Empresa na Hora is the Registry counter where you set up a single-member private limited company, a private limited company (Lda.) or a public limited company (S.A.) in one visit, with all shareholders present. In 2026 it costs €360. Bring each shareholder's ID and Portuguese tax number (NIF), pick a pre-approved company name and model articles of association, and appoint a certified accountant. You leave with the articles, the permanent certificate access code, the company card access code and the company's Social Security number.
What Empresa na Hora is and which companies you can create
It is a service of the Institute of Registries and Notary (IRN) that brings the whole incorporation into one counter and one visit: articles of association, signature and commercial registration. You can create a single-member private limited company (sociedade unipessoal por quotas), a private limited company (sociedade por quotas, Lda.) or a public limited company (S.A.). European public limited companies are not available.
Any individual or legal entity can use it, at any Empresa na Hora counter regardless of where the registered office will be. All future shareholders must attend in person. Foreign founders often prepare the NIF and a Portuguese bank account first; see our guide to opening a company in Portugal as a foreigner.
How much Empresa na Hora costs in 2026
| Route | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Empresa na Hora (counter) | €360 | IRN |
| Empresa Online, with approved model articles | €220 | RERN, art. 27(3.6) |
| Empresa Online, with bespoke articles | €360 | RERN, art. 27(3.7) |
| Name admissibility certificate (only for a name outside the list) | €75 | RERN, art. 23(2.1) |
If you register a trademark with the company, the IRN table lists €200 with one class of goods or services and €44 for each additional class. If share capital is paid in assets other than cash, the registration cost for transferring each asset is added.
Documents to bring
Individual shareholders: an identity document (Portuguese Citizen Card, identity card, passport or residence permit) and each person's tax number (NIF).
Corporate shareholders: the legal entity card or its access code; the general meeting minutes granting representatives the power to incorporate; the representatives' identity documents; and the deed, incorporation document or updated articles of association.
How it works, step by step
- Choose the name from the pre-approved list, or bring an admissibility certificate already approved by the National Register of Legal Persons.
- Choose the articles of association from the pre-approved models.
- Appoint the certified accountant. Pick one from the pool of certified accountants available at the counter, or file the start-of-activity declaration at a tax office within 15 days of incorporation. If you have already chosen your accountant, this is when you name them.
- Deal with the share capital: deposit it beforehand in the company's account, or declare that it will be deposited or paid into the company's funds.
- Sign the articles and complete the commercial registration at the counter.
What you receive
- the articles of association;
- the permanent certificate access code, which proves the company's details to banks, clients and public bodies (see how the permanent certificate works);
- the company card access code;
- the company's Social Security number.
Once the registration is final, manager or director attributes are added automatically and free of charge to the professional attributes system (SCAP), so you can sign on the company's behalf with your Citizen Card or Chave Móvel Digital.
Deadlines in the following days
| What | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Deposit the share capital, if not done before | 5 business days (not applicable if shareholders declared payment into the company's funds by the end of the first financial year) |
| Start-of-activity declaration, if no accountant was appointed at the counter | 15 days after incorporation |
| Beneficial owner declaration (RCBE) | 30 days |
Why the accountant is appointed at the counter
A commercial company must keep organised accounts (article 123(1) of the Corporate Income Tax Code), and technical responsibility for those accounts, including signing the tax returns, is reserved to certified accountants (article 10(1)(b) of the Statute of the Order of Certified Accountants). The company is born with VAT, corporate tax and, if it has staff, Social Security obligations.
Choosing your accountant before the counter means your VAT and corporate tax set-up is decided with the person who will handle it. HVR supports company formation and runs company accounting from day one, in English. Talk to us before booking the counter.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Empresa na Hora cost in 2026?
A standard request costs €360. With a trademark, the IRN table lists €200 with one class of goods or services and €44 for each additional class. The online alternative, Empresa Online, costs €220 with approved model articles or €360 with bespoke articles.
What documents do I need for Empresa na Hora?
Individual shareholders need an identity document (Citizen Card, identity card, passport or residence permit) and their NIF. Corporate shareholders need the legal entity card or its code, minutes granting powers to incorporate, the representatives' IDs and updated articles of association.
Do I have to appoint an accountant at Empresa na Hora?
Yes. You can pick one from the counter's pool of certified accountants or file the start-of-activity declaration at a tax office within 15 days. Commercial companies must keep organised accounts under the responsibility of a certified accountant.
Do all shareholders have to be present?
Yes. Incorporation at Empresa na Hora requires all future shareholders to attend, at any counter, regardless of where the registered office will be.
What do I receive once the company is created?
The articles of association, the permanent certificate access code, the company card access code and the company's Social Security number. Manager attributes are added automatically to SCAP.