Levelling or earthworks: do you need a permit in Portugal?

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

Earthworks that destroy plant cover, change the natural relief or topsoil, or fell large trees, for non-farming purposes, are land remodelling (remodelação de terrenos) and need a licence, unless a plan or subdivision already sets the works.

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Answer

Licence

What counts

Destroying plant cover, changing the natural relief or topsoil, or felling tall or clustered trees, for non-farming purposes (art 2(m))

Prior communication instead

Only in an area covered by a subdivision, detail plan or execution unit that already defines the works (art 4(4)(c))

Small garden works

Small arrangement works that do not affect public land are exempt (art 6-A(1)(d))

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 2(m), 4(2)(b) and 4(4)(c), 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