Free property georeferencing extended — Portugal to charge €10–€15 from October 2026

A small fee, a big change: what buyers must know now

If you are active in the real estate Portugal market, the new decree that changes cadastral rules will touch almost every transaction involving rural or mixed-use land. The government has extended free georeferencing until 30 September 2026 but has also made georeferenced graphic representation (RGG) mandatory in deeds transferring property rights. That combination improves legal clarity while shifting some administrative cost to buyers and sellers after October.

In this article we examine Decree-Law No. 87/2026, dated 15 April, explain the timetable and fees, and set out a practical checklist for buyers, investors and advisers. Our analysis will help you decide whether to speed up a purchase, budget for new registration costs, or revisit due diligence practices.

What the decree changes: the key legal moves

Decree-Law No. 87/2026 adjusts the legal framework for the simplified cadastral information system and the Single Building Service Desk (BUPi). The main changes are straightforward but consequential for property transactions.

• Free georeferencing extended until 30 September 2026. Rural and mixed-use properties up to 50 hectares stay exempt from fees until that date.
• Fees from 1 October 2026: €15 per RGG from the first to the ninth registration, and €10 per RGG from the tenth registration onwards.
• RGG mandatory in deeds that formalise acts or transactions involving the transfer of property rights (sales, gifts, etc.).
• Special annexation procedure introduced to allow rural properties to be annexed through the BUPi Service Desk.
• Clarified public consultation deadlines and a requirement to update building area data in accordance with the Real Estate Registry Code.

The law also specifies that the RGG replaces the declaration previously issued by a qualified technician, tightening the technical basis for cadastral entries. The overall objective stated by the government is to improve accuracy in boundaries, area and location at the point of transfer.

Timeline and costs: exact dates you must track

Timing matters here. The sequence of deadlines produces a clear window for action.

• Now until 30 September 2026: Free RGG for rural or mixed-use properties up to 50 ha. Use this window if you want to avoid fees.
• From 1 October 2026: Charges apply — €15 per RGG for registrations one through nine; €10 per RGG from the tenth onward.

A few practical points on these numbers:

• The fee is per RGG registration, not a flat per-transaction cost. If a property requires multiple georeferencing acts (for different parcels, annexes or buildings), you may face multiple charges.
• The cost is modest for a single plot but will add up for portfolio deals or complex rural properties with several parcels.

Why georeferencing matters: legal certainty and lender behavior

Making RGG mandatory in deeds is a technical change with legal consequences.

• Georeferencing attaches coordinates and a geospatial graphic to the cadastral record so the exact footprint, boundaries and area are recorded. This reduces ambiguity about the property being transferred.
• For buyers and mortgage lenders, that clarity can lower title risk and speed up registration at the land registry. In our experience, lenders prefer properties with clear cadastral data because it reduces the risk of boundary disputes that could affect collateral values.

That said, accuracy can reveal problems. Cadastral coordinates sometimes expose discrepancies between declared and actual areas or reveal overlapping claims. Those findings can delay closings or trigger renegotiation of price and warranties.

Rural annexation via BUPi: a procedural shortcut

One of the decree's features is a simplified special procedure for annexation of rural properties through the BUPi (Balção Único do Prédio).

• BUPi is the single service desk designed to speed up the regularisation of rural properties and small plots.
• The new special procedure lets owners apply for annexation registrations directly through BUPi, which may be faster than older, fragmented routes.

For owners of farmland or fragmented holdings, annexation can consolidate several plots into a single cadastral unit. That process helps when you want to market a larger contiguous holding or when you need a single title for development or sale.

But be realistic about timing: while the procedure is simplified on paper, BUPi offices may face increased demand as many owners use the free window. Expect administrative queues and prepare for follow-up requests for documentary evidence.

What buyers, sellers and investors should do now: a practical checklist

We lay out steps for different actors. Use this as an operational due diligence list.

For buyers and their lawyers:

• Request the current cadastral RGG status as part of pre-contract due diligence. Confirm whether an RGG exists and, if not, who will obtain it and when.
• If you are mid-transaction, push to have georeferencing registered before 30 September 2026 to avoid fees, when feasible.
• Check for area discrepancies between the cadastral record and the land registry (Conservatória do Registo Predial) as the decree requires alignment with the Real Estate Registry Code.
• Be ready to negotiate price adjustments or warranties if the RGG reveals a smaller area or boundary overlaps.

For sellers and developers:

• Consider ordering georeferencing before marketing a property to provide buyers with cleaner technical data.
• If you manage multiple small plots, calculate the likely RGG charges from 1 October 2026 onward; the per-registration fee may be lower if you group registrations efficiently.

For investors and portfolio buyers:

• Budget for cumulative RGG fees when modelling acquisition costs, particularly for rural portfolios with many cadastral parcels.
• Factor in possible delays if large numbers of plots are submitted for georeferencing near the free deadline.

For mortgage lenders and valuers:

• Update lending checklists to require RGG documentation in the loan file for properties subject to the new rule.
• Valuers should confirm the recorded area and adjust valuations where cadastral findings reduce usable land area.

Due diligence: technical and legal items to verify

Detailed checks will reduce surprises at closing.

• Confirm whether an RGG exists, and if so, obtain the georeferenced graphic and geographic coordinates.
• Verify that building areas recorded in the cadastre match entries in the land registry and that they conform to the Real Estate Registry Code.
• Ask whether any previous declarations by a qualified technician have been replaced by RGG entries; obtain copies of historic declarations when possible.
• In rural transactions, verify contiguous ownership and any pending annexation applications at BUPi.
• Check if any public consultation deadlines apply to the property and whether those consultations have been completed.

Likely market impacts: clarity, costs and a possible short-term bottleneck

From an investor angle, the law has mixed effects.

• Positive: Greater cadastral accuracy increases legal certainty and reduces title risk over time.