One Month Before Your Move

Moving Tips for Expats in Portugal

Telecommunications (TV, Internet, Phone)

• Cancel your current telecommunications contract and sign up for a new one with the provider that best suits your needs.
• Pay attention to any conditions regarding the loyalty period.
• You can use the ANACOM simulator to compare providers.

Water and Sanitation

• Cancel your current water supply contract and sign up for a new one at your new address.
• The contract is usually signed at the municipal water and sanitation services. Check what you can do online and leave the rest for in-person visits.
• You will need the following documents:
  • Municipal Water and Sanitation Services form
  • Citizen Card or Identity Card and Taxpayer Card;
  • Property Booklet of your new home
  • Bank details for direct debit payment

Change of Tax Address

• You can change the address on your Citizen Card online at the Citizen Portal or in person at a Citizen’s Shop.
• You need the authentication PIN of your Citizen Card and the address PIN assigned when the CC was issued.
• The deadline for doing this is 15 days after the acquisition for permanent own housing.
• To make the request online, you will need a card reader.
• When you change the address on your CC, you also automatically change the address on your driving license.

Request for Exemption from Municipal Property Tax (IMI)

• Check if you are eligible for IMI exemption or reduction.
• Although the rates and values often change, the assumptions tend to remain stable and relate to:
  • Urban buildings intended for permanent own housing
  • Safeguard regime of urban buildings
  • Buildings of taxpayers with dependents in their charge
  • Buildings of reduced patrimonial value of low-income taxpayers
  • Urban buildings subject to urban rehabilitation
  • Urban buildings of the other species intended for the production of energy from renewable sources
  • Other benefits with an environmental character attributed to properties
  • Tax incentives for forestry activity
  • Tax Regime for Investment Support (RFAI)
  • Urban buildings built, expanded, improved or acquired for consideration, intended for housing
  • Shops with history

Gas and Electricity Supply

• Cancel your current supply contract and sign up for a new supply contract at your new address.
• The best place to choose the most suitable operator for you is the ERSE SIMULATOR.
• You will not need to replace the energy meter you have installed.
• The termination of the contract with the old operator is the responsibility of the new supplier.
• The time it may take to connect electricity and/or natural gas 1 to your new address is about 15 days, so you should request the connection in sufficient time.  
• Necessary documents:
  • Citizen Card
  • Delivery point code (see on an invoice)
  • Bank details for direct debit payment
  • Proof of new address

Single Automobile Document (DUA)

• You can change the DUA at a registry office or online at the Ministry of Justice portal.
• With the Online Car, you can order online various registration acts on vehicles and their trailers and receive the Registration Certificate/Single Car Document at your residence/headquarters, without travel. On this site it is possible to:
  • Submit the online request for registration of the transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle (for example, register the new owner of a car following the purchase of a new or used vehicle) and other registration acts on vehicles and their trailers;
  • Check the status of the order after it has been placed;
  • Submit the request for the permanent certificate of the car registration;
  • Consult the permanent certificate of the car registration.
• The deadline to update the address is 60 days after the change of address on the Citizen Card.

Banks

• Notify your bank of your new address. You can change branches, choosing one closer to your new home.
• You will be asked for proof of your new address.

Magazines / Subscriptions

• Change your publication subscriptions and inform your new address to the companies with whom you maintain regular contacts.

Insurers

• Notify your insurer of your new address. Change your home insurance in advance, so that the new home is covered immediately after the move.
• Take the opportunity to transfer the remaining insurance policies (life, car, health, among others).

CTT – Request the forwarding of postal correspondence

• In order for your mail to be redirected to the new address, you must make a forwarding request at the CTT.
• To do this, you have to fill out a form available on the CTT website (www.ctt.pt) and submit it at most three days before the move.

School & University

• Transfer the registration of the children’s school and the university of the older ones to the school of the new location.

Clubs, Associations, etc.

• Communicate the new address to the clubs or associations of which you are a member, your employer, the court, if necessary, your Internet access provider, unions or other associations to which you belong.

Documents

• Take care of the change of your address on your driving license, vehicle ownership registration, Identity Card, passport, and Finance. Also take care of the change of your electoral census.

Doctors & Health

• If you move far from your old address, ask your private doctors, namely your dentist, for indications of colleagues who work in the region where you are moving. Register with the health center in the area where you are moving and ask for the transfer of your medical data.