What is a Portuguese LDA?
An LDA (Sociedade por Quotas — literally "company by quotas") is Portugal's most common type of limited-liability company, equivalent to a US LLC, UK Ltd, or German GmbH. Minimum share capital is €1 (yes, one euro). It can have 1+ partners (sócios), one managing partner (sócio-gerente), and is taxed at 19% corporate tax (CIT) with a reduced 15% reduced rate on the first €50,000 of profit for SMEs.
How long does it take to incorporate?
Approximately 10 business days with the government's express urgency procedure (which carries a State urgency fee). Step 1: name reservation at RNPC (1–5 days). Step 2: articles of association drafting and notary signature (3–5 days). Step 3: NIPC issuance + VAT and social-security setup (1–3 days). Step 4: Caixa Postal Digital activation. The whole process is 100% remote — we sign at the notary on your behalf under Power of Attorney.
What are the State (IRN) fees on top of $690?
Portuguese Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN) charges two fees, each with a normal or urgent option. (1) Certificate of admissibility at RNPC: €75 normal (~1 month) or €150 urgent (~5 business days). (2) Commercial registry: €220 normal (~1 month) or €440 urgent (~1 week). You pick the speed for each step in our configurator before checkout. Total range: €295 (both normal) to €590 (both urgent). We pay the State on your behalf and invoice the exact amount back to you in EUR via a separate Stripe link.
Does the LDA include a D2 visa?
No — those are sold separately, though they pair perfectly. The D2 (entrepreneur visa) requires a Portuguese company or a viable business plan. If you bundle D2 + LDA in our configurator, you save vs buying them separately. After the LDA is set up and the D2 visa is issued, you also qualify for IFICI — Portugal's 20% flat tax for high-skill activities.
Can I be the sole partner?
Yes. Portugal allows a Single-Member Sociedade Unipessoal (Sociedade Unipessoal por Quotas) — same legal form, single sócio. We typically advise founders to start as Unipessoal and add a second partner later if needed (it's a 1-week change at the registry). Minimum share capital remains €1.
What about ongoing accounting and tax filings?
Not included in our $690 setup fee. Portugal requires every LDA to have a Contabilista Certificado (CC) — a certified accountant who files monthly VAT, quarterly corporate tax and annual returns. After incorporation we connect you to a vetted Portuguese partner accountant who invoices you directly (typically €120–€250/month depending on transaction volume). We never bill or run the ongoing service ourselves.
What is the Caixa Postal Digital and why is it required?
The Caixa Postal Eletrónica (CPE) is Portugal's official digital mailbox where tax authority (AT), Social Security, AIMA and other public bodies deliver legal notifications. For Portuguese companies it is effectively mandatory. We set up your company's CPE and cover the first 6 months. After that it auto-renews at $49.99/month charged to the same card. We email you 14 days before the first $49.99 charge, and you can cancel anytime from your client portal.
Can my LDA hire employees?
Yes. Once incorporated and registered with Social Security (included in our setup), the LDA can hire Portuguese or foreign employees. Social Security contributions for an employer are ~23.75% of gross salary. Your partner accountant handles payroll filings. If hiring foreign employees, we can also assist with their work-visa applications (D3 visa for highly-qualified workers).
