Chapter III · Articles of association · Section II · Duties and rights of members · Subsection III · Maintenance of capital

Article 34 Restitution of assets improperly received

Artigo 34.º · Restituição de bens indevidamente recebidos

Código das Sociedades Comerciais · Decree-Law No. 262/86 · consolidated text checked 26 October 2026

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1. Members must return to the company assets received from it in breach of the law; however, those who have received, as profits or reserves, amounts whose distribution was prohibited by law, in particular by Articles 32 and 33, are required to make restitution only if they knew of the irregularity of the distribution or, having regard to the circumstances, ought not to have been unaware of it.

1 - Os sócios devem restituir à sociedade os bens que dela tenham recebido com violação do disposto na lei, mas aqueles que tenham recebido a título de lucros ou reservas importâncias cuja distribuição não era permitida pela lei, designadamente pelos artigos 32.º e 33.º, só são obrigados à restituição se conheciam a irregularidade da distribuição ou, tendo em conta as circunstâncias, deviam não a ignorar.

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2. The preceding paragraph applies to the transferee of a member's right where that transferee receives the amounts in question.

2 - O disposto no número anterior é aplicável ao transmissário do direito do sócio, quando for ele a receber as referidas importâncias.

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3. Company creditors may bring proceedings for restitution to the company of the amounts referred to in the preceding paragraphs on the same terms as they may bring proceedings against members of management.

3 - Os credores sociais podem propor acção para restituição à sociedade das importâncias referidas nos números anteriores nos mesmos termos em que lhes é conferida acção contra membros da administração.

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4. The burden of proving knowledge, or the duty not to be unaware, of the irregularity rests with the company or its creditors.

4 - Cabe à sociedade ou aos credores sociais o ónus de provar o conhecimento ou o dever de não ignorar a irregularidade.

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5. Any event which causes the assets of the persons referred to above to benefit from the amounts improperly allocated is treated in the same way as receipt under the preceding paragraphs.

5 - Ao recebimento previsto nos números anteriores é equiparado qualquer facto que faça beneficiar o património das referidas pessoas dos valores indevidamente e atribuídos.

What we checked in this article

The knowledge qualification applies to receipts as profits/reserves; proof and creditor standing are retained.

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Unofficial English translation prepared by BCA Portugal for reference. Only the Portuguese text published in the Diário da República has legal force. Editorial notes are ours and are not part of the statute.

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