What does loteamento mean in Portugal?
Loteamento, or operação de loteamento, means dividing one or more properties, or regrouping them, to create plots meant for building. It needs a licence, or a notification where a detailed plan or execution unit already fixes the design.
- Rests on
- RJUE, art. 2.º i), art. 4.º n.º 2 a) and n.º 4 b)
- Law
- Decreto-Lei n.º 555/99 (RJUE), as republished by Decreto-Lei n.º 108/2026
- Version
- In force since 1 October 2026 (Decreto-Lei n.º 155-B/2026)
- Official text
- data.dre.pt/eli/dec-lei/108/2026/05/29/p/dre/pt/pdf
- Sources
- data.dre.pt/eli/dec-lei/108/2026/05/29/p/dre/pt/pdf
data.dre.pt/eli/dec-lei/155-b/2026/07/31/p/dre/pt/pdf
data.dre.pt/eli/declretif/29-a/2026/07/27/p/dre/pt/pdf - Checked
- 2026-11-05
What it means for the owner
- The decision deadline on a subdivision licence is 45 days, or approval is tacit (art. 23.º n.º 1 b)).
- The owner hands over free of charge the land for green spaces, facilities and infrastructure (art. 44.º n.º 1).
- The licence lapses if the urbanisation works are not applied for within a year, or the fees are not paid within a year (art. 71.º n.º 1).
More: Guide
Free check
Ask us what a Portuguese building term means and we will answer your question by email, free of charge.