The escritura pública de compra e venda is the day a purchase actually completes in Portugal. It is the signing of the deed at the notary or at a Casa Pronta property registry office, the moment ownership transfers and IMT and stamp duty are paid. Most overseas buyers in the Lagos and western Algarve market have a clear idea of what an offer and a CPCV involve, but the day of the escritura itself is often less familiar. This piece walks through what the notary asks for, what happens at the table, and where the day most often runs into trouble.

Quick Answer

What happens at the escritura day?

• The deed is signed in front of a notary or registrar, who reads it aloud and witnesses the signatures
• Buyer and seller attend in person, or by a representative under a power of attorney
• IMT and stamp duty are paid before or on the day of the deed
• Final price is settled by bank transfer or banker’s draft
• Keys are handed over once the deed has been signed and registered

1. The Timeline from CPCV to Escritura

The escritura usually falls between 45 and 90 days after the CPCV is signed, and most western Algarve cash purchases sit closer to the 6 to 10 week end of that range. A clean file, with documents prepared in advance, allows 4 to 5 weeks from CPCV to deed. Mortgage-financed purchases run longer, often 8 to 12 weeks, because the bank needs time to value the property, approve the loan and prepare its own documents. Our note on mortgages in Portugal for Lagos and Algarve buyers covers the bank side of that timeline.

2. Documents the Notary Requires

The notary will not proceed unless the file is complete on the day. The standard documents include the buyer’s NIF and identity document or passport, the seller’s identity and tax number, the Caderneta Predial Urbana, the Certidão Permanente do Registo Predial, the energy certificate, the habitation licence where applicable, and a declaration of no condominium debt for properties in a condominium. Where the property holds an AL licence, the licence number is provided. For non-resident buyers, the fiscal representative declaration is also produced, and where the purchase is financed, the bank brings the mortgage deed. Currency exchange settlement instructions are normally in place a day or two ahead, so the cleared funds sit ready in the seller’s account or the lawyer’s client account.

3. What Actually Happens at the Table

The signing itself is short and follows a clear sequence. The notary or registrar reads the deed aloud in Portuguese, and where a party does not speak Portuguese, a sworn translator attends so the deed can be translated section by section. The notary confirms each party’s identity, reads the description of the property, the price and the payment method, and then witnesses the signatures. IMT and stamp duty are paid before the deed by reference number from the Tax Authority, and the receipt sits on the file. Once the deed is signed, the keys change hands and the notary arranges registration in the buyer’s name.

4. Power of Attorney and Buying Remotely

Many overseas buyers do not attend in person, and a Portuguese power of attorney granting authority to the buyer’s lawyer is the standard way to handle it. The POA is normally signed at a Portuguese consulate or before a notary in the buyer’s home country and apostilled where required. The lawyer then attends the escritura, signs the deed, accepts the keys and registers the property. Our note on do you need a lawyer to buy property in Portugal covers the wider reasons most overseas buyers use a Portuguese lawyer through the process.

5. Costs Paid on or Around the Day

Several costs land at or just before the escritura. The notary and registration fees, paid through Casa Pronta or directly to the notary, normally sit in the 700 to 1,500 euro range depending on whether a mortgage is being registered. IMT and stamp duty are paid by reference number generated by your lawyer through the Portuguese Tax Authority. Bank charges for the funds transfer, lawyer’s fees and any outstanding currency exchange settlement also fall around the deed. The mortgage drawdown, where one is in place, lands in the seller’s account on the day of the deed.

Common Mistakes

• Booking the deed before the bank has confirmed final mortgage approval and funding date
• Leaving the IMT and stamp duty payment until the morning of the deed rather than the day before
• Travelling to Portugal for the escritura without a translator booked, where one is needed
• Relying on a power of attorney that has not been apostilled or correctly translated
• Assuming the keys transfer at the CPCV rather than at the escritura

Summary

The escritura is the formal close of the purchase, and a well-prepared file makes the day itself short. Documents are read, signatures are taken, IMT and stamp duty are paid, the funds settle and the keys change hands. Most of the work that makes the day go smoothly happens in the weeks beforehand, with the lawyer pulling together the registry, tax and licensing documents. Our deed guide for property in Portugal sets out the wider legal framework, and our note on property law before buying in the Algarve covers the rules behind it.

If you are working towards a deed signing on an Algarve property and want help understanding the day, get in touch with B&P Real Estate. We can help you find the right property and walk you through the moving parts of the purchase, while the legal work and the deed itself sit with your own Portuguese lawyer.

What Happens at the Escritura Day for an Algarve Property Purchase in 2026?

The escritura pública de compra e venda is the day a purchase actually completes in Portugal. It is the signing of the deed at the notary or at a Casa Pronta property registry office, the moment ownership transfers and IMT and stamp duty are paid. Most overseas buyers in the Lagos and western Algarve market have a clear idea of what an offer and a CPCV involve, but the day of the escritura itself is often less familiar. This piece walks through what the notary asks for, what happens at the table, and where the day most often runs into trouble.

Quick Answer

What happens at the escritura day?

• The deed is signed in front of a notary or registrar, who reads it aloud and witnesses the signatures
• Buyer and seller attend in person, or by a representative under a power of attorney
• IMT and stamp duty are paid before or on the day of the deed
• Final price is settled by bank transfer or banker’s draft
• Keys are handed over once the deed has been signed and registered

1. The Timeline from CPCV to Escritura

The escritura usually falls between 45 and 90 days after the CPCV is signed, and most western Algarve cash purchases sit closer to the 6 to 10 week end of that range. A clean file, with documents prepared in advance, allows 4 to 5 weeks from CPCV to deed. Mortgage-financed purchases run longer, often 8 to 12 weeks, because the bank needs time to value the property, approve the loan and prepare its own documents. Our note on mortgages in Portugal for Lagos and Algarve buyers covers the bank side of that timeline.

2. Documents the Notary Requires

The notary will not proceed unless the file is complete on the day. The standard documents include the buyer’s NIF and identity document or passport, the seller’s identity and tax number, the Caderneta Predial Urbana, the Certidão Permanente do Registo Predial, the energy certificate, the habitation licence where applicable, and a declaration of no condominium debt for properties in a condominium. Where the property holds an AL licence, the licence number is provided. For non-resident buyers, the fiscal representative declaration is also produced, and where the purchase is financed, the bank brings the mortgage deed. Currency exchange settlement instructions are normally in place a day or two ahead, so the cleared funds sit ready in the seller’s account or the lawyer’s client account.

3. What Actually Happens at the Table

The signing itself is short and follows a clear sequence. The notary or registrar reads the deed aloud in Portuguese, and where a party does not speak Portuguese, a sworn translator attends so the deed can be translated section by section. The notary confirms each party’s identity, reads the description of the property, the price and the payment method, and then witnesses the signatures. IMT and stamp duty are paid before the deed by reference number from the Tax Authority, and the receipt sits on the file. Once the deed is signed, the keys change hands and the notary arranges registration in the buyer’s name.

4. Power of Attorney and Buying Remotely

Many overseas buyers do not attend in person, and a Portuguese power of attorney granting authority to the buyer’s lawyer is the standard way to handle it. The POA is normally signed at a Portuguese consulate or before a notary in the buyer’s home country and apostilled where required. The lawyer then attends the escritura, signs the deed, accepts the keys and registers the property. Our note on do you need a lawyer to buy property in Portugal covers the wider reasons most overseas buyers use a Portuguese lawyer through the process.

5. Costs Paid on or Around the Day

Several costs land at or just before the escritura. The notary and registration fees, paid through Casa Pronta or directly to the notary, normally sit in the 700 to 1,500 euro range depending on whether a mortgage is being registered. IMT and stamp duty are paid by reference number generated by your lawyer through the Portuguese Tax Authority. Bank charges for the funds transfer, lawyer’s fees and any outstanding currency exchange settlement also fall around the deed. The mortgage drawdown, where one is in place, lands in the seller’s account on the day of the deed.

Common Mistakes

• Booking the deed before the bank has confirmed final mortgage approval and funding date
• Leaving the IMT and stamp duty payment until the morning of the deed rather than the day before
• Travelling to Portugal for the escritura without a translator booked, where one is needed
• Relying on a power of attorney that has not been apostilled or correctly translated
• Assuming the keys transfer at the CPCV rather than at the escritura

Summary

The escritura is the formal close of the purchase, and a well-prepared file makes the day itself short. Documents are read, signatures are taken, IMT and stamp duty are paid, the funds settle and the keys change hands. Most of the work that makes the day go smoothly happens in the weeks beforehand, with the lawyer pulling together the registry, tax and licensing documents. Our deed guide for property in Portugal sets out the wider legal framework, and our note on property law before buying in the Algarve covers the rules behind it.

If you are working towards a deed signing on an Algarve property and want help understanding the day, get in touch with B&P Real Estate. We can help you find the right property and walk you through the moving parts of the purchase, while the legal work and the deed itself sit with your own Portuguese lawyer.