Journey · Door 05 · LDA

The Portuguese company journey

From a NIF to a registered LDA with a NIPC, in five steps. State fees are paid separately in EUR.

Incorporate, $1,190 See the map

BOCEAN IMMIGRATION PORTUGAL, LDA · NIPC 519043731 · Pay by Stripe

You get: A registered LDA with a NIPC, VAT and Social Security set up
Who decides: The IRN, through the RNPC and the commercial registry
Timing: About 10 business days with both State steps on urgent. 4 to 6 weeks at normal speeds
Reside fee: $1,190, in USD. State fees 295 to 590 euros, in EUR
Not included: Notary fees, translations, the accountant

Journey map

The whole path, in order

Five steps. You choose the State speed in step 3.

01Start and detailsDay 1You
02NIF and capitalDays 1 to 3Reside
03Name reservationDays 3 to 8 on urgentReside
04Articles and notaryDays 6 to 9Reside
05NIPC and set-upDays 8 to 14Reside

See how a case looks in your client area

Step by step

What happens at each step

Start and details

You

Day 1

What happens: You open the file with the founders' details.
What you do: Send up to 3 candidate names and your planned activity. Sign the power of attorney in the portal.
What Reside does: We open the case and check what is needed.
Documents: Passport copy for each founder. Power of attorney.
What can slow it down: Signing late.
In your client area: Received Your answers are on file.

NIF and capital

Reside

Days 1 to 3

What happens: Each founder gets a NIF. We open a temporary bank account for the 1 euro share capital.
What you do: Send each founder's passport. If you already have a NIF, send it.
What Reside does: We obtain each founder's NIF first, with 1 year of fiscal representation, and prepare the account.
What the authority does: The tax authority issues the NIF. A bank holds the share capital.
What can slow it down: A founder without a NIF yet.
In your client area: Signed The power of attorney shows as signed.

Name reservation

Reside Authority

Days 3 to 8 on urgent

What happens: We submit up to 3 candidate names and your activity code to the RNPC for the certificate of admissibility.
What you do: Pay the RNPC State fee through the separate EUR payment link in your portal.
What Reside does: We submit the request and attach the official receipt to your portal.
What the authority does: The RNPC, part of the IRN, issues the certificate of admissibility. €75 normal (about 1 month) or €150 urgent (about 5 business days).
What can slow it down: Names that are not admissible. This is why we submit up to 3.
In your client area: The receipt is in your documents.

Articles and notary

Reside Authority

Days 6 to 9

What happens: We draft the articles of association, sign at the notary for you and file at the commercial registry.
What you do: Pay the commercial registry State fee through the EUR link. Notary fees are settled at the notary.
What Reside does: We draft the articles in Portuguese and English and sign at the notary in Lisbon under your power of attorney.
What the authority does: A notary witnesses the signing. The commercial registry receives the filing. €220 normal (about 1 month) or €440 urgent (about 1 week).
What can slow it down: Choosing normal speed adds weeks.
In your client area: Filed The articles are in your documents.

NIPC and set-up

Reside Authority

Days 8 to 14

What happens: The IRN issues the NIPC. We register the company for VAT and Social Security and activate the Caixa Postal.
What you do: Nothing to do. Choose an accountant, which every LDA needs.
What Reside does: We register for VAT and Social Security, activate the Caixa Postal Digital (6 months included) and introduce a partner accountant.
What the authority does: The IRN issues the NIPC. The tax authority and Social Security register the company.
What can slow it down: Registrations that wait on the NIPC.
In your client area: Your company's details and documents are in your case.

Documents

What we ask for

Each founder needs a NIF. If you do not have one, we obtain it first.

Documents for this journey
Document	What it is for	Where you get it	Format	Starts as
Passport copy, each founder	Identity and NIF.	Your country's passport office	PDF or photo	Missing
NIF, each founder	Needed before the company can be registered.	Obtained by Reside if you have none	PDF or photo	Prepared by Reside
Candidate names, up to 3	For the RNPC certificate of admissibility.	Your own choice	PDF or photo	Missing
Planned activity	Becomes the activity code on the registration.	Your own plan	PDF or photo	Missing
Power of attorney	Lets us sign at the notary and file for you.	Prepared by Reside, signed in the portal	PDF or photo	Prepared by Reside
Certified translations	Only if documents are not in English or Portuguese.	Arranged at your request, billed at cost	PDF or photo	Missing

Costs

Who you pay, and for what

Two payers besides us. The State is paid by a separate link in EUR.

Reside fee

$1,190 in USD, one flat fee
NIF for each founder with 1 year of fiscal representation
Name reservation, articles in 2 languages, notary signing
NIPC, VAT and Social Security
Caixa Postal Digital, 6 months included
12 months of case management

Government and official fees

RNPC certificate: €75 normal or €150 urgent
Commercial registry: €220 normal or €440 urgent
Total State fees: €295 to €590, with the pre-approved articles (own articles: registry €360 or €720 urgent)

Third parties

Notary fees, about 100 to 180 euros
Certified translations if needed
Accountant, typically 120 to 250 euros per month
Caixa Postal Digital after 6 months: $49.99 per month

Timeline

From NIF to NIPC

The authority sets the pace. You choose normal or urgent at each State step.

Days 1 to 3NIF and capital
Each founder needs a NIF first.
Days 3 to 8 (urgent)Name reservation
About 5 business days urgent, about 1 month normal.
Days 6 to 9 (urgent)Articles and notary
About 1 week urgent, about 1 month normal.
Days 8 to 14 (urgent)NIPC and set-up
About 10 business days in total with both steps urgent. Normal speeds: 4 to 6 weeks.

What comes next

What most people do next

D2 founder visa if you want residency through the company.
IFICI tax registration if you qualify. Your own LDA can be the qualifying entity.
Lisbon address and mail as the registered office, with the tax authority's letters scanned in the portal.

Honest risks

What most often goes wrong

Skipping the accountant. Every LDA needs a certified accountant, and ours is not included.
Choosing normal speed and expecting two weeks.
Names that are not admissible. Send up to 3.
Treating the LDA as a visa. It is not. The D2 is sold separately.
Forgetting the Caixa Postal after the first 6 months. It renews at $49.99 per month and we email you 14 days before.

Glossary

Words you will see

LDA: Sociedade por quotas, Portugal's most common limited-liability company.
NIPC: The company tax number.
RNPC: The national registry of legal persons, which approves the company name.
IRN: The institute that runs the registries.
Caixa Postal Digital: The electronic mailbox for official notices from public bodies.
Sede social: The registered office.

Questions

About this journey

Can I be the only partner?

Yes. A sociedade unipessoal por quotas has one partner. Minimum capital is 1 euro.

Do I need to live in Portugal?

No. Non-residents can own and manage an LDA. Each founder needs a NIF first.

Why a separate EUR link for State fees?

Our fee is in USD. The IRN charges in EUR. We invoice the State fees separately at the published amount and attach the official receipt.

Does the LDA include a D2 visa?

No. They are sold separately and pair well.

Who does the accounting?

A certified accountant, billed directly by them. We introduce a partner accountant.

Back to the service page

Open door 05

Your company, registered and ready to trade

A Portuguese limited company, from NIF to NIPC.

Incorporate, $1,190