# IMT Portugal 2026: Rates, Examples & 7.5% Non-Resident Tax

IMT in Portugal runs 0-8% on a home, or a flat 7.5% for non-residents since May 2026. See 2026 rates, worked examples and how buyers get a refund.

Canonical: https://unlockportugal.co/finance/imt-property-transfer-tax-portugal/
Updated: 2026-11-02T00:00:00.000Z
Language: en

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**Key Takeaways:** IMT is a one-off tax the buyer pays when acquiring property in Portugal, charged on the higher of the price and the tax-assessed value. For a permanent home the 2026 rates run from 0% to 8%, then flat 6% and 7.5% above €660,982. Since May 2026, non-residents buying housing pay a flat 7.5%, with a refund route if they become tax resident within two years or rent the home out under a cap. Buyers aged 35 or under may qualify for IMT Jovem.

The rules changed in May 2026. This guide covers the current rates, worked examples you can adapt to your own price, and the order of steps that decides how much cash you hand over at closing.

## What is IMT and who pays it?

IMT (Imposto Municipal sobre as Transmissões Onerosas de Imóveis) is a one-off tax on buying real estate in Portugal. The buyer pays it. It is not the same as [IMI, the annual property tax](https://unlockportugal.co/finance/imi-property-tax-portugal/) you pay every year as an owner.

The tax is charged on the [higher of two figures](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt12.aspx): the price in the contract or the VPT (valor patrimonial tributário), the value the tax authority (AT) has assessed for the property. If you pay below the VPT, IMT is still calculated on the VPT. Stamp duty (Imposto do Selo) comes on top at [0.8% of the same base](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/selo/Pages/ccod-selo-tabgiselo.aspx).

For the wider buying process, see our guide to [buying property in Portugal as a foreigner](https://unlockportugal.co/finance/buying-property-portugal-foreigner/).

## How much is IMT in 2026?

It depends on what you buy and how you will use it. For a permanent home the [2026 rates](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt17.aspx) start at 0% and climb to 8% on the marginal bands. For a second home or rental property they start at 1%.

**Permanent home (habitação própria e permanente):**

| Value band | Marginal rate | Average rate at top of band |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Up to €106,346 | 0% | 0% |
| €106,346 to €145,470 | 2% | 0.5379% |
| €145,470 to €198,347 | 5% | 1.7274% |
| €198,347 to €330,539 | 7% | 3.8361% |
| €330,539 to €660,982 | 8% | n/a |
| €660,982 to €1,150,853 | Flat 6% on the whole value | n/a |
| Above €1,150,853 | Flat 7.5% on the whole value | n/a |

**Other homes (second home, rental):**

| Value band | Marginal rate | Average rate at top of band |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Up to €106,346 | 1% | 1% |
| €106,346 to €145,470 | 2% | 1.2689% |
| €145,470 to €198,347 | 5% | 2.2636% |
| €198,347 to €330,539 | 7% | 4.1578% |
| €330,539 to €633,931 | 8% | n/a |
| €633,931 to €1,150,853 | Flat 6% on the whole value | n/a |
| Above €1,150,853 | Flat 7.5% on the whole value | n/a |

Other purchases follow different rates. Rural land is 5%. Other urban property, such as shops, offices and plots, and other acquisitions are 6.5%. A flat 10% exists for buyers based in blacklisted tax havens, but the law excludes individuals from it.

Buyers of a permanent home whose value falls [below the first band, €106,346, are exempt](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt9.aspx).

## How do you calculate IMT?

Split the value in two. Take the top of the highest band that fits, apply that band’s average rate, then apply the next band’s marginal rate to the excess. Article 17 of the IMT code sets out this method.

Take a €370,000 permanent home:

-   €330,539 × 3.8361% = €12,680
-   €39,461 × 8% = €3,157
-   Total IMT: €15,837, which is about $17,700 at the ECB reference rate of $1.1172 per euro on 30 October 2026

The table below applies the same method across typical prices.

| Price | Permanent home | Other home | Non-resident (7.5%) | Stamp duty (0.8%) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| €150,000 | €1,009 | €2,072 | €11,250 | €1,200 |
| €250,000 | €7,042 | €8,105 | €18,750 | €2,000 |
| €300,000 | €10,542 | €11,605 | €22,500 | €2,400 |
| €370,000 | €15,837 | €16,900 | €27,750 | €2,960 |
| €500,000 | €26,237 | €27,300 | €37,500 | €4,000 |
| €600,000 | €34,237 | €35,300 | €45,000 | €4,800 |
| €800,000 | €48,000 | €48,000 | €60,000 | €6,400 |
| €1,200,000 | €90,000 | €90,000 | €90,000 | €9,600 |

Notice how the gap closes at the top. Above €1,150,853 everyone pays a flat 7.5%, so the non-resident rule changes nothing on a €1.2 million purchase. At €250,000 it more than doubles the bill.

## Do non-residents pay more?

Yes, on housing. Since May 2026, a non-resident who buys an urban property or unit used exclusively as housing pays a flat 7.5% IMT, with no exemption or reduction. The rule comes from [Decreto-Lei 97/2026 of 20 May 2026](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/legislacao/diplomas_legislativos/Documents/decreto-lei-97-2026.pdf), which added paragraphs 10 to 12 to article 17.

On a €370,000 home, that is €27,750 (about $31,000) instead of €15,837.

The flat 7.5% does not apply in three cases:

1.  You have already been considered tax resident in Portugal under article 16 of the personal income tax code (CIRS).
2.  You become tax resident within two years of the purchase.
3.  You let the home as housing within six months of buying, at a monthly rent no higher than €2,300, for at least 36 months (consecutive or not) in the first five years.

The €2,300 cap is 2.5 times the 2026 minimum wage of €920. A ministerial order can update it.

Cases 2 and 3 do not remove the upfront charge. You pay 7.5% at the start and recover the difference afterwards.

## How do you get the 7.5% back?

Pay the 7.5%, then ask the tax authority to cancel the difference against the normal rates. The request goes in as a reclamação graciosa (an administrative complaint) and must be filed within six months of the day you became resident, or of the day you signed the qualifying lease. This comes from [article 17 of the IMT code](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt17.aspx).

Miss the six months and you lose the refund. Put the date in your calendar when you receive your residence status or sign the lease.

Timing affects cash flow as much as tax. If you plan to move to Portugal anyway, compare two routes. Buy first and fund the extra 7.5% for a while before claiming it back, or become tax resident first and pay the normal rate at closing. Which one works depends on your visa timeline, your mortgage and how fast you can establish residence. That is an editorial view, not tax advice, so run the numbers with an accountant before you commit.

## What if you are married or co-owning?

The tax authority’s circular [Ofício Circulado 40131/2026](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/legislacao/instrucoes_administrativas/Documents/Oficio-circulado-40131-2026.pdf), issued on 4 September 2026, explains how the rule works for individuals.

-   Single buyer (single, divorced, widowed, or married under separação de bens): if you are non-resident at purchase, you pay 7.5%, unless you were previously considered resident under CIRS article 16. In that case the normal rates apply.
-   Co-ownership (compropriedade): each co-owner is a separate taxable event, assessed individually. One resident co-owner does not change the rate for a non-resident partner.
-   Married under a community property regime: there is one single assessment. The 7.5% applies only if both spouses are non-resident and neither has ever been considered resident. If either becomes resident within the two years, you can claim the refund.

The property regime changes the outcome, so couples should check theirs before signing anything.

## Can you avoid IMT if you are under 35?

You can cut it sharply. IMT Jovem (articles 9 and 17 of the IMT code, from Decreto-Lei 48-A/2024) covers a first purchase of an urban property used exclusively as a permanent home by someone [aged 35 or under on the transfer date](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/apoio_contribuinte/IMT_Jovem/Pages/default.aspx). You also cannot be a dependant for IRS that year.

You are excluded if you own, or owned, an urban housing property on that date or in the previous three years.

Relief by value:

| Value | IMT rate |
| --- | --- |
| Up to €330,539 | 0% |
| €330,539 to €660,982 | 8% on the part above €330,539 |
| €660,982 to €1,150,853 | Flat 6% |
| Above €1,150,853 | Flat 7.5% |

Stamp duty under verba 1.1 is exempt alongside it, as a deduction capped at €2,644.31, which is 0.8% of €330,539. Couples under community property are assessed per spouse in equal parts, and each files a Modelo 1 declaration. If only one spouse qualifies, the relief is halved.

One warning on sources. The gov.pt service page still shows the previous limits (€324,058 and €648,022). The current figure in the law is €330,539.

## When do you pay?

Before the deed. [IMT is assessed before you sign](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt22.aspx), and the assessment lapses if the deed does not happen within two years.

The steps, in order:

1.  File the declaration. You start the process with a Modelo 1 at any tax office or online through the Portal das Finanças. Exemptions need the declaration before the transfer. You need a Portuguese NIF to file, so get yours first with our [NIF guide](https://unlockportugal.co/finance/how-to-get-nif-portugal/).
2.  Pay on time. Payment is due on the assessment day or in the following 30 days. After that the assessment becomes void, under [article 36 as amended by DL 97/2026](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt36.aspx).
3.  Show proof at the notary. The [notary cannot execute the deed](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt49.aspx) without seeing proof of IMT payment.

If you are weighing a purchase against a lease, the upfront IMT and stamp duty belong in the comparison. Our piece on [renting vs buying in Portugal](https://unlockportugal.co/finance/renting-vs-buying-portugal/) covers the broader math.

## What can make you lose the lower rate?

The permanent-home rate is conditional. Under [article 11](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt11.aspx), the benefit lapses if you do not use the property as your permanent home within six months of buying it. It also lapses if you put it to a different use within six years.

Three events do not trigger the loss: selling the property, a change in household (marriage, divorce or more dependants), and a job move of more than 100 km away. In the household and job cases the home must stay exclusively housing.

Buying at the permanent-home rate and renting the place out within those six years falls on the wrong side of this rule.

## Before you sign

-   Confirm your tax residence status on the purchase date, and whether you were ever resident before.
-   Check the VPT on the caderneta predial, since IMT uses the higher of price and VPT.
-   Get your NIF and file the Modelo 1 early.
-   Budget IMT plus 0.8% stamp duty as cash due before the deed.
-   Diary the six-month refund deadline if you paid the 7.5%.

These rules are recent, and the circular dates only from September 2026. This article reflects the position in November 2026. Check your case with a Portuguese lawyer or accountant before you commit money.

## Quick facts

What it is

One-off tax paid by the buyer on a property purchase

Tax base

The higher of the price and the tax-assessed value (VPT)

Permanent home

0% up to €106,346, then 2% to 8% marginal bands

Non-residents (housing)

Flat 7.5% since May 2026, refundable in some cases

Stamp duty

0.8% on the same base, paid on top

When to pay

Before the deed, within 30 days of assessment

## Frequently asked questions

How much is IMT when you buy a home in Portugal in 2026?

For a permanent home, IMT is 0% up to €106,346, then marginal bands of 2%, 5%, 7% and 8% up to €660,982. Between €660,982 and €1,150,853 a flat 6% applies to the whole value, and above that a flat 7.5%. A €300,000 permanent home pays about €10,542 in IMT, plus 0.8% stamp duty.

Do non-residents pay a higher IMT rate in Portugal?

Yes, for housing. Since May 2026 a non-resident buyer of an urban property used exclusively as housing pays a flat 7.5% IMT with no exemption or reduction. The rate does not apply if you were previously tax resident in Portugal. You can claim back the difference later if you become resident within two years, or let the home under the rent cap.

How do you get the 7.5% non-resident IMT refunded?

Pay the 7.5% first, then ask the tax authority (AT) to cancel the difference against the normal rates. You qualify if you become tax resident within two years of buying, or if you let the home as housing within six months at or below €2,300 a month for at least 36 months in the first five years. File within six months of the trigger.

Who pays IMT, the buyer or the seller?

The buyer pays IMT. It is assessed before the deed is signed, and the notary cannot execute the deed without proof that it was paid. You file a Modelo 1 declaration at a tax office or online through the Portal das Finanças, and you need a Portuguese NIF to do so.

Can buyers under 35 avoid IMT in Portugal?

Partly. IMT Jovem applies to a first purchase of an urban property used exclusively as a permanent home by someone aged 35 or under. IMT is 0% up to €330,539, with 8% on the part above that, and stamp duty is exempt with a deduction capped at €2,644.31. Owning urban housing now or in the last three years excludes you.

## Sources

This guide cites the following official sources. We link directly so you can verify every claim yourself.

-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt17.aspx)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/legislacao/instrucoes_administrativas/Documents/Oficio-circulado-40131-2026.pdf)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/legislacao/diplomas_legislativos/Documents/decreto-lei-97-2026.pdf)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt9.aspx)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt11.aspx)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt12.aspx)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt22.aspx)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt36.aspx)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/cimt/Pages/cimt49.aspx)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/informacao_fiscal/codigos_tributarios/selo/Pages/ccod-selo-tabgiselo.aspx)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [Portal das Finanças](https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/apoio_contribuinte/IMT_Jovem/Pages/default.aspx)info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
-   [ECB](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/eurofxref/)ecb.europa.eu

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![Photo of Larissa Miranda](https://unlockportugal.co/_astro/larissa-miranda.C89EgK8m_ZIuImL.webp)

Written by

[Larissa Miranda](https://unlockportugal.co/author/larissa-miranda/)

Writer & editor

Larissa Miranda is a writer and editor at Unlock Portugal.

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