Guides · Records, areas and BUPi
Land Registry, Tax Office and Cadastre: why Portuguese property records disagree
By Francisco Gomes Pereira, Portuguese solicitor (solicitador) and cadastral technician
November 2026 · 3 min read
The listing says 5,000 m². The tax record says 3,200. The map shows a boundary running through the middle of the barn. Welcome to one of the most common surprises for property buyers in Portugal.
In Portugal, information relevant to a property may be held in three systems, maintained for different purposes:
- the Land Registry (Registo Predial) records who owns the property and any charges on it;
- the tax record (Matriz Predial) describes the property for tax purposes;
- the cadastre and BUPi provide geometric information with different legal statuses; an RGG may be validated with a geometry reservation and does not itself establish ownership.
The available information varies by location and property. Rural plots are particularly likely to require a comparison of the records and the land.
Why the records disagree
Each record grew up separately, with a different purpose.
The tax record was built on owners’ declarations. Many rural areas were described decades ago from what owners declared, often estimated by eye. Those areas have been carried forward ever since.
For a long time, many owners never registered. Land passed from parents to children, or changed hands informally, without anyone updating the Land Registry. Some plots appear in the tax record but not in the Land Registry at all.
Much of the country has never had a modern cadastre. Large parts of the north and centre were never mapped plot by plot. BUPi was created to fill this gap, by letting owners identify their land on a map, but coverage still depends on owners coming forward.
The most common mismatches
| Mismatch | What it looks like | Typical cause |
|---|---|---|
| Area | The deed, the tax record and the land show different sizes | Old estimated areas never corrected |
| Owner | The registered owner died years ago | Inheritance never settled |
| Missing buildings | A house stands on land recorded as bare rustic land | Building never declared or licensed |
| Classification | The land is rustic on one record and urban on another | Records updated at different times |
| Boundaries | The plot on the map doesn’t match the walls on the ground | No cadastre, or informal changes with neighbours |
Why it matters when you buy
A mismatch is not just a paperwork detail. It can mean that:
- you pay for land you are not legally buying;
- the sale cannot be signed or registered until the problem is solved;
- a bank refuses to lend against the property;
- a neighbour later disputes where your land ends;
- you struggle to sell the property when you want to move on.
How mismatches are fixed
Most mismatches can be corrected. The usual tools are:
- correcting the area at the Land Registry and the Tax Office, based on a proper survey;
- registering a property for the first time, including where there is no formal title, through specific legal procedures;
- updating the tax record to reflect what really exists, such as an undeclared house;
- identifying the plot on the map through BUPi or a cadastre procedure, so that boundaries are officially recorded.
The purchase contract should state which discrepancies the seller must resolve, by when and at whose cost. If an issue is discovered after completion, you may still have rights against the seller, but deadlines and proof can make the position more difficult.
We check all three, before you sign
A useful property check brings together the legal records, the planning position and the geometric information relevant to the purchase.
At MGPS International, our team brings together a solicitor and a cadastral technician. That means we can:
- compare the three records and tell you, in plain English, where they disagree;
- explain what each mismatch means for you and who should fix it;
- negotiate the fix into your promissory contract, so it is solved before completion;
- carry out the corrections ourselves, before or after the purchase.
Looking at a property in Portugal? Request a property check. Send us the address or the listing, and we’ll tell you what needs checking and quote a fixed fee.
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice for any specific case.
About the author
Francisco Gomes Pereira
Portuguese solicitor (solicitador) and cadastral technician, MGPS International
