What it covers
Legalisation (legalização) licenses what already exists and brings the house into order with the council and the land registry. Architect Ana Pinho handles the process from start to finish: she visits the house, surveys what is there, works out what can be legalised, prepares the project and follows the application with the Câmara Municipal (the municipal council). She works alone, so you deal with her from the first visit to the council’s answer.
The service can include:
- a visit to the house and an accurate survey of what exists;
- a comparison with the approved plans, the tax record and the land registry;
- an analysis of what can be legalised as it stands and what needs to change;
- the legalisation project, submitted to the Câmara Municipal;
- coordination with the specialist projects your case requires;
- following any corrective works.
When legalisation is needed
People often find out a house needs legalising when:
- works were done without a licence, such as an annex, an enclosed balcony, a lean-to or an enlarged room;
- the real house does not match the approved plans or its description in the land registry and the tax record;
- they are selling or taking out a mortgage, and the buyer or the bank asks for the paperwork to be in order;
- they want to do new works and what already exists has to be regularised first.
How it works
- We listen. A conversation about the house and the documents you already have. Ana visits the house in person to see what exists, in Pinhal Novo, across the Setúbal Peninsula and in Lisbon.
- We counsel. A survey of the existing building, compared with the approved plans and the registry. At this stage it becomes clear what can be legalised as it stands and what has to change.
- We solve. The legalisation project, submitted to the Câmara Municipal with the specialist projects and documents your case requires. Ana follows the process and answers the council’s comments.
- We deliver. When the process needs small corrective works, Ana follows them to the end, so the house matches what was approved.
What to gather
- The tax record (caderneta predial) and the land registry certificate (certidão permanente).
- Earlier plans and licences, if they exist, such as the construction or occupancy licence.
- Photographs of the house and of the parts that were changed.
- The approximate dates of the unlicensed works, if you know them.
Timelines and fees
Timelines depend on the case: how much needs legalising, any changes required and how long the Câmara Municipal takes to appraise it. After the visit and the survey, Ana gives you a realistic estimate.
Fees are set for each project in a clear proposal and paid in stages as the work progresses.
Frequently asked questions
Can every house be legalised?
Not always. It depends on the municipal master plan (PDM) and on other constraints on the land, such as the REN or RAN reserves. When what exists does not meet those rules, part of the building may have to be changed or even demolished. The initial analysis exists precisely to find this out before the process starts.
How long does it take?
It depends on the house and on the Câmara Municipal. A simple case moves faster than one that needs changes or opinions from other bodies. At every stage you know what is missing and why.
Can I keep living in the house?
Yes. The survey and the project are done with the house occupied; only corrective works, if any, need some planning.
Did the Simplex Urbanístico reform change anything?
The Simplex Urbanístico (Decree-Law no. 10/2024) has changed several procedures since 2024. That is why the right route for each house is confirmed with the Câmara Municipal of its municipality.
What happens after the council approves?
Once the application is approved, and any corrective works are done, the tax record and the land registry should be updated to match the real house. Ana explains the next steps for your case.
Find out more
Meet architect Ana Pinho and see how a project works. If you also want to enlarge the house, see the extensions page.