VAT representation · for non-EU residents with a Portuguese NIF
VAT representative in Portugal for non-EU residents: a free review first, one yearly price after.
For you if you live outside the EU, already have a Portuguese NIF, and are starting or running an activity in Portugal that charges VAT. Most often that’s an Alojamento Local flat or freelance work.
Portuguese VAT law says you need a VAT representative (representante fiscal para efeitos de IVA). A partner Portuguese accountant reviews your case for free first. If they can take you on, you get one yearly price before you pay anything.
Free. No card, no documents. You only need your NIF to hand.
Free
assessment by a partner accountant, before you pay anything.
1 yearly price
setup included, quoted after the accountant’s review.
7,200+
expats have trusted Novomove with their move to Portugal.
Who needs one
“I already have a tax representative for my NIF. Isn't that enough?”
Not once you start an activity that charges VAT.
A NIF tax representative is a licensed Portuguese lawyer registered on your NIF. Their Portuguese address becomes your tax address, so official letters from Finanças reach them and are forwarded to you, including the ones that still only go out by post. That’s our NIF tax representative service. It doesn’t cover VAT.
A VAT representative is a different role, usually taken on by an accountant. Under article 30 of the Portuguese VAT Code, someone who lives outside the EU and runs a taxable activity in Portugal has to appoint one. The representative is jointly liable for your VAT. If it goes unpaid, the tax office can ask them for it.
So an accountant won’t take on just anyone. That’s why this service starts with a free review instead of a checkout.
If you live in another EU country, a VAT representative is optional. You can register for VAT in Portugal and file the returns yourself. If you’d rather have an accountant take it on, fill in the form and you’ll get a quote.
If you don’t have a NIF yet, that comes first. Get your NIF online with us, then come back.
If it’s for a company, this assessment is for individuals. Message us in the chat and we’ll tell you what applies.
How it works, from the free assessment to registration.
You don’t pay and you don’t send documents until the accountant says yes.
- You fill in the free assessment. Questions only, about where you live, your activity, when it starts and the income you expect.
- A partner accountant reviews your answers. If they need to know more, they ask you in your Novomove ticket.
- You get an answer and a yearly price. Or a no, with the reason.
- If you go ahead, you pay through Novomove. Then you verify your ID online and e-sign two documents: the accountant's engagement letter and a power of attorney.
- You upload the documents on the accountant's checklist. Usually your passport, proof of address, proof of where you pay tax, and anything about your activity, such as your AL registration. The accountant checks them.
- The accountant registers as your VAT representative at Finanças. You get the confirmation in your order.
- Every year, we send you the renewal. If you stop your activity or don't renew, the accountant formally steps down at Finanças.
Have your Portal das Finanças login to hand. The form asks whether you can log in and whether two-factor authentication is switched on. The accountant needs to know before planning the registration.
Already have a VAT representative? Say so in the form. Changing to a new one is part of the quote.
What the free assessment asks.
Questions only. You don't upload anything at this stage.
- Your nationality, and the country where you pay income tax
- Your NIF, and whether it has a tax representative now
- Your activity: Alojamento Local, freelance work or something else, in your own words
- Whether the activity is already open at Finanças, and when it starts
- The yearly income you expect, as a rough estimate
- Who will issue your receipts and keep your books
- Whether you have a VAT representative now or had one before
- Any tax debts or open issues with Finanças
- Whether you can log in to Portal das Finanças, and whether two-factor authentication is on
We share your answers with the partner accountant so they can review your case. Nothing else.
The price
“Why can't I just see a price and pay?”
Because the price depends on your case, and so does the yes.
The accountant shares the liability for your VAT. So before they quote, they look at your activity, the income you expect and how many bookings or invoices you’ll have. One AL flat with a handful of bookings a year is a different job from a busy freelance business.
You get one yearly price for the representation, setup included. You see it before you pay anything.
Who files your VAT returns? Your VAT representative can file them for you, as a separate service with its own fee. You keep issuing your own receipts and send them to the accountant every month. You see both prices before you pay.
VAT returns
Add monthly VAT returns, filed by the same accountant.
Once the accountant is your VAT representative, you still have VAT returns to file. You can file them yourself, or the accountant can do it for you as a monthly add-on.
If the accountant files them:
- Every month, you send your receipts in your Novomove order thread.
- The accountant checks them and files your VAT return when it’s due.
- You get a copy of each return and the amount of VAT to pay. You pay it yourself.
You keep issuing your own receipts. You see the monthly price next to the representation price before you pay anything.
Not part of it: your income tax return (IRS) and paying the VAT. We can file your IRS return as a separate service.
Honest scope
What's included, and what isn't.
What's included
- A free review of your case by a partner Portuguese accountant
- One yearly price, setup included, before you pay
- The engagement letter and power of attorney, ready for you to e-sign
- Online ID verification
- Your documents checked by the accountant
- The accountant registered as your VAT representative at Finanças
- Questions answered in your Novomove order thread, by our team and the accountant
- Yearly renewal reminders, and a formal withdrawal at Finanças if you stop
What isn't
- Your NIF. If you don't have one, get it first.
- Opening your activity at Finanças. Freelancers can order that separately.
- Your Alojamento Local registration.
- Filing your VAT returns. That's a separate service from the same accountant, priced with your quote.
- Bookkeeping and invoicing, unless your quote includes it.
- Your income tax return (IRS). We can file it as a separate service.
- Paying your VAT. That stays with you.
The accountant decides whether to take on your case. We can’t promise a yes, and we can’t change what Finanças decides.
Trusted by 7,200+ expats worldwide
Trusted by Thousands: Our 5-Star Reviews
Good from start to finish
“Friendly, patient, and they broke the process into steps I could follow without a law degree. Questions got answered same-day every time. If you're weighing up whether to use a service like this, use this one.”
Dom A– Verified client
Mariana knows her stuff
“Mariana was thorough and easy to talk to. She covered things I hadn't thought to ask about. Two of my cousins are making the same move next spring and they're booking with her.”
Deborah Hartnett– Verified client
No complaints at all
“Smooth the whole way through. You always know which stage you're at and what's needed from you, and the instructions don't leave room for misreading. Money well spent.”
Matteo Ferrara– Verified client
Fast and genuinely informative
“They got me through the NIF and then helped me reset my password and update my contact details on the tax portal, which I'd have never worked out alone. Answers came back fast and they made sure I knew where to go if I got stuck. NIF arrived quicker than I expected. I'll use them again for the next step.”
Renee Coulthard– Verified client · NIF & tax portal
Two years in and still glad I picked them
“I've been with Novomove about two years now. Things get done when they say they'll get done, I'm never left wondering what's happening, and they follow up without me having to chase.”
Marisol Jenkins– Verified client
Collected directly from our clients after their service is complete. Read all reviews →
FAQ
VAT representation questions people ask before the assessment.
Is the assessment really free?
Yes. No card and no documents. If the accountant can’t take you on, you’ve paid nothing and shared nothing beyond your answers to the form.
Do I need a VAT representative for an Alojamento Local flat?
If you live outside the EU and run an AL activity in Portugal, you most likely do. The accountant confirms it for your case when they review your answers.
What's the difference between a NIF representative and a VAT representative?
A NIF tax representative is a licensed Portuguese lawyer registered on your NIF, so official letters from Finanças reach a Portuguese address and are forwarded to you. A VAT representative takes on your VAT obligations with you and is jointly liable for your VAT. Our NIF tax representative service doesn’t cover VAT.
I already have a VAT representative. Can I change?
Yes. Say so in the form. The accountant plans the change as part of your quote.
Can my own accountant be my VAT representative?
Yes, if they agree to. Many won’t, because the representative is jointly liable for your VAT. If yours says no, or you don’t have one, that’s what this service is for.
Who files my VAT returns?
Your VAT representative can file them for you. It’s a separate service with its own fee, and you see both prices before you pay.
You keep issuing your own receipts. Every month, you send them to the accountant, who files your return when it’s due.
Who will I be dealing with?
Our team and the accountant, in one place: your Novomove order thread. The accountant can message you there directly. Our team handles payments, renewals and reminders.
What happens if I stop my activity?
Tell us. The accountant formally steps down as your VAT representative at Finanças. It doesn’t happen on its own, so it’s part of the service.
I live in another EU country. Do I need this?
No, it’s optional for you. Portuguese VAT law only requires a VAT representative if you live outside the EU. You can register for VAT in Portugal and file the returns yourself. If you’d rather have an accountant take it on, fill in the form and you’ll get a quote.
Do I need a NIF first?
Yes. The assessment is for individuals who already have a Portuguese NIF. If you don’t, get your NIF online with us first.
Is Novomove the accountant?
No. Novomove is the technology platform and the link between you and the accountant. The accountant signs the engagement letter with you directly and acts as your representative.
Find out if an accountant can represent you, before you pay.
Answer a few questions about your activity. A partner accountant reviews them and comes back with a yes and a yearly price, or a no and the reason.
Free assessment · No card, no documents · One yearly price, setup included
Novomove is a relocation technology platform that connects clients with licensed Portuguese partners. It is not an accounting firm. VAT representation is provided by a partner Portuguese accountant under their own engagement letter with each client, and the accountant decides whether to accept a case. Novomove cannot guarantee acceptance or the outcome of any matter with the Autoridade Tributária.