Half the delays in sales of inherited houses come from missing documents discovered at the last minute, with a buyer waiting. Here is the complete checklist, in the right order — seen from abroad.
1. Estate documents
- Habilitação de herdeiros (the Portuguese heirs' deed);
- The Portuguese tax filing and proof of exemption/payment;
- Powers of attorney from heirs abroad (consulate, or local notary + apostille);
- A Portuguese NIF for every heir.
2. Property documents
- Certidão permanente from the land registry — registered owners, mortgages, liens (a few euros online; the simplified report costs €1);
- Caderneta predial — the property's tax record;
- Use licence from the municipality (or proof of pre-1951 construction);
- Energy certificate — mandatory before even advertising;
- Housing technical file (post-2004 builds).
3. The classic traps of emigrant estates
- Property never registered in the deceased's name (or the grandfather's before him): the chain of registrations must be rebuilt first;
- Floor areas that differ between registry, tax record and reality;
- Never-declared annexes or extensions;
- Years of accumulated IMI arrears.
How long does it take?
With a clean file: days. With registrations to rebuild: months — which is why you start before looking for a buyer, and before the new law starts its clocks. HERDA audits your file within 72 hours and tells you exactly what is missing and how to obtain it remotely.