Lease agreement template — free in PDF and Word
Free lease agreement template in PDF and Word, compliant with the NRAU. Download it, fill it in and sign — or generate the contract online, already filled in, in 5 minutes.
- NRAU-compliant
- PT and bilingual PT/EN
- Editable PDF + Word
- 100% free
Free template
This lease agreement template is a blank, ready-to-complete model for urban residential lettings in Portugal. Download it free in PDF and Word, fill in the fields in square brackets, print it and sign: the document is usable as it stands, with the clauses ordered according to the NRAU and the legal basis given clause by clause.
The template covers the identification of the parties and the property, term and renewal, rent and due date, advance rent and security deposit, upkeep and prohibitions, notice periods, guarantee, notification to the Tax Authority and jurisdiction. If you would rather not fill anything in by hand, you can generate the contract online, already filled in, in 5 minutes: you answer a form, the legal deadlines and amounts are applied automatically and you receive the final contract ready to sign.
- Full identification of the landlord, the tenant(s) and the guarantor, where there is one
- 9 numbered clauses: purpose, term, rent, deposit, upkeep, notices, guarantee, tax authority and jurisdiction
- Fields in square brackets for term, rent, due date, IBAN and deposit
- Table of the minimum notice periods for opposing renewal (arts. 1097 and 1098 of the Civil Code), with the warning about the first renewal
- Ready-to-use PDF and Word, in Portuguese and in a bilingual PT/EN version
What a lease agreement template is and when to use it
A template is a model contract that has yet to be filled in: the text of the clauses is written, and only the specifics of the deal are missing — parties, property, term, rent and guarantees. It is used when the landlord has already agreed the conditions with the tenant and needs to put them in writing in a complete, signable document.
This template is intended for urban residential lettings for a fixed term, the most common case: a flat or house let to an individual as their home. It is not intended for commercial lets, short-term (alojamento local) rentals or open-ended contracts, which require different clauses.
What this lease agreement template includes
- Identification blocks for the landlord, the tenant (and a second tenant) and the guarantor, with tax number (NIF), ID document, address and IBAN;
- Identification of the property: address, unit, parish and municipality, type and area, land-registry description, tax-register article, occupancy licence and energy certificate;
- Clauses on purpose and use, term and renewal, rent and payment, advance rent and deposit, upkeep and prohibitions, notice and termination periods, guarantee, notification to the Tax Authority and jurisdiction;
- Tick-box options for subletting, pets and works;
- Table of the minimum notice periods and signature space for all parties, including the guarantor.
How to fill in the template step by step
- Fill in the identification of the parties. If the landlord is married and the property is the family home, the spouse also signs.
- Complete the property details from the property tax record (caderneta predial) and the land-registry certificate: the tax-register article and the land-registry description must match.
- Enter the number of the occupancy licence and of the energy certificate and attach a copy of both.
- Set the term, the start date and the end date, and choose whether the contract renews automatically.
- Write the rent in figures and in words, the due date and the IBAN for payment.
- Enter the advance rent (maximum period of two months) and the amount of the deposit (at most two months' rent).
- Tick the options on subletting, pets and works.
- Print one copy per signatory, sign every page and notify the contract to the Tax Authority.
Legal basis and deadlines to respect
The contract is governed by Law no. 6/2006 of 27 February (NRAU) and by articles 1064 and following of the Civil Code. First of all, a formal requirement: an urban lease must be made in writing (art. 1069(1) of the Civil Code) — which is the reason for this template. Where the contract was not put in writing for a reason not attributable to the tenant, the tenant may prove the existence of the lease by any means admitted by law, by showing use of the property without opposition from the landlord and monthly payment of rent for six months (para. 2). For leases of a permanent home, the fixed term may not be shorter than one year or longer than 30 years (art. 1095 of the Civil Code) and automatic renewal follows art. 1096.
- Opposing renewal: the minimum notice depends on the length of the contract — 240 days (landlord) and 120 days (tenant) for contracts of 6 years or more; 120 and 90 days between 1 and 6 years; 60 days for both between 6 months and 1 year (arts. 1097 and 1098 of the Civil Code). The landlord's opposition to the first renewal only takes effect after three years from the signing of the contract (art. 1097(3)), unless the landlord or a first-degree descendant needs the home (para. 4).
- Deposit and advance rent: the deposit is limited to the equivalent of two months' rent and advance payment of rent to a maximum of two months, by written agreement (art. 1076(1) and (2) of the Civil Code).
- Rent update: where no scheme has been agreed, the first update can only be demanded one year after the start of the contract and the following ones one year after the previous one, with 30 days' written notice (art. 1077 of the Civil Code). The 2026 coefficient is 1.0224, i.e. +2.24%.
- Notification to the Tax Authority: Stamp Duty declaration (Modelo 2) by the end of the month following the start of the lease, with stamp duty of 10% of one month's rent (art. 60 of the Stamp Duty Code).
If you later need to change the rent, the term or the tenants, use a lease agreement addendum instead of redoing the contract.
Mistakes to avoid in a simple lease agreement
- Confusing opposition to renewal with termination. Opposition only prevents renewal at the end of the term and depends on the notice period; termination requires a breach and follows art. 1083 of the Civil Code.
- Demanding a deposit above two months' rent or advancing more than two months' rent. Both limits are in art. 1076 of the Civil Code — para. 2 for the deposit, para. 1 for the advance, which also requires written agreement.
- Forgetting the occupancy licence and the energy certificate, which must be identified in the contract and handed to the tenant.
- Missing the deadline to notify the Tax Authority, which is short and falls at the end of the month following the start of the lease.
- Not issuing an electronic rent receipt. Most landlords must issue one on the Finance Portal; check whether you are covered by an exemption.
- Signing without a check-in inspection or inventory. Without a record of the initial condition of the property, it is hard to justify deductions from the deposit.
Template vs generated contract: which to choose?
The template (minuta) is a blank model contract: the text is written and it is up to you to fill in the parties, property, term, rent and guarantees, and to check the legal deadlines. The generated contract is created already filled in from your answers, with the amounts in words and the deadlines that apply to your case. The PDF and Word template suits those who want to write everything by hand and control every line. If you would rather save time and reduce the risk of error, the lease agreement generator does the same job in about five minutes: you fill in the form, the contract is assembled with the legal deadlines that apply to your case, the amounts in words and the guarantee clause where there is one, and you receive it ready to print and sign.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a simple lease agreement?
Download this lease agreement template in PDF or Word, fill in the fields in square brackets (parties, property, term, rent, deposit), tick the options on subletting, pets and works, print one copy per signatory and sign. Alternatively, the online generator returns the contract already filled in.
Does the lease have to be notified to the Tax Authority?
Yes. The landlord submits the Stamp Duty declaration (Modelo 2) on the Finance Portal by the end of the month following the start of the lease, and stamp duty of 10% of one month's rent is due (art. 60 of the Stamp Duty Code).
What deposit can I ask for in a lease?
At most the equivalent of two months' rent: article 1076(2) of the Civil Code allows the parties to secure performance of their obligations "up to the amount corresponding to two months' rent". The exact amount is agreed between the parties within that limit and must be written in the contract, together with the conditions for its return. Advance rent is a separate and also limited concept: it requires written agreement and cannot cover a period of more than two months (art. 1076(1)). To acknowledge the amount received, use the security deposit declaration.
What is the difference between a template and the lease agreement?
The template (minuta) is the blank model of the contract; the lease agreement is the final document, with all the details filled in and signed by the parties. An urban lease must be made in writing (art. 1069(1) of the Civil Code), so a template only has effect once it is filled in and signed. You can use the blank template or the online generator, which returns the contract already filled in.
Can I download the lease agreement template in Word?
Yes. The template is available free of charge in PDF and Word, in a Portuguese version and in a bilingual Portuguese/English version, useful when the tenant is a foreigner. The Word file lets you adapt the clauses before printing.
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