Portugal's under-35 first-home relief: what buyers need to prove

Published 13 August 2026 · 8 min read

Portugal introduced a targeted relief for younger buyers purchasing their first permanent home. For qualifying acquisitions from 1 August 2024, the measure can remove or reduce IMT and exempt the acquisition from stamp duty. It is valuable, but it is not an automatic discount for every buyer under 35.

Who is the measure for?

The relief is aimed at a buyer aged 35 or under acquiring a home for their own permanent residence. The buyer normally must not have owned a residential property in the previous three years. The statutory property-value bands determine whether the exemption is full or partial.

Non-residents at completion

For residential purchases completed from 20 May 2026, a buyer who is not Portuguese tax resident is subject to flat 7.5% IMT without exemptions or reductions under Decree-Law 97/2026. Youth relief must not be applied at completion merely because the buyer intends to move to Portugal later.

If the buyer becomes Portuguese tax resident within two years, they may be able to claim a refund of the difference from the applicable resident treatment. That later claim is subject to the statutory conditions and evidence; it does not make youth relief available to a non-resident at completion. Ask AT or a qualified adviser to confirm how the refund and any resident relief interact in the buyer's circumstances.

What is covered?

• Full or partial relief from IMT, depending on the property's value band.
• Exemption from stamp duty on the acquisition.
• Ordinary mortgage costs, bank fees, notary costs and legal fees are not automatically waived.

Questions to answer before the CPCV

1. Will every buyer on the deed be 35 or under on the relevant date?
2. Has any buyer owned a residential property in the preceding three years?
3. Will the property become the buyers' habitação própria e permanente?
4. Does the value fall within the current full or partial relief bands?
5. Has the notary confirmed how the relief will be declared and evidenced?

Do not forget the other closing costs

Even where IMT and acquisition stamp duty fall to zero, buyers still need cash for the deposit, deed and registration, legal advice, bank valuation, mortgage arrangement and any stamp duty on the loan. The property's VPT and the financing structure should also be checked before the purchase budget is finalised.

How to claim it

The relief is handled as part of the purchase-tax process, not as a general annual tax refund. Ask the notary or lawyer to check eligibility and produce the correct AT payment document before the escritura. Keep evidence of age, prior ownership history and intended residence.

Bottom line: for a qualifying first-home buyer, this relief can materially change the cash needed at completion. Treat it as a confirmed tax position only after AT or a Portuguese notary has checked the current thresholds and your facts.