Incorporating a private limited company (Lda) or single-member company in Portugal costs €220 through Empresa Online with pre-approved articles of association (art. 27(3.6) of the Registry and Notary Fees Regulation, RERN) or €360 through Empresa na Hora. Minimum share capital is €1 per quota (art. 219(3), Commercial Companies Code). HVR handles the whole process, from legal form to tax registration.

HVR Business Consulting provides full company formation services in Portugal, from choosing the right legal structure to tax registration and Social Security enrolment. The process takes 1 to 5 business days and costs from €220 online.

Types of Companies in Portugal

Company Formation Costs in Portugal 2026

Step-by-Step Process

1. Choose company name — check availability at RNPC or use a pre-approved name (free)
2. Define articles of association — partners, shares, registered office, business activity (CAE)
3. Register the company — via ePortugal.gov.pt, Empresa na Hora, or notary
4. Get the NIPC — corporate tax number assigned automatically at registration
5. Tax registration — certified accountant files the start-of-activity declaration within 15 days
6. Social Security enrolment — register the company and managing director
7. Open a business bank account — required for share capital deposit and operations
8. Appoint a certified accountant — mandatory by law for all companies in Portugal

Company Formation Checklist

Everything you need to decide and gather to set up a company in Portugal and get it ready to invoice. On the page you can tick each item and download the checklist as a PDF.

1. Initial decisions

• Type of company — single-member Lda (1 partner) or Lda (2 or more partners).
• Partners and share split — who comes in and with what percentage of the capital.
• Share capital — the legal minimum is €1 per share.
• Company name — 2 to 3 options, in order of preference.
• Corporate purpose and CAE codes — they affect licences and tax incentives.
• Registered office and management — an address in Portugal and who manages the company.

2. Partner and manager documents

• Valid ID and proof of address for each partner and manager.
• Portuguese NIF — required for everyone, including non-residents. Partners outside the EU/EEA need a tax representative to obtain it (handled by third parties).

3. Name, route and articles

• Name approval (RNPC) — not needed with a pre-approved name.
• Route — Empresa na Hora (same day), Empresa Online (online, allows custom articles) or a lawyer, solicitor or notary.

4. After registration

• Start of activity with the Tax Authority, VAT and corporate tax set-up.
• Social Security registration for the company and managers.
• Beneficial owner register (RCBE) filing.
• Certified accountant — mandatory for companies.
• Company bank account and portal access.

5. Tax and accounting set-up

• VAT regime, VIES registration for EU customers, Modelo 22, IES and payments on account, partner-manager pay and tax incentives (SIFIDE II, ICE, RFAI).

Why Choose HVR for Company Formation

• Full process handled in English — no language barriers
• Accounting included in the first month
• Experience with 200+ company formations
• Support for foreigners: NIF, bank account, IFICI regime
• Fixed fees — no surprises