What does cota de soleira mean in Portugal?

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Cota de soleira is the altitude of the threshold of a building's main entrance. It is the starting point from which the height of the building and of its façades is measured.

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Defined in: Decreto Regulamentar n.º 5/2019, Annex I, ficha I-16
Law: Decreto Regulamentar n.º 5/2019, technical concepts for spatial planning and urbanism
Official text: data.dre.pt/eli/decregul/5/2019/09/27/p/dre/pt/pdf
Sources: data.dre.pt/eli/decregul/5/2019/09/27/p/dre/pt/pdf
Checked: 2026-11-05

What it means for the owner

Where a building has several entrances, the plans must mark which one is the main entrance.
In detailed plans and subdivisions it is expressed in metres, tied to the official national height reference.
The floor at threshold level counts as Piso 1; the first floor below is Piso -1 (ficha I-52).

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