IMT Portugal for non-residents: the 7.5% flat rate and what it means for purchase costs
Many sources name 1 September 2026 as the deadline. That's correct for two other parts of the same law — not for the IMT change itself. The flat 7.5% rate has applied since 25 May 2026.
IMT Portugal: is the 7.5% flat rate for non-residents already in force?
IMT in Portugal has been a flat 7.5 % for non-residents since 25 May 2026 (Decreto-Lei 97/2026), from the first euro and without the former progressive scale. The date 1 September 2026 applies only to two other parts of the same law, not to the IMT change. You cover the higher IMT from equity.
Why is "from 1 September" everywhere, and why is that wrong for the IMT figure?
The 7.5% has applied since 25 May 2026 under Decreto-Lei 97/2026. 1 September 2026 applies only to two other parts of the same law, not the IMT change.
Who is affected? Anyone not a Portuguese tax resident at the time of the notarial deed — regardless of nationality, EU citizens included.
Does the higher IMT affect financing?
Not directly — banks finance the price, not the costs. The higher IMT must be covered from equity and raises the overall equity requirement. Requirements for non-residents.
What IMT rate applies in Portugal for buyers without Portuguese tax residence? IMT in Portugal has been charged at a flat 7.5 per cent for non-residents since 25 May 2026 — from the first euro, without the former progressive scale and without the main-residence allowances.
The basis is Decreto-Lei 97/2026, published in the Diário da República on 20 May 2026. Many sources give 1 September 2026 as the starting date, which is wrong.
That date applies to two other parts of the same act, the CIA rental investment regime and the RSAA rental programme; the IMT provision carries no deferral clause, so the statutory default of five days after publication applies.
Portugal does not have a regional tiered system like Spain. For buyers who are not tax residents in Portugal, a flat-rate IMT of 7.5 % applies to the purchase of an urban building or a residential unit for residential purposes — from the very first euro, with no progressive scale and no exemption for the main residence. This is based on Artigo 17.º no. 10 of the Código do IMT, introduced by Decreto-Lei 97/2026 and in force since 25 May 2026.
In addition, there is a stamp duty Imposto do Selo of 0.8 % on the purchase and, if the purchase is financed, a further 0.6 % stamp duty on the loan, provided that the term of the loan is five years or more. For Madeira and the Azores, Artigo 17 CIMT does not specify separate rates — the same flat rate applies there as on the mainland.
There are two routes out of the flat rate: transferring your tax residence to Portugal within two years, or letting the property on the moderate terms the act sets out — in both cases the difference is refunded.
Decreto-Lei 97/2026 was published in the Diário da República on 20 May 2026 and bundles several reforms: the IMT change for non-residents, the new rental-investment regime CIA, and the simplified rental programme RSAA.
Many guide sites copied the CIA/RSAA date onto the IMT figure without checking, since both sit in the same law. Anyone who has bought since 25 May is already paying the new rate — regardless of what circulates online about September.
What actually changes, with two worked examples?
Before the reform, non-residents paid the same tiered "other property" IMT table as Portuguese buyers of a second home: between 1% and 8% depending on price, with an allowance that shrinks again at higher prices. Since 25 May, non-residents instead pay a flat 7.5% from the first euro.
Example €250,000 — +€11,708 more in purchase costs: Before ("other property" tier): €250,000 × 7% − allowance €10,457.96 = €7,042 IMT + €2,000 stamp duty = €9,042 total. Now for non-residents: €250,000 × 7.5% = €18,750 IMT + €2,000 stamp duty = €20,750 total. Difference: +€11,708 (+129%).
How much more in purchase costs do you pay on a €300,000 purchase?
Before: €300,000 × 7% − allowance €9,394.50 = €11,606 IMT + €2,400 stamp duty = €14,006 total. Now: €300,000 × 7.5% = €22,500 IMT + €2,400 stamp duty = €24,900 total. Difference: +€10,895 (+78%).
From approx. €1.15m — no change: Above €1,150,853 the old flat rate for "other property" was already 7.5% — the reform changes nothing there mathematically. Between €660,982 and €1,150,853 it was 6%, so the new rate adds 1.5 percentage points. The effect hits mid-range prices hardest — exactly where most of our clients buy.
Model calculations, not binding tax advice. Sources: DR original Decreto-Lei 97/2026 (Art. 6, Art. 17 IMT Code); worked examples based on the 2026 "other property" tier (contabilidades.pt, divine-home.pt, as of June 2026).
What are the two ways out of the 7.5% rate?
You can reclaim the difference if you become a Portuguese tax resident within two years of the purchase, or let the property within six months at a rent up to €2,300/month for at least 36 months during the first five years.
Route 1 – tax residence within two years: If you become a Portuguese tax resident within two years of the purchase (Art. 16 IRS Code), you can reclaim the difference between 7.5% and the original tier on request — the request must be filed within six months of becoming resident.
Moderate long-term letting: If you let the property within six months of purchase at a rent up to €2,300/month and keep the contract running for at least 36 months during the first five years, the same refund option applies. Pure holiday letting or use as a second home does not qualify.
Both routes require a timely application to the Autoridade Tributária — the 7.5% is due in full at the time of the notarial deed regardless; the refund follows afterwards.
Related: Purchase costs in Spain & Portugal at a glance · Algarve · Porto · Madeira · all info pages
Frequently asked questions
Does the 7.5% already apply, or only from September 2026?
Already — since 25 May 2026. 1 September 2026 only applies to two other parts of the same law (the rental-investment regime CIA and the rental programme RSAA), not to the IMT change.
I bought in June 2026 — does this affect me?
Yes, provided you were not a Portuguese tax resident at the time of the notarial deed. What counts is the date of transfer of ownership, not an earlier preliminary contract (CPCV).
How much more IMT and stamp duty do non-residents in Portugal pay on a property purchase priced at €250,000?
Previously, the IMT amounted to €7,042 and stamp duty to €2,000, totalling €9,042. Now, non-residents pay €18,750 in IMT and €2,000 in stamp duty, totalling €20,750. The difference is +€11,708.
Does this apply to EU citizens, or only buyers from outside the EU?
The rule is based on tax residence, not nationality. German, Austrian and Swiss buyers without Portuguese tax residence pay the 7.5% just like buyers from outside the EU.
Does this affect mortgage financing too?
Not directly — banks finance the purchase price, not the purchase costs. The higher IMT must be covered additionally from equity, which raises the overall equity requirement. We factor this into the financing plan.
Does the flat rate also apply on Madeira and the Azores?
Yes, the 7.5% applies uniformly nationwide, including the autonomous regions — where the old tiers had higher thresholds, the gap to the new flat rate tends to be larger.
We calculate your case against the current rule — not what's circulating online.
Purchase price, timeline, your residence status: we'll tell you what the IMT change means for your specific financing.
Related pages
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment, loan and purchase costs by region straight away; total cost and equity needed by email.
Requirements for non-residents
How do I get a Spanish mortgage as a non-resident? NIE, proof of income, roughly 30 % equity plus purchase costs and the 35 % rule — the full checklist.
Purchase costs in Spain & Portugal
Cost of buying property in Spain: ITP by region, notary, land registry, lawyer — the full breakdown with a worked example.
Escritura
The ‘Escritura pública’ is the notarial deed of sale in Spain – once it has been signed, ownership of the property is transferred to the buyer.
Mortgage rates Portugal: what does the fixed rate cost non-residents?
A discounted rate requires bundled products from the bank. Portuguese banks typically lend up to 80 per cent of the lower of purchase price or Avaliação.
Banks in Spain and Portugal compared: who lends to non-residents, and how much?
Which ones are most active for non-residents, how much they lend, what that means for your equity, and what changed among the banks in 2025 and 2026.
Mortgage requirements Portugal
NIF, income proof, up to 80% LTV — what non-residents actually need.
Order and lead times in Portugal
The CPCV, Casa Pronta and the 7.5 % IMT rate for non-residents since 25 May 2026.
CPCV — the preliminary contract in Portugal
CPCV Portugal explained: deposit 10–30%, double repayment if the seller withdraws, developer clauses, NIF requirement — and why the pre-contract is risky.
Financing a house in Portugal: How much can I afford based on my net income?
Financing a house in Portugal: purchase price based on net income, up to 80 % loan-to-value ratio, own funds per €100,000 and an information sheet available for download.
NIF Portugal: how do you apply for the Portuguese tax number?
NIF Portugal: four routes to the Portuguese tax number. Mandatory for property purchase and bank account. Step-by-step guide 2026.
Refinancing a Spanish mortgage: When is it worth switching — and when isn’t it?
The savings over the remaining term are weighed against the costs of switching: a new tasación, notary fees, land registry charges and, where applicable, early repayment charges.
Content by Siegfried Perini — local brand representative since 2019, active in real estate since 1992, entered in the German intermediary register (§ 11a GewO) as a person directly involved in brokerage and advice. Point of contact for German-speaking buyers in Spain and Portugal. Brokerage by Olga Nikushkina, mortgage credit intermediary under § 34i German Trade Regulation (GewO); in Portugal through a locally licensed intermediary.