Portugal can be an appealing EU base for a UK resident, with several company-formation routes and a low statutory capital threshold for an Lda. But how much does it cost to set up a company there?

This guide walks through the cost of starting a business in Portugal in 2026, from incorporation and share capital to visa, accounting and premises costs, so you can build a realistic budget in GBP and EUR.

And if you're sending a large amount, you can get a discounted rate applied automatically to your transfer. On a £50k transfer, you could save up to £1,000 with Wise vs your bank.

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Note: Wise Business offers a free Essential plan for basic spending and transferring. If you need to receive money, set up direct debits, or generate invoices, you'll pay a one-time £50 setup fee to unlock the Advanced features.

The figures and costs mentioned in this article are illustrative unless specified otherwise. Fees, eligibility checks, protections and timelines mentioned in this article may vary by customer, business type, application outcome, plan and country. Check official websites and terms and conditions for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Wise services and features aren't available in all regions, country and product restrictions apply. Visit wise.com to check availability, and for fee details and terms for your region, visit our pricing page for Wise Business.

Summary of things to budget for

Before you budget: UK residents can own a Portuguese company, but the GOV.UK work guide distinguishes a short business visit from living or working in Portugal. A self-employed route may need a combined residence visa and residence permit. A UK company used as shareholder also needs Portuguese NIPC and NIF details for the online service, so obtain document and professional-fee quotes before choosing the route.

Online incorporation and Empresa na Hora fees

EUR 220 is the standard online-incorporation fee with pre-approved articles, rising to EUR 440 for an urgent request, according to Justiça's company-creation guidance. With founder-drafted articles, the published online prices are EUR 360 standard and EUR 720 urgent. The gov.pt online-company FAQ confirms the EUR 220 and EUR 360 standard-route figures.

The in-person Empresa na Hora service is EUR 360 under Justiça's company-creation guidance. An online application that needs correction adds EUR 30, so reserve it alongside quote-led document preparation, translation, powers of attorney and professional support.

Company-name, NIF and formation-document costs

EUR 100 for the first brand class and EUR 44 for each extra class can apply where a company-name brand is added through the online route, under . It is separate from the incorporation price.

A Portuguese tax identification number, or NIF, is required for people who need to be identified in the company process. gov.pt's NIF guidance confirms that foreigners can apply, but it doesn't state a universal adviser tariff. Price any fiscal-representative, translation and power-of-attorney work through an itemised quote rather than assuming it is included in the company fee.

Lda. share capital

EUR 1 is the minimum value of each quota for a sociedade por quotas (Lda.), Portugal's private limited-company form, and also for a single-member quota company, under Justiça's capital guidance. The total capital is set in the articles, so the statutory minimum is not a realistic estimate of the working cash a trading company will need.

An Lda.'s capital is company funding rather than a filing charge. Keep it separately from the EUR 220 or EUR 360 incorporation cost, the accountant's first-year fee and deposits for premises or equipment.

S.A. capital and corporate-form choice

EUR 50,000 is the minimum capital for an S.A., or sociedade anónima, Portugal's public limited-company form. requires shareholders to deposit at least 30% within five working days of incorporation.

This form can make sense for a larger operation, yet it needs a much larger capital commitment and usually more governance and professional support. A UK resident should obtain a Portuguese legal and accounting quote before choosing it solely on the registration route.

Corporation tax and first-year administration

19% is Portugal's corporate-income-tax rate for periods beginning during 2026, under the Portuguese Tax Authority's corporate-tax code. The same source sets 15% on the first EUR 50,000 of taxable income for qualifying small and medium enterprises and Small Mid Caps, with the standard 19% applying above that amount.

These are ongoing taxes, not company-formation charges. Build the first-year cash forecast separately for preliminary tax, certified-accountant support, payroll where relevant and the period before customer payments arrive.

Visa, immigration and document costs for UK residents

EUR 500,000 is the source-published investment amount for an investor-residence route based on investing in a commercial company with a registered office in Portugal; it is not a general incorporation requirement. For a standard UK founder route, budget a quote for visa, residence-permit, translation, legalisation, health insurance, travel and immigration-adviser costs instead.

The states that eligible short business travel can be possible within the 90-days-in-180-days Schengen limit, while longer-term self-employed activity needs the appropriate residence route. It lists travel-health-insurance cover of up to EUR 30,000 for certain applications; that is a cover requirement, rather than the insurance premium.

A UK resident should price the personal route before paying an incorporation fee or committing company capital. The official work guidance sets out the separate formalities for applicable longer-term routes.

Accountant, address and operating runway

Quote-led certified-accountant, registered-address, rent, deposit, insurance, invoicing-software, payroll and working-capital costs need to be budgeted alongside formation fees. The supplied official pages set company-creation and capital rules but do not give a nationwide market rate for professional support, property or a fiscal representative.

Build the company budget in EUR, then convert only the total needed for capital and early invoices into GBP. Keep the incorporation confirmation, capital evidence and payment records together for the accountant.

Note: Disclaimer: The information in this article is for reference purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. All investment decisions should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor. Remember that investments, even in low-risk funds, are never guaranteed, and your capital is at risk.

Navigate the initial costs of setting up a business in Portugal with Wise Business

The Wise Business account was built with the cross-border needs of businesses in mind - and some of the features offered suit those wishing to open a business in Portugal perfectly.

Wise Business offers a free Essential plan for basic spending and transferring. If you need to receive money, set up direct debits, or generate invoices, you'll pay a one-time £50 setup fee to unlock the Advanced features.

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Make the wise choice when selecting a business account for your domestic and global needs.

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Wise Interest disclaimer: Growth not guaranteed. Your balance will go down in the event of a government default or interest rates going negative. Taxes may apply. 3.32% variable rate on GBP is based on 7 day performance as of 05 Aug 2026. For full 5-year past performance and fund information, visit https://wise.com/interest. Investments are offered by Wise Assets UK Ltd. (FRN 839689)

FAQs

What happens if an online incorporation application has discrepancies?

Justiça's online company service gives applicants five consecutive days to correct discrepancies and charges EUR 30 for the correction. This is specific to the online process, so check the applicable service before assuming the same handling or price for another route.

Sources:

Create a company — Justiça

Sources last checked on 2nd October 2026

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