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Short-term rentals in Portugal, in short: the sector’s strategy to 2035 has not changed a single rule yet. It is a proposal, presented in Porto on 7 and 8 October together with the working draft of a White Paper that will only be finished in 2027.
In your building, the regime revised in 2024 still applies: the condominium does not authorise an AL (Alojamento Local, the licensed short-term rental), except a hostel, but it can object by more than half of the permillage (each unit’s ‰ share of the building) if there is repeated disturbance, ban new registrations by two-thirds and set a contribution of up to 30% of the fee. We explain what is debate and what you can already use at the next owners’ meeting.
In short
- Short-term rentals in Portugal: the strategy to 2035 is a sector proposal, not law; the final White Paper is due in 2027.
- The condominium does not authorise the opening of an AL, except for a hostel.
- Banning AL in the building rules requires two-thirds of the permillage and only applies to registrations applied for after the decision.
- Objecting to a specific AL requires more than half of the permillage and repeated, proven disturbance; the mayor decides.
- The condominium can set an additional contribution of up to 30% of the unit’s annual fee, if it votes for it and justifies it.
- Since 20 May 2026, EU transparency rules apply to short-term rental platforms.
Short-term rentals in Portugal: what was presented in Porto?
The 1st National Alojamento Local Summit took place on 7 and 8 October 2026 at the Batalha Centro de Cinema in Porto. It was organised by the sector’s association for Porto and the North, with the support of Porto City Council, the Porto and North tourism board and CCDR-Norte (the regional development commission). According to the organisers, it brought together more than 200 participants and more than 40 speakers across six panels: from urban regeneration to the housing crisis, AL in Europe, tourism and housing, territory and sustainability, and skills and innovation. The closing session was called «Vision 2035 for Alojamento Local in Portugal».
The SAPO/Publituris report of 14 October sums up the conclusions in four ideas: legislative predictability, valuing the human factor, rigorous management and territorial decentralisation. The head of the European Commission’s Housing Task Force argued for regulation that is «data-based, proportionate and adapted» to each area, as idealista reports.
The central document is the Alojamento Local White Paper (Livro Branco). For now it is a working draft. According to Observador/Lusa, it is open to contributions until the end of 2026 and the final version should come out in the second quarter of 2027, coordinated by the economist Manuel Caldeira Cabral.
Important: it is worth saying what did not happen: the sources we consulted show no numerical targets for 2035 and no draft bill with legal wording. The «strategy to 2035» is, for now, a set of guidelines.
Sector proposal or law in force: what is the difference for the condominium?
At the owners’ meeting (assembleia de condóminos), what counts for short-term rentals in Portugal is the law. The conclusions of a summit may influence a future revision, but they are not grounds for a decision or for refusing to pay.
| Topic | What the sector proposes or debates | What applies in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AL rules | Legislative predictability and rules adapted to each area | Decree-Law 128/2014, as amended by Decree-Law 76/2024 |
| Housing | AL alone does not explain the housing crisis (position put forward at the summit) | Municipalities can create containment and sustainable growth areas |
| Data | Data-based regulation | EU transparency rules apply from 20 May 2026 |
| Territory | Taking tourism beyond city centres | Each câmara (town hall) decides in its municipal regulation |
| Condominium | Not a central theme of the published conclusions | Objection, future ban, contribution of up to 30%, insurance and emergency contact |
A note on the summit’s figures. Caldeira Cabral said that construction fell from 85,000–120,000 homes a year to 7,000–8,000 and has recovered to around 30,000, according to Opção Turismo. These are figures presented in a debate, not official conclusions.
Short-term rentals in Portugal in a condominium: what does the law say?
The regime for short-term rentals in Portugal is in Decree-Law 128/2014, last amended by Decree-Law 76/2024 of 23 October. That law repealed several measures of the Mais Habitação housing package: the suspension of new registrations in flats, the five-year validity of registrations, compulsory condominium authorisation (except for hostels) and the extraordinary contribution on AL, as summarised by Turismo de Portugal.
In 2026, in a building under horizontal property (propriedade horizontal), four basic rules remain:
- No condominium authorisation is needed to open a flat as AL. The exception is a hostel: the prior notification must include the minutes of the owners’ meeting authorising it (art. 6(2)(f)).
- AL is not a «different use» of the unit for the purposes of article 1422 of the Civil Code (art. 6-B(4)). So it cannot be challenged on the argument that the unit is «for housing».
- The deed of horizontal property (título constitutivo) or the building rules can ban AL. If the ban is created or changed later, it requires two-thirds of the building’s permillage and only applies going forward: it covers registration applications made after the decision (art. 6-B(5)). AL units already registered do not close because of it.
- The operator is liable for guests. They are jointly liable for any damage guests cause to the building (art. 13-A(1)).
If you are comparing AL with long-term letting, our article traditional letting or alojamento local (in Portuguese) sets out the basics of that choice. It dates from 2025 and does not reflect all these changes. For day-to-day life with guests, see the practical guide to AL in condominiums (in Portuguese).
How does an objection by more than half of the permillage work?
This is the most misunderstood tool in the rules on short-term rentals in Portugal. Since 2024, the owners’ meeting no longer cancels the registration. It can object to the AL in a specific unit, with a reasoned decision approved by more than half of the building’s permillage. There must be a repeated and proven pattern of acts that disturb the normal use of the building or cause nuisance and affect the owners’ rest (art. 9(2)).
From then on, the process moves to the câmara:
- the owners’ meeting sends the decision to the mayor and asks for a ruling;
- the mayor may invite the parties to reach an agreement, with the AL ombudsman if the municipality has one; this procedure ends within 60 days with a final report (nos. 12 and 13);
- if there is no agreement, the mayor decides, after hearing the operator;
- if the registration is cancelled on these grounds, the unit can be barred from operating as AL, whoever the operator is, for a period set in the decision, of up to five years (no. 8).
In practice, evidence decides: police reports, dated complaints, noise records, emails to the administrator. Minutes that simply say «the owners do not want AL» are not enough. To count the permillage correctly, see our guide to majorities in owners’ meetings.
Fees, a contribution of up to 30% and insurance: what can the condominium require?
Additional contribution. Article 20-A allows the condominium to set a contribution for the costs of the increased use of common parts, capped at 30% of the unit’s annual fee (quota), voted under article 1424 of the Civil Code. It is not automatic and it is not a fine. For example, with an annual fee of €600, the maximum would be €180 a year, and only if the decision is valid and the extra cost is justified.
Insurance. The operator must hold third-party liability insurance with minimum cover of €75,000 per claim. In a building under horizontal property, they must also prove they have insurance against fire damage in the unit or originating from it (art. 13-A(2), (3) and (5)). Without valid insurance, the registration can be cancelled. Do not confuse this with the building’s own insurance: see our article on multi-risk condominium insurance.
Contact and noise. The owners’ meeting can require, by a majority of the votes representing the capital invested, that each AL has a permanent emergency phone number, given to the owners (art. 9(10)). The operator must display inside the unit the quiet hours under the General Noise Regulation (no. 11).
Normal fee. It is still due like that of any other unit, in proportion to the permillage, unless the deed or the building rules say otherwise.
Which EU rules have applied since 20 May 2026?
The European side of the summit is not theoretical. Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 has applied since 20 May 2026, as the European Commission announced. Where registration is compulsory, platforms must display and check the registration number, carry out random checks and send monthly data on stays and nights to the authorities. The authorities can ask for illegal listings to be removed.
For short-term rentals in Portugal, the relevant number is the one from the RNAL (Registo Nacional de Alojamento Local, the national register), which already had to appear in adverts. For the condominium, this helps confirm whether a unit with guests is registered: the RNAL can be searched by the public.
What does predictability mean for anyone investing in short-term rentals in Portugal?
The call for «legislative predictability» has a reason. Between 2023 and 2024, AL went through suspensions, expiries, an extraordinary contribution and then the repeal of most of those measures. Today, most decisions sit with the câmaras. In municipalities with more than 1,000 registrations, the municipal assembly must decide expressly, within 12 months, whether to approve its own regulation (art. 4(6)). Containment and sustainable growth areas are reviewed at least every three years (art. 15-A).
In Lisbon, the effect is already visible. According to data from a residents’ association reported by Observador/Lusa, the city has 11,704 AL units, 37% fewer than in 2025. At the start of the year, the council cancelled 6,765 registrations for lack of the compulsory insurance. Anyone who lost their registration and left the home closed has another problem, which we explain in our article «Cancelled AL and a closed-up home: when the unit becomes vacant and IMI can rise».
For investors in short-term rentals in Portugal, the prudent reading is simple. The strategy to 2035 may steer the debate, but it does not guarantee stable rules. What protects the investment is complying with what already exists: insurance up to date, registration current, the municipal regulation known and a good relationship with the condominium.
Short-term rentals in Portugal: checklist for the next owners' meeting
If you are an owner or manage the building:
- Check the deed and the building rules: is there any clause on AL?
- Check in the RNAL which units are registered.
- If you want to ban new AL, put the item on the agenda and count two-thirds of the building’s permillage.
- If there is disturbance, gather dated evidence before voting on an objection (more than half of the permillage).
- For the contribution of up to 30%, prepare the extra cost and the criteria before the vote.
- Approve the permanent emergency contact by a majority of the capital invested.
If you run an AL in the building:
- Send the administrator proof of insurance and the emergency contact.
- Display the quiet hours and the building rules in the unit.
- Check that the registration number appears in every listing.
- Read your municipality’s regulation and its review dates.
Condoroo keeps minutes, permillages, contacts and proof of insurance in one place. So when the topic reaches the owners’ meeting, the decision rests on documents rather than impressions.
How can you contribute to the White Paper before the end of 2026?
The preliminary version of the White Paper is available on the summit’s website, which also has the video summary of the event. According to Observador, contributions are accepted until the end of 2026. Administrators and owners have an opportunity here: the condominium side barely features in the published conclusions. Examples of evidence, extra costs or agreements that worked are exactly the kind of data that «data-based» regulation needs.
Conclusion
For short-term rentals in Portugal, the strategy to 2035 is a starting point for debate, not a change in the rules. Until there is a new law, the building decides with what already exists: a ban for the future by two-thirds, an objection by more than half of the permillage when disturbance is proven, a well-justified contribution of up to 30%, insurance and an emergency contact. Those who prepare their minutes and documents today will reach 2027 better prepared, whatever the final version of the White Paper.
Short-term rentals in Portugal: frequently asked questions
Is the Alojamento Local strategy to 2035 already law?
No. It is a set of guidelines presented by the sector at the 1st National Alojamento Local Summit on 7 and 8 October 2026, with the working draft of a White Paper. The final version is due in 2027. In 2026, Decree-Law 128/2014, as amended by Decree-Law 76/2024, still applies.
Does the condominium have to authorise an AL in the building?
As a rule, no. Compulsory condominium authorisation was repealed in 2024, except for hostels, which need minutes of the owners’ meeting authorising them. The deed of horizontal property or the building rules can, however, ban AL.
What majority is needed to ban short-term rentals in a building?
Two-thirds of the building’s permillage, to create or amend the building rules for that purpose. The ban only applies going forward: it covers registration applications made after the decision, not AL units already registered.
Can the owners' meeting close an AL that disturbs the building?
Not directly. It can object with a reasoned decision approved by more than half of the permillage, if there is repeated and proven disturbance. The mayor decides and may first try to reach an agreement. If the registration is cancelled, the unit can be barred from AL for up to five years.
Can the condominium charge more to a unit used as AL?
It can set an additional contribution of up to 30% of the unit’s annual fee, for the costs of the increased use of common parts. It must be voted under article 1424 of the Civil Code. It is not automatic and it is not a fine, and the normal fee is still due.
What insurance must an AL in a condominium have?
Third-party liability insurance with minimum cover of €75,000 per claim and, in buildings under horizontal property, insurance covering fire damage in the unit or originating from it. Without valid insurance, the câmara can cancel the registration.
Short-term rentals in Portugal: what changed with the EU rules of 20 May?
Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 started to apply. Where registration is compulsory, platforms must display and check the registration number, carry out random checks and share monthly data with the authorities, who can ask for illegal listings to be removed.
