If you're an EU national or a permanent resident with a residence card (autorizacao de residencia) you can work as a self-employed person or as a sole trader in Portugal.If you want to be self-employed in a profession or trade in Portugal you must meet certain requirements and register with the appropriate organisation, as applicable. Under Portuguese Law a self-employed person may require an official
status and it may be illegal to simply hang up a sign and start business.
Members of some professions and trades must possess professional qualifications and certificates recognised in Portugal and are usually required to sit a written examination in Portuguese. In certain professions such as law, it's unusual to be permitted to practise in Portugal without Portuguese qualifications.
As a self-employed person you don't have the protection of a
limited company should your business fail, although there are certain tax advantages. It may be advantageous to operate as a limited company such as a Sociedade por Quotas (Lda).
Obtain professional advice before deciding whether to operate as a sole trader or form a company in Portugal, as it has far-reaching social security, tax and other consequences. All self-employed persons must register for income tax,
social security and IVA (VAT), and anyone with an income in Portugal requires a Numero de Fiscal, obtained from your local tax office (financas)
