Can foreigners really own 100% of a Portuguese company?
Yes. Portugal places no restrictions on foreign ownership — non-EU citizens can own 100% of a Portuguese company, hold director positions, and register a business with no residency requirement for founders or directors. This applies across virtually every sector.
The one practical gate: if you’re a non-EU/non-resident applicant, you’ll need a fiscal representative to obtain your NIF, the tax number required before you can do almost anything else on this list — the same rule that applies to opening a bank account or signing a lease.
Choosing your company structure
TABLE
| Structure | Best for | Minimum capital | Notes |
| Sociedade por Quotas (Lda.) | The default choice for most foreign founders | Effectively €1 per quotaholder | Up to 30 quotaholders, flexible governance |
| Sociedade Unipessoal Lda. | Solo founders | Effectively €1 | Single-member version of the Lda — the most common structure for one-person foreign-owned businesses |
| Sociedade Anónima (S.A.) | Larger operations, external investors, plans to raise capital | €50,000 minimum (25% paid at registration) | Requires a minimum of 5 shareholders (or a single corporate parent), a 3-member board, and a mandatory external auditor (ROC) costing roughly €3,000+/year — overkill for most early-stage founders |
| Empresário em Nome Individual (ENI) | Freelancers and solo consultants who don’t need a separate legal entity | None | Simpler sole-trader registration through Finanças, not a company in the legal sense — the route most freelancers use instead of incorporating |
For most foreign founders, the choice comes down to Unipessoal Lda (solo) or Lda (multiple founders) — both offer limited liability, which an ENI sole-trader registration doesn’t.
Empresa na Hora: the one-hour route
Empresa na Hora (“company in an hour”) is exactly what it sounds like: a genuine same-visit incorporation, run through Lojas do Cidadão and Instituto de Registos e Notariado (IRN) offices.
TABLE
| Cost | Timeline | |
| Empresa na Hora (in person, pre-approved name) | €360 | ~1 hour |
| Empresa Online 2.0 (pre-approved articles, digital) | From €220 | 1–2 business days |
| Custom incorporation (notary + lawyer, bespoke articles) | €650–1,025 | Days to weeks, depending on complexity |
| Custom company name (instead of pre-approved list) | €75 standard / €150 urgent | Certificate valid 3 months |
Choosing a name from Portugal’s pre-approved list (available via ePortugal.gov.pt) is free and keeps you on the fastest, cheapest path. Requesting a custom name adds a fee and a short wait for approval, but the certificate remains valid for three months, giving you time to complete registration at your own pace.
CALLOUT: All partners/shareholders generally need to be present in person for Empresa na Hora, with valid ID and NIFs in hand. If a founder can’t travel, the notary-led custom incorporation route (or a lawyer acting under power of attorney) is the practical alternative.
What Empresa na Hora doesn’t include
This catches a lot of first-time founders off guard: your €360 gets you a legally valid, registered company — and nothing else. Still to arrange separately:
- A business bank account — not automatic; you’ll need to open one afterward
- Social Security and Finanças registration as an employer, if you plan to hire staff
- A certified accountant — legally mandatory (see below), not included in the incorporation fee
- Drafting bespoke articles of association, if your shareholder structure is anything other than straightforward
Step by step: from NIF to trading
- Get your NIF — via a fiscal representative if you’re a non-EU/non-resident applicant.
- Get a Chave Móvel Digital (CMD), if registering via the online route — Portugal’s digital authentication key.
- Choose your company name — pre-approved list (free) or custom (€75–150).
- Choose your company structure — Unipessoal Lda or Lda for most foreign founders.
- Prepare your share capital — symbolic minimums for an Lda, substantially more for an S.A.
- Attend your Empresa na Hora appointment (or complete registration online) — all partners present with ID and documentation ready.
- Receive your registration certificate and NIPC (company tax number) — often same-day.
- Open a business bank account.
- Register with Social Security and Finanças, particularly if you’ll be hiring.
- Appoint your certified accountant — before you start trading, not after.
Why you legally need a certified accountant
This is the single most important thing this guide can tell you: every Portuguese company is legally required to have a Contabilista Certificado (certified accountant, formerly known as a TOC) from the moment it’s incorporated. This isn’t optional bookkeeping support — it’s a standing legal obligation for the life of the company, and your accountant is who files your periodic tax returns, manages payroll if you hire, and keeps your company compliant with Portuguese fiscal rules.
Typical ongoing cost runs roughly €75–200/month, depending on transaction volume, whether you have employees, and the complexity of your accounts. Get this relationship set up before you start invoicing, not scrambled together after your first filing deadline arrives.
CALLOUT: A good accountant does more than file paperwork — the right one can meaningfully shape whether you qualify for the reduced SME corporate tax rate, how you structure director pay versus dividends, and whether a special regional regime (like Madeira’s reduced-rate zone) makes sense for your business. Choosing based purely on the cheapest monthly quote is a common early mistake.
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Corporate tax basics
TABLE
| Tax | Approximate rate |
| Standard corporate tax (IRC), mainland | ~20%, with recent budget revisions trending this figure lower — confirm the current year’s exact rate with your accountant |
| Reduced SME rate (on an initial profit tranche, IAPMEI-certified small businesses) | Roughly 15–17% |
| Standard VAT (IVA) | 23% |
| Dividend withholding tax, non-resident shareholders | Roughly 10–15%, subject to any applicable tax treaty |
| Madeira IFTZ special regime (qualifying companies) | As low as 5%, available under current rules through 2027 |
Corporate tax rates are revised through Portugal’s annual state budget, so treat any specific percentage as a snapshot to confirm with your accountant against the current year’s rules — this is exactly the kind of number worth getting from a professional rather than a static guide.
Which visa lets you run a business here?
Incorporating a company doesn’t automatically give you the right to live in Portugal and run it day-to-day. If you’re relocating specifically to actively manage a Portuguese business, the D2 Entrepreneur Visa is generally the correct route — distinct from the D7 (passive income) and D8 (remote work for foreign clients) visas covered elsewhere in this guide series. Setting up a company that creates local jobs can also support a Golden Visa application under its job-creation investment route, for founders pursuing that path instead.
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