To check an off-plan project in Portugal, match what the developer tells you against the official record before each payment. Start with the 3 official registers listed below, then ask the questions that the 31 projects we track in Portugal most often leave open.
The check most often missing in Portugal: deposit protection (not public for 31 of 31 projects).
- Official registers
- What projects here leave out
- Questions to ask the developer
- The law, quoted
- Free check
- Questions and answers
Step 1: official registers in Portugal#
RNT / RNET (National Tourism Register) (Portugal)
- What it proves
- Whether a tourist development (hotel, aparthotel, tourist village or resort) is registered with Turismo de Portugal, and its classification.
- What it does not prove
- Individual unit ownership, or any rental income promised to buyers.
- How to search
- Search the register by name or municipality and check the classification and status.
Open the official register (opens in a new tab) rnt.turismodeportugal.pt
From our register guide.
Municipal permits (Camara Municipal) (Portugal)
- What it proves
- The building licence or prior communication for the works, and later the licence of use for the finished building.
- What it does not prove
- Ownership of the land.
- How to search
- Ask for the permit number and check the file with the municipality where the project is.
No public online search; ask the authority directly.
From our register guide.
Predial Online (land registry certificate) (Portugal)
- What it proves
- The permanent certificate shows the owner, mortgages and charges, and whether the building is divided into separate units.
- What it does not prove
- Planning status.
- How to search
- Request a permanent certificate (certidao permanente) online with the property description number.
Open the official register (opens in a new tab) www.predialonline.pt
From our register guide.
Step 2: what off-plan projects in Portugal leave out#
Share of the 31 tracked projects that make each check public, and how many are confirmed by an official register or independent source.
| Check | Public | Not public | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permit or licence number | 1 (3%) | 30 | 2 |
| Deposit protection | 0 (0%) | 31 | 0 |
| Construction progress | 5 (16%) | 26 | 8 |
| Site or floor plans | 14 (45%) | 17 | 0 |
| Developer track record | 15 (48%) | 16 | 8 |
| No guaranteed-return language | 28 (90%) | 3 | 1 |
Step 3: questions to ask the developer#
The questions our research agent raised most often for projects in Portugal, with how many projects they apply to. Each one points at a gap in what the developer publishes.
- No deposit protection published: will your payments go into an escrow or trust account in your name? (31 of 31 projects)
- No building permit mentioned: ask for the number before paying. (28 of 31 projects)
- Completion advertised for 2027: does progress on site match? (21 of 31 projects)
- Title type not stated: leasehold, freehold or a company structure? (7 of 31 projects)
- A building permit is claimed: does it exist in the official system and match this plot? (3 of 31 projects)
- "Guaranteed" returns: who guarantees them, and what happens if they can't pay? (2 of 31 projects)
- A permit number is published: does it exist in the official register and match this plot? (1 of 31 projects)
Send them in writing: ask the developer with our template.
The law, quoted#
1 rule from official sources. Read them with the quoted text.
- Promissory contract deposit (sinal): if the seller fails, the buyer can claim double (Portuguese Civil Code (Código Civil), Decree-Law 47344/66, Article 442(2) and (3))
Step 4: run a free check#
Paste the project page into the free desk review: our agent reads it, quotes every claim and looks it up in the registers above where it can. Then see all projects we track in Portugal.
Questions and answers#
What should I check before buying off-plan in Portugal?
The permit or licence number, deposit protection, construction progress, plans, the developer's track record and any guaranteed-return promise. In Portugal the check most often missing is deposit protection (31 of 31 tracked projects do not publish it).
Is there an official register to check an off-plan project in Portugal?
Yes: RNT / RNET (National Tourism Register); Municipal permits (Camara Municipal); Predial Online (land registry certificate).
What do developers in Portugal most often leave unanswered?
No deposit protection published: will your payments go into an escrow or trust account in your name? (31 of 31 projects).
Are you the developer, or did we get something wrong? Send documents and we add your reply or correct the record: right of reply · corrections. Every figure here is computed from the open dataset (/data/bali-cases.json, CC BY 4.0) and changes when the data changes.