Open a Joint Stock Company in Portugal

joint stock company in Portugal can activate under the limited liability company structure, one of the most popular in this country. If you want to open a company in Portugal and select this type of structure, our local specialists can provide support with the formalities involved. In the following lines, you can find out information about joint stock companies in Portugal and the way of registration.

Quick Facts
Reasons to choose and register a joint stock company in Portugal Great choice for large projects and investments in Portugal

 Registration authority 

Portugese Commercial Registry

 Legislation 

Company Act in Portugal 

Minimum share capital EUR 50,000
Requirements for JSC in Portugal

– reserving the business name,

– preparing the Articles of Association,

– registering for taxation and social security,

– registerind a deed of incorporation, etc. 

Management of a Joint Stock Company in Portugal

3 management structures as follows:

– general meeting and director;

– general meeting, director, supervisory board;

– general meeting, board of directors, supervisory board, and company secretary. 

Business office required for a JSC in Portugal (YES/NO)

  YES

Number of directors

At least one director is required. 

Company secretary required

 Only for listed joint stock companies in Portugal

Applying for TIF in Portugal TIF is the tax identification number issued at the time the JSC is registered for taxation in Portugal.
Board of executives meeting requirement

At least once per year 

Corporate income tax rate in Portugal

21% 

Dividend tax rate in Portugal

 A flat rate of 28%. However, taxpayers may choose marginal rates varying between 13.25% and 48%, plus a solidarity tax rate, as the case may be.

Time frame for registration

Around 2 weeks or less 

Working with our Portuguese agents Our team can manage the formation process of a joint stock company in Portugal and represent clients in any of the procedures involved.

What are the main steps for registering a joint stock company in Portugal?

The first thing you should do is choose the business structure. In this case, you can opt for a joint-stock limited liability company. Here is what needs to be done next:

  • Incorporation can be done online, quite quickly, but the formalities can be managed by one of our local agents.
  • Choosing and reserving a business name is the next stage. The approval comes from the National Registry of Legal Entities in Portugal.
  • The documents for establishing a joint stock company in Portugal are being drawn up. These are Articles of Association, with comprehensive information about the company, activities, shareholders, and general business rules.
  • It is necessary to open a bank account in Portugal, which will serve to deposit the minimum share capital and the future financial operations of the company.
  • Registration is mandatory for paying taxes in Portugal.

Therefore, if you are interested in opening a company in Portugal and more specifically a joint stock company, you can use the services offered by one of our specialists in the field. We advise you to start this process with us, in order to benefit from complete services and a quick start on the market, with optimal services at hand.

Company secretary and directors of a joint stock company in Portugal

Opening a joint stock company in Portugal is an uncomplicated process, especially if you call for specialized help. In this approach, it is necessary to appoint directors, and in this case, there are no restrictions regarding their nationality or residence. However, it is necessary for them to have a TIN, i.e. tax identification number.

It is good to know that, in the case of directors of a joint stock company, it is necessary to sign jointly with one other director for binding powers at the time of incorporation.

As for the company secretary, only listed companies must have a company secretary, so if your joint stock company in Portugal is listed, you must consider this aspect. The founding documents need to mention, through a written resolution, that the company has a secretary.

You might want to know more about directors and company secretaries for joint stock companies in Portugal from our specialists.

Making investments in Portugal

If you are interested in Portugal as a future investment destination, the following statistical information might attract your attention:

  1. Around USD 8 billion was the total FDI flows in Portugal in 2021.
  2. About USD 175.5 billion was the total FDI stock for the same year in Portugal.
  3. More than 8.7% of the total foreign investments were attracted by the real estate sector, and most of them were directed to Lisbon.
  4. Spain remained the main investor in Portugal, counting more than 21% of the total investments in this country,
  5. The total FDI inflows in the first semester of 2022 in Portugal stood at around USD 6.1 billion.

Would you like more about how to open a joint stock company in Portugal? You may contact our local specialists for assistance in this sense. We can help you with company formation in Portugal and related procedures.

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