Portugal · Decree-Law No. 394-B/84

Portuguese VAT Code (CIVA) in English

The Código do IVA sets what is taxed, where a supply takes place, the rates, the exemptions, the right of deduction, invoices, returns and the special schemes. Article by article, in English, with the official Portuguese alongside, including the reduced and intermediate rate lists.

English, Portuguese or side by sideConsolidated text, as amended in 2026Free, no sign-up
This edition
Articles in EnglishArticles 1 to 102, including lettered articles123
Lists and annexesLists I and II, Annexes D to G6
Aligned provisionsline by line, EN and PT1,331
Annexes A and B are repealed; the official consolidation does not reproduce the table in Annex C. Several articles still name the former Directorate-General for Taxation (DGCI), whose functions are now exercised by the Tax and Customs Authority (AT).
Contents

Every article of the Code

Eight chapters, from the scope of the tax to the final provisions, followed by the rate lists and annexes.

Chapter III · Taxable amountValor tributável
    Section I · Taxable amount for domestic transactionsValor tributável nas transacções internas
    1. 16Taxable amount for domestic transactionsValor tributável nas operações internas
    Section II · Taxable amount on the importation of goodsValor tributável na importação de bens
    1. 17Taxable amount for importationsValor tributável nas importações
Chapter IV · RatesTaxas
  1. 18Rates of taxTaxas do imposto
Chapter V · Charging and payment of the taxLiquidação e pagamento do imposto
    Section III · Other obligations of taxable personsOutras obrigações dos contribuintes
    1. 29General obligationsObrigações em geral
    2. 29-AAutomatic periodic returnDeclaração periódica automática
    3. 30Tax representativeRepresentante fiscal
    4. 31Declaration of commencement of activityDeclaração de início de actividade
    5. 32Declaration of changesDeclaração de alterações
    6. 33Declaration of cessation of activityDeclaração de cessação de actividade
    7. 34Meaning of cessation of activityConceito de cessação de actividade
    8. 35Submission of declarationsApresentação das declarações
    9. 35-AScope of the invoicing rulesDelimitação de competências em matéria de faturação
    10. 36Time limits for issuing invoices and invoice requirementsPrazo de emissão e formalidades das faturas
    11. 37Passing on the taxRepercussão do imposto
    12. 38Invoicing of goods sent on consignmentFacturação de mercadorias enviadas à consignação
    13. 39Invoices issued by retailers and service providersFacturas emitidas por retalhistas e prestadores de serviços
    14. 40Simplified invoicesFaturas simplificadas
    15. 41Time limit for submitting the periodic returnPrazo de entrega da declaração periódica
    16. 42Concept of turnoverConceito de volume de negócios
    17. 43Submission of the return by taxable persons carrying out a single taxable transactionEntrega da declaração por sujeitos passivos que pratiquem uma só operação tributável
    18. 44Accounting requirementsRequisitos da contabilidade
    19. 45Recording of transactions where invoices are issuedRegisto das operações em caso de emissão de facturas
    20. 46Recording of transactions where simplified invoices are issuedRegisto das operações em caso de emissão de faturas simplificadas
    21. 47Recording of supplies of goods made by retailersRegisto das transmissões de bens efectuadas por retalhistas
    22. 48Recording of transactions made to the taxable personRegisto das operações efectuadas ao sujeito passivo
    23. 49Determination of the taxable amount on tax-inclusive invoicesApuramento da base tributável nas facturas com imposto incluído
    24. 50Recording of transactions by taxable persons without organised accountsRegisto das operações efetuadas por sujeitos passivos que não disponham de contabilidade organizada
    25. 51Register of capital goodsRegisto dos bens de investimento
    26. 51-ARecord-keeping obligation of electronic interfacesObrigação de conservação de registos pelas interfaces eletrónicas
    27. 52Period for filing and keeping records and supporting documentsPrazo de arquivo e conservação dos registos e documentos de suporte
    Section IV · Special schemesRegimes especiais
Terminology

Key VAT terms

One English term per Portuguese concept, following the English version of the EU VAT Directive (2006/112/EC) wherever the Code uses the Directive’s concept. Income-tax terms follow our Corporate Income Tax Code translation.

sujeito passivo → taxable person
The person who charges VAT or, under the reverse charge, the customer who accounts for it.
transmissão de bens / prestação de serviços → supply of goods / supply of services
The two kinds of taxable transaction, defined in Articles 3 and 4.
estabelecimento estável → fixed establishment
The VAT concept used for place-of-supply rules (Article 6); not the income-tax permanent establishment.
exigibilidade → chargeability
The moment the tax becomes due (Articles 7 and 8), usually when the invoice is or should be issued.
valor tributável → taxable amount
The consideration on which VAT is calculated (Article 16).
taxa normal / intermédia / reduzida → standard / intermediate / reduced rate
Article 18; the reduced and intermediate rates apply to the goods and services in Lists I and II.
direito à dedução → right of deduction
Recovery of input VAT (Articles 19 to 26); exempt transactions under Article 9 do not give it.
autoliquidação → reverse charge
The customer accounts for the VAT instead of the supplier, with the invoice wording ‘IVA - autoliquidação’.
regime especial de isenção → special exemption scheme
The small-business exemption for turnover up to EUR 15,000 (Article 53).
declaração periódica → periodic return
The monthly or quarterly VAT return (Articles 27 and 41).
Sources and method

How this translation is made and checked

The Portuguese text

The Portuguese column is the consolidated text published in the Diário da República, including the amendments made by Decree-Law No. 97/2026. Every line was then checked against the consolidation kept by the Tax and Customs Authority and against the amending acts on 26 October 2026; where the official consolidation shows superseded wording, we reproduce the text in force. Where the consolidation contains a misprint, a duplicated point or an outdated cross-reference, the article page says so in a note.

The English text

Each provision is translated separately and aligned with its Portuguese counterpart, then checked by a second translator for rates, thresholds, place-of-supply conditions, deduction rules, deadlines and cross-references.

What it is not

This is not an official or certified translation and not legal or tax advice. Intra-Community transactions are governed by a separate statute, the RITI, which is not part of this Code.

Applying the law

Portuguese VAT, set up right from the first invoice

Most VAT problems start with a wrong regime at registration or a wrong invoice wording. Tell us what you sell and to whom; we set up the registration, the invoices and the filing calendar.

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