroad, a sister company — must be priced at arm's length (Art. 63 CIRC). The full documentation file is mandatory above €10 million turnover, but every foreign-owned Lda should keep intercompany contracts and a defensible pricing rationale: related-party flows are exactly what AT screens in foreign-owned structures.

Fiscal representation: coordinated, not improvised

Non-EU/EEA shareholders and directors with a Portuguese NIF must appoint a fiscal representative. HVR does not provide representation directly — we coordinate it through a specialised partner (fee €200–350/year), so your accounting and representation stay aligned. Details on the fiscal representative page.

What it costs

All fees published openly on our fees page.

Frequently asked questions

How much does accounting cost for a foreign-owned company?

€150, €300 or €600 per month at HVR depending on volume, payroll and reporting — all plans include IRC, VAT, Modelo 22 and IES, with English communication.

Can I run a Portuguese company without living in Portugal?

Yes — shareholders and managers can be non-resident. Every company needs a certified accountant, and non-EU owners need a fiscal representative (partner-coordinated, €200–350/year).

How are dividends taxed for non-resident owners?

28% withholding (35% for blacklisted jurisdictions), reduced to 5–15% by most treaties when the paperwork is filed before payment.

What are the main annual filings?

Modelo 22 by 31 May and IES by 15 July, on top of monthly SAF-T, VAT and DMR obligations.

Does my company need transfer pricing documentation?

Arm's-length pricing applies to all related-party transactions; the full file is mandatory above €10M turnover, but contracts and pricing rationale are advisable at any size.