The licença de utilização (usage licence) is the document that proves a building can legally be used for its purpose, such as a home. For years you needed it to sell a property, get a mortgage or connect utilities.
From 1 October 2026 the rules changed. Decree-Law 108/2026 replaced the old licence with a simpler system, and the document is now part of what the law calls the título urbanístico (urban title).
What replaced the licença de utilização?
There are now two routes. If your build had a licence or prior communication, you submit a comunicação prévia (prior communication) to the câmara when the works are finished, and you can use the building straight away.
If you want to use a building, or change its use, without works that needed approval, you submit a comunicação prévia com prazo (prior communication with a waiting period). You can use the building after 10 days unless the câmara rejects it or orders an inspection.
Who signs it off?
Two technical declarations go with the communication. A qualified architect confirms the building matches the approved project. The site director or works inspector (diretor de obra or diretor de fiscalização) confirms it is fit to use.
Can I buy or sell a house without a licença de utilização?
Yes. Since 2024 the deed no longer has to include the licence. From 1 October 2026, though, every deed must say whether the property has an urban title. If the deed leaves it out, the sale can be annulled.
Many banks will not lend on a property without one, so it affects both price and who can buy.
What should buyers check?
Ask to see the urban title before you sign the promissory contract (CPCV), not at the deed. Check that the licensed use is housing and that the house on the plot matches what was approved. Extensions, pools and converted annexes are the usual problems.
What if I use a building without the right title?
Fines run from €500 to €100,000 for individuals and €1,500 to €250,000 for companies.
How Orla helps
On every build we manage, we prepare the handover paperwork from day one: as-built drawings, the energy certificate, the ficha técnica da habitação (the home's technical file) and the declarations the communication needs. That way you can move in when the keys are handed over, not months later. If you are buying an existing property, we can check it against its approved plans before you commit.
Talk to us →This guide explains the rules in general terms. Always confirm your case with the câmara municipal or a lawyer.