Requirements and documents in Portugal

Requirements and documents in Portugal

To open a business account in Portugal a bank must identify the business and the people who own and control it. The exact list varies by provider and by legal form, but as of 17 March 2026 most banks ask for the items below. The single item that must exist first is the company tax number, the NIPC, since there is no business account without it. A sole trader uses a personal NIF instead.

Typical documents for a company

1. The company tax number, the NIPC, and the certidao permanente from the commercial registry that confirms the company and its directors.
2. The company statutes, the pacto social, setting out the activity and the share structure.
3. The RCBE beneficial owner filing, which records the people who ultimately control the company.
4. Identification and proof of address for the directors and the owners who hold more than 25 percent.
5. A description of the activity and information on the expected source of funds for the know your customer checks.

Sole traders and foreign documents

A sole trader, the empresario em nome individual, opens in a personal capacity with the personal NIF and proof of the activity, which is a lighter list than for a company. Documents issued abroad may need an apostille and a certified translation, and a non resident from outside the European Union usually needs a NIF obtained with a fiscal representative. As of 17 March 2026, confirm the exact list for your legal form and residence with the provider.