Stamp Duty (Imposto do Selo) is a Portuguese tax charged on certain acts, contracts, documents, financial operations, and specific situations defined by law. It is governed by the Stamp Duty Code (CIS) and the General Stamp Duty Table (TGIS), which lists the taxable events and the applicable rates.
1. Who is subject to Stamp Duty?
Stamp Duty may be due by both:
Individuals (including TI and ENI), and
Legal entities (companies and other organizations).
Whether Stamp Duty applies depends on the type of operation, not on whether the taxpayer is an individual or a company.
2. Obligations for TI and ENI
2.1 Who are they?
TI (Trabalhador Independente): an individual providing services in their own name.
ENI (Empresário em Nome Individual): a business registered under a personal name with a CAE activity code.
2.2 When does Stamp Duty apply?
A TI or ENI should assess whether they carried out any operation subject to Stamp Duty, for example:
Situation | Example | Taxable? |
Issuing a discharge/settlement receipt | Statement that a customer’s debt has been paid | Yes |
Signing a contract | Service agreement or lease contract | Yes |
Issuing a bill of exchange or promissory note | Debt instrument with a due date | Yes |
Private loans | ENI grants or receives a formalized loan | Yes |
2.3 What must they do?
If you carried out a taxable operation:
Submit the Monthly Stamp Duty Return (DMIS — Declaração Mensal do Imposto do Selo) by the 20th of the following month;
Pay the tax due by the same deadline.
If you did not carry out taxable operations, there is no obligation to submit the DMIS.
3. Obligations for companies (corporate entities)
3.1 Who is included?
This includes:
Commercial companies (Lda, SA);
Associations, foundations, cooperatives;
Other legal entities.
3.2 When does Stamp Duty apply?
Companies can be subject to Stamp Duty in many situations, such as:
Situation | Example | Taxable? |
Financing agreements | Shareholder loans or loans from other companies | Yes |
Lease contracts | As landlord or tenant (depending on the case) | Yes |
Capital increases / shareholder contributions (suprimentos) | Funds injected by shareholders | Yes |
Bills of exchange / promissory notes | Issued as guarantees for payments/credit | Yes |
Financial and insurance services | Banking operations, insurance policies | Yes |
3.3 What must the company do?
Submit the DMIS by the 20th of the month following the taxable event;
Pay the tax due within the same deadline;
Keep the documents that created the tax liability.
Companies should ensure operations are correctly classified for tax purposes to avoid penalties.
4. How to know if an operation is taxable
Check the General Stamp Duty Table (TGIS), which specifies:
The type of operation (contract, document, transaction, etc.);
The taxable base (fixed amount or percentage);
The applicable rate.
5. Summary of obligations by taxpayer type
Taxpayer type | When to file DMIS | When to pay | If there is no taxable operation |
TI / ENI | By the 20th of the month after the operation | By the 20th | No filing required |
Company (Lda, SA, etc.) | By the 20th of the month after the operation | By the 20th | No filing required |
6. Additional information
DMIS is submitted via the Portal das Finanças;
Non-compliance may trigger fines and interest;
Responsibility for filing lies with whoever performs the taxable act or issues the taxable document.