Portaria 454/2026/1 of 13 October, a ministerial order, sets new maximum rents in Portugal. Here are the tax benefits and the mandatory steps to join the scheme.
Portugal’s rental market still faces challenges, especially when it comes to finding housing at prices that match household incomes.
To encourage owners to rent out properties at more affordable prices, the government approved the Regime Simplificado de Arrendamento Acessível (RSAA), the simplified affordable rental scheme, through Decreto-Lei 97/2026 of 20 May.
More recently, Portaria 454/2026/1 of 13 October set the maximum rents for this scheme, so owners now know the amounts they can charge to qualify for the tax incentives.
What is the Regime Simplificado de Arrendamento Acessível?
The RSAA aims to increase the supply of rental housing at prices below market rates.
It works on a simple principle: owners rent out their properties within certain rent limits and, if they meet the legal requirements, can benefit from tax advantages.
The main incentives include an exemption from IRS — personal income tax — or IRC — corporate income tax — on the rental income (rendimentos prediais) from contracts covered by the scheme.
What are the new maximum rents?
Portaria 454/2026/1 sets maximum monthly rents for each municipality (concelho) in Portugal, according to the property type.
These amounts are based on 80% of the median rent published by the Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), the national statistics institute, also taking into account other criteria set out in the law.
The caps cover properties from T0 (studio) to T5, larger property types, and the rental of parts of a home, such as rooms.
Note that these amounts are not general caps for all leases: they are the maximum rents for contracts that want to benefit from the RSAA.
Can properties with parking or good energy efficiency charge higher rents?
The law provides for two increases to the maximum rents:
- an extra 10% when the rental includes private parking;
- an extra 10% when the property has an energy certificate of class A or higher, valid on the date the contract is signed.
These increases can be combined.
For example, if the maximum rent for a property is €800 a month, applying both increases brings the maximum to €960.
What are the tax benefits for landlords?
One of the main attractions of affordable renting is its tax treatment.
Owners who join the scheme and meet all the conditions set out in the law can benefit from:
- an IRS exemption on the rental income covered;
- an IRC exemption on eligible rental income;
- IMI (municipal property tax) and IMT (property transfer tax) benefits on certain acquisition, construction or renovation operations for properties intended for affordable renting.
These incentives can mean significant tax savings for owners.
However, charging a rent below the cap does not automatically entitle you to the tax exemption.
You must meet the scheme’s requirements, in particular the contractual conditions and the reporting obligations.
Warning: the contract must be reported to the tax office and to IHRU
This is one of the most important points for landlords who want the IRS or IRC exemption.
Reporting the lease to the Autoridade Tributária (AT), the Portuguese tax authority, is not enough. It must also be reported to the Instituto da Habitação e da Reabilitação Urbana (IHRU), the public housing and urban renewal institute.
There are therefore two separate obligations.
1. Reporting the contract to the Autoridade Tributária
As with any other lease, the landlord must report the contract on the Portal das Finanças using the Modelo 2 return of the Imposto do Selo, the stamp duty.
This must be done by the end of the month after the lease starts.
2. Reporting the contract to IHRU
In addition to reporting it to the tax office, the landlord must upload the following documents to IHRU’s online platform by 15 January of the year after the contract is signed:
- a copy of the signed lease;
- proof that the contract was reported on the Portal das Finanças.
Once it has received the documents, IHRU informs the Autoridade Tributária, by the end of February, of the contracts covered by the scheme.
If the legal conditions are met, the tax benefit applies from the date the contract was signed.
Important: owners must make sure both filings are made, since failing to follow the required procedures can jeopardise access to the tax benefits.
What is the minimum contract term?
The Regime Simplificado de Arrendamento Acessível sets requirements on contract duration.
As a general rule, residential leases must last at least five years, subject to the specific situations set out in the law, notably rentals for temporary residence.
That is why, before signing a contract, it is essential to check that its term and purpose meet the scheme’s conditions.
When do the new rules take effect?
Portaria 454/2026/1 came into force on 14 October 2026.
The maximum rents will be reviewed periodically and, in years without a review, will be updated automatically using the annual rent update factor set out in the law.
Owners will be able to check the caps for each municipality and property type on the online platform run by IHRU.