Change of use: do you need a permit in Portugal?

Independent site: we are not a public authority, and this is not legal or tax advice.

Changing a building's use, such as from garage to home, needs a comunicação prévia com prazo when no works needing a licence or communication came first. After such works it needs a plain comunicação prévia.

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Answer

Prior communication (with or without a deadline)

No licensed works first

Comunicação prévia com prazo (art 4(5) and 62-B)

After licensed works

Comunicação prévia (art 4(4)(k) and 62-A)

What it checks

That the use is allowed by the rules on permitted uses and the building suits it (art 62-B(3))

Cessions

Where the council classes the change as a major urban impact, cessions of land may be due (art 62-B(4))

Council rules

Your council can add detail in its own building regulation where the law lets it, so ask before you start.

Legal basis

RJUE art 4(5), 62-A and 62-B, RJUE (Decreto-Lei 555/99) as republished in the Annex of Decreto-Lei 108/2026

Sources

data.dre.pt/eli/dec-lei/108/2026/05/29/p/dre/pt/pdf

Checked

2026-11-05