Portugal's Energy Performance Certificate (Certificado Energético) is mandatory for all property sales and rentals under Decreto-Lei n.º 101-D/2020, de 7 de dezembro. The certificate must appear in every property listing before the property is advertised, not just at contract signing. Selling or renting without a valid CE exposes the owner to fines of €250 to €3,740 for individuals and up to €44,890 for companies. InspectOS issues energy performance certificates covering all residential typologies, with the ADENE fee included.
Table of Contents
- What is an Energy Performance Certificate in Portugal and when is it required?
- What are the fines for not having a valid EPC in Portugal?
- How is energy performance rated in Portugal?
- When is a Portuguese EPC not required?
- Does a gas inspection replace an EPC in Portugal?
- What does the EU EPBD Directive 2024/1275 mean for Portuguese property owners?
- How does energy class affect property value in Portugal?
- What happens when a buyer discovers an expired or missing EPC after purchase?
- How do you get an EPC in Portugal?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Energy Performance Certificate in Portugal and when is it required?
An Energy Performance Certificate (Certificado Energético) is a mandatory legal document issued by an ADENE-qualified expert that classifies a property's energy efficiency on a scale from A+ (most efficient) to F (least efficient) and is required before any property is advertised for sale or rent in Portugal.
The legal basis is Decreto-Lei n.º 101-D/2020, de 7 de dezembro (DL 101-D/2020), which implements the EU EPBD framework into Portuguese law and is enforced by ADENE - Agência para a Energia. The obligation to hold a valid CE applies at the moment a property is placed on the market, not just when a contract is signed. An estate agent publishing a listing without the energy class is already in breach, and both the owner and the agent can be held liable.
A copy must be delivered to the buyer or tenant before the contract is signed, whether a sale, a rental or a financial lease. The CE registration number must appear in the rental contract.
The certificate is valid for 10 years for residential buildings. A certificate issued in 2016 expires in 2026, so any sale or rental listing today must verify validity, not just existence.
What are the fines for not having a valid EPC in Portugal?
The fine for advertising or transacting a property without a valid EPC in Portugal ranges from €250 to €3,740 for individuals and from €2,500 to €44,890 for companies, under DL 101-D/2020, Article 35.º.
The fine regime applies to three distinct violations: advertising a property for sale or rent without displaying the energy class, failing to present the CE at contract signing, and failing to include the CE registration number in a rental agreement. Each is an independent infraction. A property owner who advertises without a CE, then signs a rental contract without providing one, faces two separate contraordenações.
Beyond the fine, the absence of a valid CE can render a rental contract irregular under Portuguese law, creating uncertainty about its enforceability and the landlord's ability to pursue rent arrears through standard legal channels.
The buyer's perspective. DL 10/2024 (Simplex Urbanístico) removed the licença de utilização from the deed from 1 January 2024, but it did not change the energy certificate rules: DL 101-D/2020 still requires a valid CE to advertise and to sell. A buyer who checks the certificate on sce.pt before the CPCV, rather than at the deed, still has time to act on what it shows. The Simplex Safe inspection includes CE verification as a standard checkpoint. If no valid CE exists, InspectOS can issue a mandatory energy certificate in the same visit.
How is energy performance rated in Portugal?
Portugal's energy performance scale runs from A+ (most efficient) to F (least efficient), assessed by an ADENE-qualified expert based on thermal envelope, heating, cooling, hot water, and renewable energy systems.
The assessment covers the building's thermal envelope (walls, roof, glazing, insulation), heating and cooling systems, domestic hot water production, ventilation, and any renewable energy systems installed. The expert calculates the annual primary energy consumption and compares it against regulatory benchmarks. Electrical systems are assessed separately through a dedicated electrical inspection Portugal, which covers installation safety beyond what an EPC assesses.
What the class means in practice:
A+ and A: Near-zero energy buildings (NZEB). Lowest running costs. Some lenders offer preferential rates.
B and B-: Good efficiency. Likely compliant with post-2006 construction standards.
C: Median for the Portuguese stock. Adequate for current regulatory requirements.
D and E: Below median. Significant thermal losses. Higher running costs.
F: The lowest class in the current Portuguese scale. Poorest performance, equivalent to pre-1970s construction with no insulation improvements.
The 2.88 million energy certificates issued in Portugal since 2008 (ADENE, Energia em Números 2025) show that B is now the third most common class, with A+ and A increasing steadily. The Portuguese stock is improving, but a significant proportion of pre-1960 construction, concentrated in Lisbon's historic parishes and Porto's granite building stock, remains rated D, E, or F.
When is a Portuguese EPC not required?
DL 101-D/2020, Article 18.º lists specific exemptions - the most relevant for residential transactions are properties with an área bruta privativa of 50m² or less, ruins, donations, inheritances, and sales in insolvency or enforcement proceedings.
The full exemption list under Art.º 18.º of DL 101-D/2020:
- Properties with an área bruta privativa of 50m² or less
- Buildings in a state of ruin
- Buildings intended for demolition (confirmed)
- Industrial, livestock, or agricultural non-residential premises
- Religious buildings
- Non-onerous transfers: donations, legacies, inheritances
- Sales or donations to co-owners, tenants, or expropriating entities
- Sales of fractions in insolvency or enforcement proceedings
- Rentals of primary residence by the landlord for periods of less than four months
- Contracts of assignment (trespasse) not involving a change of physical premises An exempt property still needs a declaração de isenção: exemption removes the certificate, not the paperwork.
What is not exempt. Pre-1951 buildings are a common source of confusion - they are not automatically exempt. Even properties built before 1951 require an energy performance certificate if they are placed on the market for sale or rental. The exemption depends on the transaction type, not the building's age.
Does a gas inspection replace an EPC in Portugal?
No. A gas inspection certificate (Boletim de Inspeção de Gás, issued under DL 97/2017) and an Energy Performance Certificate (Certificado Energético, issued under DL 101-D/2020) are two legally distinct documents with different purposes, different issuing bodies, and different validity periods. The EPC is needed to sell or rent; the gas inspection follows its own periodic cycle. Neither substitutes for the other.
The gas inspection verifies the physical safety of the gas installation, leak detection, combustion equipment, ventilation, and CO risk. It is issued by a DGEG-registered Entidade Inspetora de Gás (EIG) and, for residential installations, is repeated every 5 years. Installations from before 21 August 2018 need their first inspection by 26 August 2028 or when they reach 20 years, newer ones at 10 years.
The EPC rates the property's overall energy efficiency on a scale from A+ to F and is issued by an ADENE-qualified expert. It is valid for 10 years and must appear in every property listing before the property is advertised.
A property can have a valid EPC and an expired gas inspection, or vice versa. Buyers should verify both independently before signing the CPCV. InspectOS issues both, and they can be booked together. See our full guide to mandatory gas inspection in Portugal under DL 97/2017 for the complete compliance timeline and fine structure.
What does the EU EPBD Directive 2024/1275 mean for Portuguese property owners?
EU Directive 2024/1275 had to be transposed by 29 May 2026. Portugal transposed part of it early, in February 2025, and the rest is still pending.
The EU deadline for transposing Directive 2024/1275 was 29 May 2026. Portugal moved early on part of it: Decreto-Lei n.º 11/2025, de 19 de fevereiro, brought in the Passaporte de Renovação de Edifícios and minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), and the rest of the transposition is still pending. The deadline is not a date on which anything changes for a particular property: obligations reach owners only as national rules set them. For what this means for buyers and owners in an active transaction, including renovation timelines, financing and which buildings are most exposed, see the EPBD compliance Portugal 2026 guide.
How does energy class affect property value in Portugal?
Energy class has a measurable impact on property value in Portugal. Higher-rated properties can command premiums in sale and rental markets, and lower-rated properties can sell at a discount.
An energy performance premium has been described in European property markets, but there is no single Portuguese figure to rely on. Where a differential shows, it tends to be most pronounced in Lisbon and Porto, where renovation activity has produced a bifurcated market between rehabilitated high-efficiency stock and unrenovated pre-1960s construction.
Mortgage implications. Portuguese banks offer preferential interest rates for energy-efficient properties, known as green mortgages (crédito habitação verde). Each lender sets its own class threshold for these products. A property rated D or E is still financeable, usually at standard rates.
Rental yield implications. The directive leaves it to each member state how to reach its residential targets, and Portugal has not yet said whether that will include minimum ratings for rented homes. Landlords with low-rated stock are better placed pricing energy improvements now than waiting for the national rules.
The brown discount. Properties with poor energy ratings trade at a discount, the so-called "brown discount," relative to the energy-efficient premium. Low-rated properties often present co-occurring issues such as moisture ingress and condensation, and the mold and damp inspection guide covers the connection between poor insulation and moisture defect risk.
Want the document side checked before the inspector visits? RealOS reads the registry, tax and licensing picture online. → realos.pt
What happens when a buyer discovers an expired or missing EPC after purchase?
The certificate must be valid when the property is advertised and sold, but a buyer who finds a problem only after the deed has little practical recourse.
DL 10/2024 did not change the certificate duty itself, which comes from DL 101-D/2020: the certificate must be delivered to the buyer before the contract is signed. What DL 10/2024 did change is how much of the building's legal and physical picture reaches the deed at all, which makes the buyer's own checks before the CPCV more important.
If a buyer discovers post-purchase that the CE was expired at the time of sale, the legal position depends on whether the seller disclosed this. Under the Código Civil, Article 913.º provisions on vícios ocultos (hidden defects), a buyer may have grounds to claim against the seller, but proving the seller knew and concealed the expired status is difficult and slow.
The practical protection is pre-purchase verification: check the CE number on the ADENE portal (sce.pt - free public access) before signing any contract. If the CE is expired or absent, the Simplex Safe inspection includes this verification as a standard checkpoint, and InspectOS can issue a new energy performance certificate on the same visit.
Selling or renting a property in Portugal? Or about to purchase one? InspectOS issues Energy Performance Certificates covering the ADENE fee for all residential typologies, with the certificate delivered digitally.
How do you get an EPC in Portugal?
An EPC in Portugal is issued exclusively by a qualified expert registered with ADENE. InspectOS visits within 3 to 7 working days of booking and issues the certificate 3 to 5 business days after the site visit, once the required documents are received (ADENE fee included), valid for 10 years and registered in the ADENE national database.
Step 1: Book a qualified ADENE expert. Only peritos qualificados registered with ADENE - Agência para a Energia can legally issue CEs in Portugal. InspectOS works with registered peritos across mainland Portugal, with availability in 3 to 7 working days. Book at inspectos.pt/en/schedule.
Step 2: On-site assessment. The expert visits the property and assesses the thermal envelope, mechanical systems, hot water production, and renewable energy installations. A standard residential T2-T3 assessment takes 45 to 90 minutes.
Step 3: Certificate issued and registered with ADENE. The CE is registered in the national ADENE database, assigned a unique number, and delivered digitally. Registration is publicly verifiable at sce.pt.
Combining with other inspections. The CE can be booked together with a Simplex Safe inspection or a pre-purchase property inspection. For properties requiring significant energy improvement, the Renovation Passport is a planning document for staged energy renovation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an Energy Performance Certificate mandatory for all property sales in Portugal?
Yes, for the vast majority of transactions. DL 101-D/2020 requires a valid EPC for all property sales and rentals, and the certificate's energy class must appear in any listing or advertisement. Exemptions are narrow and specific - they cover buildings in ruin, properties with an área bruta privativa of 50m² or less, donations, inheritances, and sales in insolvency proceedings. Pre-1951 buildings are not automatically exempt.
How long is an energy performance certificate valid for in Portugal?
An Energy Performance Certificate for a residential building is valid for 10 years from the date of issue. For commercial and services buildings, the validity period varies. If the certificate has expired, a new assessment is required before the property can be legally advertised or transacted.
What does an energy performance certificate involve?
A qualified perito assesses the building envelope and the systems inside it: wall and roof construction and their insulation, glazing type and frame performance, orientation and shading, and the heating, cooling and hot water equipment. The assessment produces a modelled energy demand, which is what generates the letter, rather than a measurement of what the current occupant actually spends. That distinction matters when a buyer compares a certificate against a seller's utility bills and finds they disagree.
How do I renew an energy performance certificate in Portugal?
A certificate is not renewed in the sense of extending the existing one. When it expires, a new assessment is carried out and a new certificate issued, registered with ADENE under a new number. If work has been done in the meantime, insulation added, glazing replaced, or the heating system changed, the new assessment should reflect it, which is the one case where re-certifying can move the letter rather than simply restating it.
What is the fine for not having an EPC when selling or renting in Portugal?
The fine ranges from €250 to €3,740 for individuals and from €2,500 to €44,890 for companies (DL 101-D/2020, Art.º 35.º). The fine applies to advertising without displaying the energy class, failing to present the CE at contract signing, and failing to include the CE number in a rental agreement. Each is a separate infraction.
Can I check if a property has a valid EPC in Portugal?
Yes. The ADENE national register is publicly accessible at sce.pt. You can search by property address or NIF to verify whether a valid certificate exists, its class, and its expiry date. This check is free and should be carried out before making any offer or signing any contract.
Does the Simplex Urbanístico (DL 10/2024) affect EPC obligations?
DL 10/2024 eliminated the licença de utilização as a mandatory requirement for the escritura, but it did not change EPC obligations. The EPC remains legally required for all sales and rentals under DL 101-D/2020. Buyers should still check the certificate themselves on sce.pt before the CPCV, because a problem found at the deed leaves little room to act. The Simplex Safe inspection includes CE verification as a standard checkpoint.
How much does an energy performance certificate cost in Portugal?
InspectOS issues Energy Performance Certificates which includes the ADENE fee for all residential typologies. The CE can be combined with other inspection services in the same visit for efficiency. On the open market, certificate costs from third-party providers vary - the ADENE fee alone runs from €28 to €65 plus IVA depending on tipologia (Portaria n.º 349-A/2013, as amended; confirm at sce.pt), with the expert's fee added on top; the total commonly runs €120 to €250 plus IVA for a home.
Is a gas inspection the same as an Energy Performance Certificate in Portugal?
No. These are two separate legal obligations. The EPC (Certificado Energético) under DL 101-D/2020 rates energy efficiency on a scale from A+ to F and is required for all property sales and rentals. The gas inspection certificate (Boletim de Inspeção de Gás) under DL 97/2017 verifies the physical safety of the gas installation and is required periodically, every 5 years for homes once the first inspection falls due. Both must be verified independently before purchase. InspectOS issues both, and they can be booked together. See the full guide: Mandatory Gas Inspection Portugal (DL 97/2017).
What to do now
The energy certificate is not a bureaucratic footnote. It is the entry point to a property's energy picture and the reference point for any national standards the remaining EPBD transposition may set.
For property owners: verify your certificate's validity at sce.pt today. If it has expired or is approaching expiry, book renewal before you list. InspectOS covers all of mainland Portugal, with visits within 3 to 7 working days of booking.
For buyers: check the CE number on sce.pt before making an offer. If the CE is absent, expired, or rated D to F, the EPBD compliance guide for Portugal 2026 covers what the directive means for you and what your options are. To plan staged improvements, the Renovation Passport is a useful next step. Buyers should also book a property inspection before signing the CPCV to confirm no compliance gaps are being inherited at the point of transfer.
For a full picture of what DL 10/2024 changed for buyers, the guide to Simplex Urbanístico and buyer liability and the property due diligence checklist for Portugal cover the complete picture.
Updated October 2026 | InspectOS Portugal
Sources
- Decreto-Lei n.º 101-D/2020, de 7 de dezembro (Diário da República)
- EU Directive 2024/1275 of 24 April 2024
- Decreto-Lei n.º 11/2025, de 19 de fevereiro (partial EPBD transposition)
- DL 10/2024, de 8 de janeiro
- ADENE - Agência para a Energia, adene.pt
- ADENE, Energia em Números 2025
- SCE - Sistema de Certificação Energética dos Edifícios, sce.pt
- DGEG, dgeg.gov.pt