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When you buy a flat in a Portuguese building, one number will follow your unit through every decision and every bill: its permillage. It decides how much you pay in service charges, how much you contribute to works and how many votes you have at the general meeting. Even so, many owners have never looked it up. In this guide we explain what permillage is, where it is recorded, how it is used to calculate charges and votes, with examples, and when it can be changed under the law in force in 2026.
In short
- Permillage is the relative value of each unit, expressed per thousand (‰) or as a percentage of the building’s total value.
- It is set in the deed constituting the horizontal property (article 1418 of the Civil Code).
- It determines each owner’s share of common expenses (article 1424) and number of votes at the meeting (article 1430).
- It can only be changed with the agreement of all owners, by public deed or authenticated private document (article 1419).
- 1‰ equals 0.1%; a unit with 85‰ pays 8.5% of the expenses shared by permillage.
What permillage means
Permillage means “per thousand”. Just as a percentage divides a whole into 100 parts, permillage divides it into 1,000. In horizontal property, the whole is the total value of the building, and each unit is given a share of that value. The Civil Code requires this expressly:
«1 – No título constitutivo serão especificadas as partes do edifício correspondentes às várias fracções, por forma que estas fiquem devidamente individualizadas, e será fixado o valor relativo de cada fracção, expresso em percentagem ou permilagem, do valor total do prédio.» — Civil Code, article 1418(1)
In plain English: the constituting deed must identify each unit and give it a relative value, as a percentage or per thousand of the whole building. If this is missing, the deed is void (article 1418(3)). That is why every unit in a building under horizontal property has a permillage, and why the total must always add up to 1,000‰, or 100%.
Where to find your unit's permillage
- The constituting deed of the horizontal property, usually a public deed or authenticated private document.
- The land registry certificate for the unit, which you can request from the land registry services.
- The condominium administrator, who uses the permillage to calculate charges and the voting table.
If the figures do not match, the constituting deed prevails. Ask the administrator to correct the charges table.
How permillage is set
The law does not impose a single formula. Whoever creates the horizontal property, usually the developer, sets the relative value of each unit taking into account factors such as floor area, position in the building, floor level, sun exposure or areas for exclusive use. Two units with the same floor area can have different permillages. A shop on the ground floor with its own street entrance, for example, may carry a higher value than a flat of the same size.
What permillage is used for
Service charges and common expenses
Unless otherwise agreed, the costs of maintaining and using the common parts and paying for shared services are split in proportion to the value of the units (article 1424(1)). There are exceptions: lift costs are only paid by the units the lift can serve, and common parts that serve only some owners are paid for by those owners. Since 2022, the building’s regulations can provide for certain shared services to be paid in equal parts or according to use, if approved without opposition by the required majority (paragraph 2).
The common reserve fund
The minimum 10% contribution to the reserve fund is calculated on each owner’s share of the other expenses, so it also follows permillage (article 4 of Decree-Law 268/94).
Votes at the general meeting
Each owner has as many votes as the whole units contained in their permillage (article 1430(2)). Majorities at the meeting are therefore counted by value, not by head. Read more about majorities in general meeting decisions.
Worked examples
Monthly charge. A building approves an annual budget of €24,000 for expenses shared by permillage. Unit A has 85‰.
- Annual share: €24,000 × 85 / 1,000 = €2,040.
- Monthly charge: €2,040 / 12 = €170.
- Reserve fund (10%): €17 a month, on top of the €170.
Votes. At a meeting, unit A has 85 votes. A decision that requires two thirds of the building’s total value needs at least 667 votes in favour (two thirds of 1,000).
| Unit | Permillage | Share of expenses | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 85‰ | 8.5% | 85 |
| B | 120‰ | 12% | 120 |
| C (shop) | 150‰ | 15% | 150 |
| Others | 645‰ | 64.5% | 645 |
| Total | 1,000‰ | 100% | 1,000 |
Illustrative figures, only to explain the calculation.
See the full calculation in how the monthly condominium fee is calculated.
Can permillage be changed?
Permillage is part of the constituting deed and can only be changed by amending the deed:
- By public deed or authenticated private document, with the agreement of all owners (article 1419(1)).
- The administrator may sign the deed on behalf of the condominium, if the agreement is recorded in minutes signed by all the owners (paragraph 3).
- The court cannot replace a missing agreement where the change would alter the relative value of the units.
When units are joined or divided, the permillage of the resulting units must also be set. See joining and separating units.
Common mistakes about permillage
Confusing floor area with permillage. Permillage reflects the relative value of each unit set in the deed; it does not have to match the proportion of floor areas.
Thinking the regulations can change permillage. The condominium’s regulations do not amend the deed. What the law allows is for certain shared services to be paid in equal parts or according to use, if the regulations say so, approved without opposition by a majority of owners representing a majority of the building’s value, with specified and justified criteria (article 1424(2)).
Believing interior works change permillage. Renovating a kitchen or joining rooms inside a unit does not change the relative value set in the deed.
Forgetting the exceptions. Only owners whose units can be served by the lift pay for it (paragraph 4), and common parts used exclusively by some owners are paid for by those owners (paragraph 3).
Owner's checklist
- I know my unit’s permillage and where it is recorded.
- I have checked that the condominium’s charges table uses the correct permillage.
- I know which exceptions (lift, areas for exclusive use) apply to my unit.
- I know how many votes I have at the general meeting.
- Before buying, I asked for the land registry certificate and the statement of debts to the condominium.
How Condoroo helps
Condoroo manages more than 600 condominiums, including buildings with more than 300 units, with a team of more than 20 professionals. Every building’s bank account is in the condominium’s name, and our plans start at €6.50 per unit per month. If you are unsure whether your charges reflect the correct permillage, ask your administrator for the charges table and compare it with the constituting deed.
Permillage in a condominium: frequently asked questions
What is a unit's permillage?
It is the unit’s relative value compared with the total value of the building, expressed in thousandths (‰). All the units together add up to 1,000‰.
Where can I find the permillage of my flat?
In the constituting deed of the horizontal property and in the unit’s land registry certificate. The administrator also has it.
How do I work out my service charge from the permillage?
Multiply the total expenses shared by permillage by your unit’s value and divide by 1,000. Then add the reserve fund contribution.
Does permillage determine my votes at the meeting?
Yes. Each owner has as many votes as the whole units in their permillage (article 1430 of the Civil Code).
Can I ask for the permillage to be changed?
Only with the agreement of all owners, by public deed or authenticated private document (article 1419).
Can two units with the same floor area have different permillages?
Yes. Permillage can reflect position, floor level, exposure or areas for exclusive use, not just floor area.
This article is for information only and does not replace legal advice on your specific case. Legislation checked on 26 October 2026.
