What the permanent certificate is and what it is for

Instead of a dated piece of paper, the permanent certificate is a code. Anyone holding it can look up the company's registrations online, 24 hours a day, exactly as they stand at that moment, including registration requests still pending. If the company changes its registered office, managers or share capital during the validity period, the certificate shows the change without a new request.

Presenting the code replaces the paper certificate, and the code can be shared with whoever needs it: a bank, a client, a supplier or a public body. The commercial register certificate is available in English, which helps with foreign shareholders, clients and banks.

Types of company permanent certificate

• Commercial register permanent certificate: the company's registrations and pending requests. This is the one usually asked for.
• Commercial register and documents: the same, plus the documents behind each registration (except annual accounts filings).
• Articles of association / updated by-laws: only the latest articles.
• Annual accounts (IES): the company's accounts filings, also available in English.
• Registration in the Central Register of Legal Persons: tax number (NIPC), name, registered office, activity code (CAE), legal form, object, capital and status (registered, dissolved, extinct).
• Foundations register, for foundations.

How much the permanent certificate costs in 2026

The price depends on the type and the validity you choose. Figures published by the IRN:

For a company that uses the certificate often, 4-year validity works out at €17.50 a year against €25 for a single year. Looking up the certificate with the code is always free.

How to request the permanent certificate online, step by step

1. Go to the IRN service Request permanent certificate and choose the certificate type.
2. Fill in the requester's name, the requester's tax number (NIF or NIPC), the company's NIPC or name and the email where the code should be sent.
3. Choose the validity (1 to 4 years) and submit.
4. Pay the Multibanco reference within 5 calendar days of submitting.
5. Once payment is confirmed, the access code arrives by email.

Any person or company can request the permanent certificate of any company; you do not need to be a shareholder or manager. The request can also be made in person at a registry office.

How to look up the certificate with the code

On the IRN lookup service, choose «Consultar Certidão» (look up certificate) and enter the access code. The lookup is free and can be repeated as often as needed during the validity period. If you have requested a certificate but have not received the code yet, «Consultar pedido de certidão» shows the request status using the email you gave.

Property permanent certificate (certidão permanente predial)

Many searches for «certidão permanente» are about a property, which is a different certificate from the land registry. It shows the owner, any mortgages, attachments or other charges, and pending registration requests, and it is used for example when buying or selling a property.

• Price: €15 online, €20 in person.
• Validity: six months, renewable for another six.
• Details needed: district, municipality and parish; the land registry description number or the tax matrix article (from the caderneta predial); the type of property (urban, rural or mixed); and the unit letter or number, if any.
• Where: on conservatoria.justica.gov.pt or at a land registry office.

Like the company version, it replaces the paper certificate before any public or private entity (article 110(5) of the Land Registry Code).

When your company will need it

The permanent certificate is the standard way to prove who the company is: name, registered office, object, capital and who can bind it. Banks commonly ask for it when opening accounts or granting credit, as do clients and suppliers signing contracts and public bodies in procedures and applications. Because the code can be shared, one long-validity certificate covers all of these at no extra cost.

After any change to the articles (office, managers, capital, object), check that the registration shows on the certificate before sending the code to third parties. HVR handles company formation and registry changes in Portugal, including for foreign founders, and the filings that follow.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a company permanent certificate cost in 2026?

The commercial register permanent certificate costs €25 for 1 year, €40 for 2 years, €60 for 3 years and €70 for 4 years. The register-and-documents version costs €55 to €154 and the articles of association version €20 to €50.

How long does it take to receive the code?

The code is emailed once the Multibanco payment is confirmed. The reference must be paid within 5 calendar days of submitting the request.

Is looking up the permanent certificate free?

Yes. You pay for the request; looking up the certificate with the access code is free and can be done as often as needed during the validity period.

Can I share the permanent certificate code?

Yes. The code is given to the person who requested it and can be shared whenever needed. Whoever holds it can view the certificate online, and presenting the code replaces a paper certificate.

Is the permanent certificate available in English?

The commercial register permanent certificate and the annual accounts (IES) certificate can be obtained in English.