Buying an Apartment in Lisbon: The Legal Checks Before You Buy

1What is legally specific about buying an apartment in Lisbon?

Portugal is an orderly market, with a computerised land registry and a clear purchase process. In Lisbon, three further layers directly affect the value of an apartment: municipal restrictions on short-term rentals, a large stock of old buildings whose permit status needs checking, and purchase taxation that has been tightened for non-residents. This guide brings together what is specific to Lisbon and refers to the detailed guides on Portugal.

A question that comes up often: buying an apartment in Lisbon does not today confer a Golden Visa. Since October 2023, the remaining investment routes cannot be directed to real estate; see the guide to residency, tax and citizenship in Portugal.

2How much does an apartment in Lisbon cost?

According to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), published on 23 October 2026, the median price of apartments sold in the Municipality of Lisbon in the second quarter of 2026 was EUR 5,299 per sq m, the highest in Portugal. The national median in the same quarter was EUR 2,445 per sq m. These are prices of completed transactions, not asking prices.

A figure of particular relevance to Israelis: according to the same data, as reported by DN, in Greater Lisbon buyers who are not resident in Portugal paid a median of EUR 5,878 per sq m, compared with EUR 4,000 for residents. The gap stems, among other things, from the type of properties and areas that foreign buyers choose, but it is also a reason to check the price against comparable transactions. The total cost beyond the price can be calculated with the acquisition cost calculator.

3Can an apartment bought in Lisbon be rented to tourists?

In the city centre, in most cases not as a new registration. The amendment to Lisbon's municipal AL regulation (RMAL) entered into force on 6 December 2025. The municipality examines the ratio between AL units and permanent dwellings: a ratio of 10% or more in a parish or neighbourhood defines "absolute containment", and a ratio of 5% to 10% "relative containment". According to a review by Cuatrecasas, absolute containment applies in the parishes of Santa Maria Maior, Misericórdia, Santo António, São Vicente, Arroios and Estrela.

In containment zones new registrations are, as a rule, not accepted, and a property that was let under a residential lease in the last five years is barred from registration. And the critical point for a buyer: in a containment zone, the transfer of an apartment's registration generally causes it to lapse.

All the alternatives, including long-term residential leases and their taxation, are set out in the guide to renting out property in Portugal.

4An old building in central Lisbon: what to check in the permits?

From 1 October 2026, the deed of sale in Portugal must state whether the property has a construction and use permit (título urbanístico), and a deed that does not state this is exposed to annulment. The use permit itself has no longer been mandatory at signing since 2024, so the burden of checking has shifted to you. Most banks that grant mortgages still ask for it.

• Buildings predating 1951: a building constructed before the General Building Regulations entered into force in August 1951, and not altered since, is exempt from a use permit. The exemption must be recognised by the municipality.
• Renovations and alterations: merging apartments, adding a storey or changing the use requires a municipal procedure. An alteration carried out without a permit may become your problem after the purchase.
• Consistency between documents: the land registry entry, the tax registration (caderneta predial) and the actual situation on site must describe the same property.
• The condominium: debts to the condominium, approved decisions on works, and regulations that may restrict uses.

If you plan to renovate, check what is permitted in the building and the area before the CPCV, not only after the purchase. The full list of documents is in the guide to the purchase process in Portugal.

5Who may have a pre-emption right over the apartment?

In Lisbon there are two common cases. First: public bodies, such as the municipality, the State or the heritage authority, may have a pre-emption right when the property is classified, located in a protected area or in an urban rehabilitation area. The seller publishes a notice on the Casa Pronta portal, and the bodies have ten working days to respond. Second: a tenant who has lived in the apartment for more than two years is, as a rule, entitled to a pre-emption right and has 30 days to respond to the notice. In a transaction with an existing tenant, also check whether the tenant's lease will continue to bind you.

6How much tax does a non-resident pay on an apartment in Lisbon?

Since 25 May 2026, under Decreto-Lei 97/2026, a buyer who is not resident in Portugal pays IMT at a flat rate of 7.5% on a residential property, without the exemptions and reliefs of the standard table. The difference can be refunded if you become resident in Portugal within two years, or if you let the apartment as a residence within six months of the purchase, at a rent of up to EUR 2,300 per month, for at least 36 months within the first five years. Short-term tourist rental does not satisfy this condition.

In addition, 0.8% stamp duty is payable on the purchase, and every year IMI of 0.3% to 0.45% of the registered value. On a sale, half of the gain is taxed in Portugal, and Israel grants a credit under the tax treaty. Details in the guide to real estate taxation in Portugal.

7What does the purchase process in Lisbon look like in brief?

1. NIF: a Portuguese tax number, which can be obtained from Israel through an attorney-in-fact.
2. Document review: land registry, tax registration, permits, AL and condominium.
3. CPCV: a binding promissory contract with a deposit. A buyer in breach forfeits it, and a seller in breach returns it in double.
4. Payment of IMT and stamp duty before signing.
5. Signing of the escritura, an authenticated document or via Casa Pronta, and registration of ownership.
6. Representation before the tax authority: within 15 days of the purchase, appoint a tax representative or sign up for electronic notifications.

From Israel, you can sign by power of attorney at the Portuguese consulate, or before an Israeli notary with an apostille and a certified translation into Portuguese. Details in the guide to the CPCV and the escritura. Torn between the two cities? See also the guide to buying an apartment in Porto.

8Checklist before buying an apartment in Lisbon

1. Decide on the use: residence, long-term letting or tourist rental, and check the municipal regulation for the parish.
2. For an apartment "with AL": check the registration in the RNAL and the effect of its transfer.
3. Check the título urbanístico, or the exemption for a pre-1951 building, and permits for every alteration.
4. Compare the land registry, the tax registration and the situation on site.
5. Check existing tenants and pre-emption rights, including a notice on Casa Pronta.
6. Check the condominium's debts and decisions.
7. Budget for 7.5% IMT, stamp duty and IMI, and consider whether a refund is available.
8. Compare the price with similar transactions before the CPCV.

9Before signing: how we support a purchase in Lisbon

We support Israeli buyers from the question of what may be done with the apartment, through the review of permits, AL and documents, to the CPCV and the signing. The registry searches and the signing are carried out together with local lawyers in Portugal, and we coordinate the Israeli side of reporting and taxation. It is advisable to get in touch before the CPCV, because it is already binding.

Read next · 8 min readBuying an Apartment in Porto: The Legal Checks Before You Buy, and How It Differs from LisbonBuying property in Porto as an Israeli: Alojamento Local containment in the historic centre, permits in old buildings, pre-emption, 7.5% IMT, Lisbon compared.Read the guide