For foreign owners of Portuguese property
Selling your home in Portugal, with the 2026 rules explained properly
Straight answers on tax, costs and process for owners who live abroad, inherited a property or are leaving Portugal. Every figure is checked against Portuguese law and every page is dated.
What changed for sellers
Much of what you'll read online about selling in Portugal is out of date. These are the changes that matter most.
Non-residents are taxed on 50% of the gain when they sell, at progressive rates. The old flat 28% rate no longer applies to property, although many websites still quote it. Read more
A new UK–Portugal tax treaty applies (in force since 29 December 2025; UK capital gains tax from 6 April 2026). It changes how UK pensions are taxed for people living in Portugal and how the UK credits Portuguese tax on a sale. Read more
A new exemption can remove capital gains tax on any home you sell if you reinvest the proceeds in Portuguese homes let at a moderate rent (Decree-Law 97/2026). Read more
Non-resident buyers pay a flat 7.5% property transfer tax (IMT) on homes, with refunds for some who move to Portugal. That changes who is buying from you. Read more
Ten-year NHR tax status is running out for people who became Portuguese residents between 2016 and 2019. Pensions move to progressive rates of up to 48%. Read more
Start here
How to sell your Portuguese property while living abroad (2026 guide)
Sell from abroad with a power of attorney; declare the gain the following spring
Read the guideCapital gains tax when you sell Portuguese property as a non-resident (2026)
Non-residents are taxed on half the gain at 12.5%–48%, not a flat 28%
Read the guideThe costs of selling a property in Portugal in 2026
Budget roughly 6–7% of the price, mostly commission plus VAT, before tax
Read the guideSelling an inherited property in Portugal: a step-by-step guide for foreign heirs (2026)
Close family pay no stamp duty, but your CGT base is the low tax value at death
Read the guideSelling Portuguese property as a UK resident: Portuguese tax, UK tax and the 2026 treaty
Portugal taxes first; the UK taxes the sterling gain and credits the Portuguese tax
Read the guideYour NHR status is ending: should you sell, stay or let your Portuguese home?
NHR ends after 10 years; a €35k pension then costs about €6,400 a year in tax
Read the guideWho we are
Portugal Owners is an independent guide for British, Irish, European and American owners of property in Portugal. We don't sell property, and no agency pays to appear in our guides. We read the law, work through the numbers and publish them in plain English, with the sources listed at the bottom of every page. How we work.
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