Portugal real estate agent fees: set by contract, 23% VAT on top.
// Short answer
Portugal sets no commission rate in law: the fee is whatever the mediation contract with the agency says. What the law controls is who may act as an agent. Estate agencies need a licence from IMPIC, the state regulator, and liability insurance, and anyone can search the licence online. VAT at 23% is charged on the fee on the mainland.
Where agent commission is capped, who pays it and the VAT, in twenty-one countries side by side: real estate agent fees by country.
Rules and rates as of October 2026.
On this page
How much does a Portuguese estate agent charge?
No law sets a rate. The commission is agreed in the written mediation contract, which must state the fee and the VAT rate. The fee falls due when the sale completes, unless the contract moves it to the promissory contract (CPCV).
Every other cost of the purchase, from IMT to stamp duty: Portugal property buying costs.
Sources
Who pays the estate agent in Portugal, buyer or seller?
Whoever signs the mediation contract. The law forbids an agency to take a fee from both its client and the other side in the same deal, so an agency you have not signed with cannot charge you.
If you engage an agency to find you a property, you are its client and the contract sets your fee.
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What happens to money I hand a Portuguese estate agency?
The law treats it as held for you. Any sum a buyer gives the agency before the deal or the CPCV is signed is in its keeping, must be returned as soon as you ask, and may not be used by the agency.
If the agency's contract with you is silent on how long it runs, it runs for 6 months. If you are the agency's client as a buyer, it may take an advance on its fee only if the contract says so, and must refund it if the purchase does not happen.
Is VAT charged on agent fees in Portugal?
Yes. The standard VAT rate is 23% on the mainland; the Azores and Madeira may set lower rates.
Taxes once you own: Portugal property tax for foreigners.
Portugal agent guide
Choosing an agent in Portugal? The questions to ask first
No legal rate, but the law forbids double fees and holds your reservation money for you. The 12 questions, the licence check, the CPCV deposit, when the fee is due, a first-call script and a worksheet in euros.
How do I check a Portuguese estate agency is licensed?
Estate agency needs a licence from IMPIC (the Instituto dos Mercados Públicos, do Imobiliário e da Construção) plus liability insurance of at least EUR 150,000. A free online search finds licensed agencies by name, licence number, tax number or district.
The property record to ask for: the caderneta predial explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the real estate commission in Portugal?
Who pays the estate agent in Portugal?
Do Portuguese estate agents need a licence?
Is there VAT on estate agent fees in Portugal?
Header photo: Dale Cruse, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.