Land registry certificate: how to request it and what to check
The certidão permanente predial (the land registry certificate) allows you to consult the registrations on a property and any pending registration applications. It is especially relevant in a purchase or sale to verify the registry position before entering into commitments. Anyone may request it; consultation depends on the access code. [1]
The reading must be done for the exact property being negotiated. Where there is a garage and a storage room, confirm whether they are included in the description or have their own identification.
How to request it and what it costs
On Registo Predial Online, enter the district, municipality, parish, description number and, where applicable, the unit identifier. Properties still recorded in paper books require the specific elements of that registration. The online request costs €15 and the in-person request €20. It is valid for six months; renewal must be requested in the final month. [1]
Once you receive the code, keep it with the property's identification and expiry date. Do not confuse the access code with the registry description number or the tax article.
01
Description
Identification of the property and the unit
02
Ownership
Who takes part in the sale and in what capacity
03
Charges and applications
Mortgages, other charges and pending applications
How to organise the reading
Start with the description and its correspondence with the house. Then move to ownership, charges and pending applications. If any term is unclear, ask the professional handling the transaction to interpret it.
| Point to check | Useful question in the process |
|---|---|
| Identification | Are we consulting the correct description and unit? |
| Ownership | Who takes part in the sale and in what capacity? |
| Mortgages and other charges | Which situations need to be dealt with before or at completion? |
| Pending applications | Is there a procedure still in progress that needs clarifying? |
| Ancillary spaces | Does the deal include everything shown at the viewing? |
This check should result in a list of concrete questions. A phrase like “the registry is all fine” is of little use if you do not know what was consulted and when.
Does a mortgage prevent the sale
Finding a mortgage should lead to preparing the procedure with the bank and the entity formalising the deal. Ask how the debt will be repaid and how the consent needed to cancel the registration will be obtained.
Illustrative example: a buyer accepts the price of a house and finds a mortgage on the certificate. The next step is to define, before contracting, how that situation will be resolved. A verbal indication that “the bank will sort it out” is not enough.
Why check again close to signing
The interval between preparing the sale and completion can be long. It is advisable to confirm the information again near the deed, in coordination with whoever prepares it, so that everyone works from a current position.
An old printout may be useful for the file, but the transaction should benefit from consultation of the live access. Record who clarified each question and which documents will be presented.
What this document does not solve on its own
A registry check does not replace a technical analysis of the property. If there is an enclosed balcony, an adapted basement or an extension, consult the municipal documents and obtain technical clarification. The certificate, the tax register and the house must be read together.
Frequently asked questions
Are the registry certificate and the caderneta predial the same thing
No. The first belongs to the land registry; the second shows tax register information. Prepare both so the checks can be made in parallel.
Can I request the certificate for a house I have not yet bought
Yes, anyone may request it. Gather the identifying details needed for the request. [1]
What if the code no longer works
Confirm the expiry date and that the code was entered correctly. If access has ended, ask the service how to renew it or make a new request, as applicable.
Does a pending application mean there is a problem
Not necessarily. It means there is a procedure whose content and effects should be clarified. Do not conclude it is irrelevant merely because it has not yet produced a definitive registration.
Sources
Next step
Before placing your home on the market, talk to the Valle team about organising the registry information and the questions that should be settled while preparing the sale.
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