Chapter VIII · Taxpayer safeguards

Article 137 Administrative complaints and judicial challenges

Artigo 137.º · Reclamações e impugnações

Código do Imposto sobre o Rendimento das Pessoas Coletivas · republished by Law No. 2/2014 · consolidated text checked 26 October 2026

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1. IRC taxpayers, their representatives and persons jointly and severally or secondarily liable for payment of the tax may file an administrative complaint against, or bring a judicial challenge to, the corresponding assessment made by the tax administration services, on the grounds and under the terms laid down in the Code of Tax Procedure and Process.

1 - Os sujeitos passivos de IRC, os seus representantes e as pessoas solidária ou subsidiariamente responsáveis pelo pagamento do imposto podem reclamar ou impugnar a respetiva liquidação, efetuada pelos serviços da administração fiscal, com os fundamentos e nos termos estabelecidos no Código de Procedimento e de Processo Tributário.

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2. The right referred to in the preceding paragraph is likewise conferred in respect of self-assessment, withholding at source and payments on account, under the terms and within the time limits laid down in Articles 131 to 133 of the Code of Tax Procedure and Process, without prejudice to the following paragraphs.

2 - A faculdade referida no número anterior é igualmente conferida relativamente à autoliquidação, à retenção na fonte e aos pagamentos por conta, nos termos e prazos previstos nos artigos 131.º a 133.º do Código de Procedimento e de Processo Tributário, sem prejuízo do disposto nos números seguintes.

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3. An administrative complaint by the holder of the income or their representative against withholding at source of amounts wholly or partly not due is admissible only where that withholding is final, and must be filed within two years from the end of the period within which the withholding agent (substituto) must pay over the tax withheld at source or from the date of payment or making available of the income, if later.

3 - A reclamação, pelo titular dos rendimentos ou seu representante, da retenção na fonte de importâncias total ou parcialmente indevidas só tem lugar quando essa retenção tenha caráter definitivo e deve ser apresentada no prazo de dois anos a contar do termo do prazo de entrega, pelo substituto, do imposto retido na fonte ou da data do pagamento ou colocação à disposição dos rendimentos, se posterior.

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4. A judicial challenge to the acts referred to in paragraph 2 must be preceded by an administrative complaint to the competent director of finance, in the cases provided for in the Code of Tax Procedure and Process.

4 - A impugnação dos atos mencionados no n.º 2 é obrigatoriamente precedida de reclamação para o diretor de finanças competente, nos casos previstos no Código de Procedimento e de Processo Tributário.

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5. The entities referred to in paragraph 1 may also file an administrative complaint against, and bring a judicial challenge to, a taxable amount that has been determined and does not give rise to an IRC assessment, on the grounds and under the terms laid down in the Code of Tax Procedure and Process for administrative complaints against and judicial challenges to tax acts.

5 - As entidades referidas no n.º 1 podem ainda reclamar e impugnar a matéria coletável que for determinada e que não dê origem a liquidação de IRC, com os fundamentos e nos termos estabelecidos no Código de Procedimento e de Processo Tributário para a reclamação e impugnação dos atos tributários.

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6. Whenever, the tax having been paid, it is established in administrative or judicial proceedings that the assessment contained an error attributable to the services, indemnity interest (juros indemnizatórios) is assessed under Article 43 of the General Tax Law.

6 - Sempre que, estando pago o imposto, se determine, em processo gracioso ou judicial, que na liquidação houve erro imputável aos serviços, são liquidados juros indemnizatórios nos termos do artigo 43.º da Lei Geral Tributária.

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7. The right referred to in paragraph 1 also applies to the special payment on account provided for in Article 106, under the terms and on the grounds laid down in Article 133 of the Code of Tax Procedure and Process.

7 - A faculdade referida no n.º 1 é igualmente aplicável ao pagamento especial por conta previsto no artigo 106.º, nos termos e com os fundamentos estabelecidos no artigo 133.º do Código de Procedimento e de Processo Tributário.

What we checked in this article

The persons entitled to complain or challenge, the extension to self-assessment, withholding and payments on account, the two-year period and finality condition for complaints against withholding, the mandatory prior complaint to the director of finance, the challenge of a taxable amount not giving rise to assessment, indemnity interest under Article 43 of the General Tax Law and the extension to the special payment on account 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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