Lease terms in Portugal: duration, renewal and termination deadlines

Q: And the tenant: what are their deadlines?

To oppose renewal: 120 days (term ≥ 6 years), 90 days (≥ 1 year and < 6 years), 60 days (≥ 6 months and < 1 year) or one third of the term (< 6 months). To terminate early, they may do so after one third of the term has elapsed, with 120 days’ notice (leases of 1 year or more) or 60 days’ (under 1 year).

Q: What happens if nobody says anything?

The lease renews automatically on the same terms (with the rent possibly updated by the annual coefficient). That is why missing an opposition date means, in practice, being bound for another full period.

Updated 10 July 2026 · Sources: Civil Code (arts. 1096–1098), Law 13/2019

In Portuguese residential renting, almost everything comes down to dates: the lease duration, automatic renewal and, above all, the opposition deadlines, which, when missed, leave the landlord (or tenant) bound for another full period. This guide summarises the legal calendar of fixed-term residential leases, the most common format.

Duration: minimum 1 year, maximum 30

Since Law 13/2019, leases for permanent housing must have a minimum initial duration of 1 year (except transitional housing purposes, such as work or study stays) and a maximum of 30 years. The lease must be in writing and reported to the tax authority (Stamp Duty form Modelo 2) by the end of the month following its start: a condition, among other things, for issuing electronic rent receipts and using the fast eviction route via the Balcão do Arrendatário e do Senhorio (BAS).

Automatic renewal

At the end of the term, the lease renews automatically for successive periods of equal duration, with a minimum of 3 years for housing when the term is shorter (art. 1096 CC), unless the lease excludes renewal or one of the parties opposes it within the legal deadlines. Say nothing, and it renews.

Opposing renewal: the deadlines that are worth money

Opposition is made by written notice (registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt), counted backwards from the end of the current term:

Lease / renewal term	Landlord (art. 1097)	Tenant (art. 1098)
6 years or more	240 days	120 days
1 to 6 years	120 days	90 days
6 months to 1 year	60 days	60 days
Less than 6 months	⅓ of the term	⅓ of the term

The 3-year trap: the landlord’s opposition to the first renewal only takes effect 3 years after the lease was signed. In a 1-year lease, even opposing on time, the landlord only recovers the property at the end of year 3.

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Early termination by the tenant

The tenant may leave before the end of the term: once one third of the initial duration (or of the renewal) has elapsed, they may terminate with 120 days’ notice (leases of 1 year or more) or 60 days’ notice (under 1 year). Notice not respected entitles the landlord to the rents for the missing period.

A worked example

A 1-year lease signed on 1 September 2026, with automatic renewals:

A tenant who does not want to renew must give notice by 2 June 2027 (90 days before 31/8);
The landlord would have to do so by 3 May 2027 (120 days), but their opposition to the 1st renewal only takes effect on 1 September 2029 (the 3-year rule);
With no notices, the lease renews, and the rent may be updated by the annual coefficient.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum duration of a housing lease?

Since Law 13/2019, leases for permanent housing cannot have an initial duration under 1 year (except transitional housing purposes). The maximum is 30 years.

Does the lease renew by itself?

Yes, unless agreed otherwise, a fixed-term lease renews automatically at its end, for successive periods of equal duration (with a 3-year minimum for housing if the term is shorter), unless one of the parties opposes it within the legal deadlines.

How far in advance can the landlord oppose renewal?

It depends on the duration of the lease or the current renewal: 240 days (term ≥ 6 years), 120 days (≥ 1 year and < 6 years), 60 days (≥ 6 months and < 1 year) or one third of the term (< 6 months). Note: the landlord’s opposition to the FIRST renewal only takes effect 3 years after the lease was signed.

And the tenant: what are their deadlines?

To oppose renewal: 120 days (term ≥ 6 years), 90 days (≥ 1 year and < 6 years), 60 days (≥ 6 months and < 1 year) or one third of the term (< 6 months). To terminate early, they may do so after one third of the term has elapsed, with 120 days’ notice (leases of 1 year or more) or 60 days’ (under 1 year).

What happens if nobody says anything?

The lease renews automatically on the same terms (with the rent possibly updated by the annual coefficient). That is why missing an opposition date means, in practice, being bound for another full period.

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This guide covers fixed-term residential leases and is for information only: it does not replace legal advice. Sources: Civil Code, arts. 1096 to 1098 (as amended by Law 13/2019); NRAU.