Your situation
You want to start a business in Portugal with a structure that separates your personal assets from the business, gives banks and clients confidence, and lets you hire staff.
The LDA (sociedade por quotas) is the Portuguese private limited company.
What you become responsible for
| Obligation | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Organised accounts kept by a certified accountant | Ongoing |
| Periodic IVA return | Monthly or quarterly |
| IRC payments on account | Three times a year |
| Modelo 22 and IES | Annual |
| Earnings declaration to Segurança Social | Monthly |
| RCBE | At incorporation and on every change |
Decisions to make before incorporating
- The name: take a pre-approved name from the Empresa na Hora pool, or apply to the RNPC for a Certificado de Admissibilidade.
- Business purpose and CAE code: they drive your tax treatment and some sector-specific obligations.
- Share capital: €1 per shareholder is the legal minimum, rarely the wise choice.
- Directorship: who can bind the company, and on what pay.
- Registered office: your own address or a registered address service.
What does it cost per month afterwards?
Monthly accounting for a company runs between €120 and €500 plus VAT depending on size and volume. The director’s payslip is included.
The EA services for this situation
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Company formation in Portugal
Incorporation is handled by a partner solicitadora — a regulated Portuguese legal professional entitled to incorporate companies. EA Contabilidade collects the shareholder and company details through a full form, passes the file to the solicitadora, and then handles the RCBE, Segurança Social registration, the NISS and opening a bank account.
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Company accounting
Monthly accounting for a Portuguese company costs between €120 and €500 per month plus VAT, depending on size, document volume and how complex the business is. It covers bookkeeping, periodic IVA returns, IRC calculation and the annual accounts.
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Payroll and HR
Payroll is included in your monthly accounting for the director's payslip. Each additional payslip costs €10 per month plus VAT. The service covers the calculation, the payslip, filings with Segurança Social and the tax authority, and joiners and leavers.
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Registered business address
A registered business address with EA Contabilidade costs €20 per month plus VAT on a 24-month commitment, €30 per month on 12 months, or €35 per month with no commitment. It includes the registered office address, mail reception, email notification, scanning and forwarding according to the plan.