Property Registry Certificate, learn everything about this document in 2023

Index

• Predial Booklet, what is it?
• Building Booklet, what information does it contain ?
• What is a Predial Booklet used for?
• Where and how to obtain the Predial Booklet?
• Who can request a Predial Booklet?
• What is the validity of the Predial Booklet?
• How to update the Urban Building Booklet?
• Como saber se paga IMI a mais?

Caderneta Predial, o que é?

A Caderneta Predial Urbana e Rústica (também designada Certidão Matricial) é um documento documento de identificação único para qualquer prédio (apartamentos, moradias, lojas, escritórios, edifícios, terrenos, etc.), rústico ou urbano, constituído ou não em propriedade horizontal (com mais do que uma fração), suscetível de pagamento do IMI (Imposto Municipal sobre Imóveis). A Caderneta Predial é um documento emitido pela AT-Autoridade Tributária e identifica a localização, o(s) proprietário(s), composição, características, valor tributável do imóvel e comprova a situação regularizada da matriz.

There are two official models: the computerized urban building matrix and the urban building building book, defined in the following terms:

1. Model A — urban building in horizontal property or urban building in total property with floors or rooms susceptible of independent use;
2. Model B — urban property under total ownership, without floors or divisions susceptible of independent use, land for construction or urban property of the “other” type.

Building Booklet, what information does it contain?

The Building Booklet contains, for the property or fractions registered therein (apartments, shops, etc.), the description of the building, its location and identification, the data referring to the valuation of the building, the valuation data of the same for calculation purposes of taxes, location and elements of the autonomous fractions, the holders and information regarding tax exemptions.

These are the main elements that appear in the property booklet:

• Holders - name, tax identification and residence of the owners, usufructuaries or superficies (holder of the surface right of a property);
• Identification of the building - the district, municipality, parish and matrix article (number assigned by the Finance Department);
• Location - full address of the property, confrontations or police number, if any;
• Description of the building - type of building (rustic / urban) and type of ownership regime (horizontal / total);
• Solar orientation - north, south, east, west;
• Building areas - namely the total land area, the building's implantation area and the private and total gross area;
• Autonomous fraction -indication of the floor / letter corresponding to the location of the fraction;
• Fraction location - indicating the floor ;
• Elements of the fraction - allocation or purpose for which it is intended, typology or number of divisions, permilage and number of floors of the fraction;
• Fraction areas - private gross area and dependent gross area;
• Property valuation data - year of registration in the matrix, VPT- Tributary Asset Value of the building or fraction and the respective year in which it was attributed and the VPT calculation formula;

What is a Predial Booklet used for?

The Predial Booklet is essential in the transaction of buying or selling a house.

But its importance does not end there. This document is for a property what the Citizen Card is for an individual. Without it, it is not possible to buy or sell a property, request a reassessment of its patrimonial value, contract water and electricity services , etc.

The Caderneta Predial is the most important document to support the processes of selling a property (in the promise of purchase and sale, or in the deed), as well as for the following situations:

1 - Sell your house or other type of property:

• For all processes where it is necessary to obtain information about the building and/or its owner(s). For example, if you intend to sell your house or other property through a real estate agency, this will require the respective Land Registry which contains the matrix number for the elaboration of Real Estate Mediation Contracts, Promise Contracts of Purchase and Sale , etc.;
• It is mandatory to present it at the time of the deed of sale or, in its place, the Certificate of Content ;
• For the elaboration of bank credit processes for the purchase of a property . Banks need this document, either for the purpose of valuing the property and opening the process, or to be able to verify the tax status of the same;
• To obtain an Energy Certificate (an essential document whenever starting aprocess of promoting and selling the property);

2 - For tax reasons:

• For the calculation of IMI, Additional to IMI or IMT taxes, which are determined according to the VPT (Tax Asset Value) of the building, or the autonomous fraction registered therein and whose value appears in the Land Book;
• If you want to obtain information about the property's history : from information about the land, through construction, possible and successive sales, hereditary successions, mortgages, tax status (arrests, liens, etc.) and matricial property, etc.

• For the conclusion of water, gas and electricity contracts ;
• For the elaboration of urban planning processes;
• To make or change a registration at the Land Registry Office ;

How to obtain the Predial Booklet?

There are two ways, both with legal validity, to obtain the Land Registry for a rustic or urban building, namely:

• If you are the owner of the property, you can obtain the Caderneta Predial Online via the Internet using the Finance Portal . This is the preferred route because, in addition to being the fastest and most convenient way, it does not incur any costs for the applicant .
  To do so, simply log in to the Finance Portal using your personal access code, and access the following page at: Home > Your Services > Obtain > Proofs > IMI > Land Registry . This page will show all of your property assets, listing the properties you own and the respective asset value. By clicking on "Caderneta" you will be able to obtain the building booklet in PDF format, or print it.
• Alternatively, you can obtain the Land Book in person (with costs) at any tax office, provided you are one of the legitimate owners. It is necessary to know the property's matrix number and present your identification document (Citizen Card or Identity Card).

AT-Authoridade Tributária published a video that describes step by step how to obtain the Caderneta Predial using its portal:

Who can request a Predial Booklet?

You can only obtain the Land Registry for a rural or urban property if it forms part of your assets, that is, if you are one of the legitimate owners of the property in question, or one of its legal representatives.

Consult a third-party property book

Although the Land Registry is a document that is not provided to third parties, you can alternatively obtain a simplified version (which contains part of the information contained in the Book) by requesting a Land Registry Certificate , the Housing Technical Sheet or the Housing License , at the City Council of the area where the property is located.

What is the Validity of the Predial Booklet?

The Caderneta Predial is valid for 12 months , whether requested in person at the finance desk or through the online portal, after which you will have to request a new one . The issue date appears at the bottom of this document. Ideally, issue a new property booklet via the Internet on the Finance web portal, as this is the easiest and cost-free method. Alternatively, you can go to any Tax Office and request this document, paying the associated costs.

How and where to update the Caderneta Predial Urbana?

It is very important to keep the data in the Land Registry correct and up-to-date, whether for the purpose of valuing your property (if you need to promote its sale), or with regard to taxes to be paid, or for the purposes of a deed of buy and sell. It is normal for some data to be outdated or even incorrect: the areas, the heritage value, the owners of the property or the toponymy of the address. Learn how to correct the Predial Booklet:

• With regard to the promotion and sale of your property , the sale price per square meter is one of the fundamental parameters that can attract or repel interested parties. Hence the importance of the areas listed in the Land Book to reflect the reality of the property (total land area; building implantation area; gross construction area; gross dependent area and gross private area). If these are incorrect, because there was a remodeling project or due to an initial error, you should go to the finance department to correct the wrong information. If the data in the Land Registry of the Land Registry do not comply with those mentioned in the Land Registry, you will have to go to the Land Registry, with the updated Land Register, to request their correction.
• With regard to taxes, the Current Equity Value (CIMI) mentioned in the Land Registry is the value used to calculate the IMI, in addition to the IMI and the IMT , hence the importance of keeping this value updated. If you intend to update the Patrimonial Value, you will have to fill in Model 1 of the IMI , deliver it to the Finance Department, or via the Finance website. The correction of this value will have a positive or negative impact on the taxes to be paid in the future , hence the importance of previously using the financeVPT simulator before making such a decision. In other words, as a result of the reassessment of the asset value by Finance, the value of the VPT may rise or fall, which is also reflected in the amount of taxes payable.
• In case there are other changes, eg.after a property transfer process ( sale, donation, inheritance, divorce, etc.) you will have to go to the Land Registry office to change the titleholders of the property.
• Sometimes the address shown in the Land Registry is wrong , either because the street has changed its name, or because the identification of the door number has changed (this often happens in recently built subdivisions). You will have to go to the Finance Department to request the matrix update. If necessary, go first to the Land Registry Office to update the property registration, so that both documents: the Land Registry and the Permanent Land Registry Certificate are both in conformity. When going to the respective branches, you will have to provide yourself with a Toponymic Certificate , requested from the City Council, declaring that X street has changed its name to Y.If the land register is correct, when going to the finance desk, be sure to bring the updated Permanent Land Certificate with you.

How to take advantage of Caderneta Predial to your advantage

The importance of Caderneta Predial goes beyond simple consultation for bureaucratic or legal purposes. Find out how to use the respective data to your advantage, finding out if you can lower the municipal tax (IMI) on your home, or how to value it if you decide to put it up for sale.

How to know if you can pay less IMI?

As previously mentioned, the Land Book allows you to know the VPT - Tributary Asset Value that the Tax Authority assigned to your property, at the time of its issuance. It is based on this value that two taxes are calculated: the IMT - Municipal Tax on Real Estate Transfers and the IMI - Municipal Property Tax.

The VPT of real estate is automatically updated by Finance every 3 years, applying a factor calculated at 75% of the currency devaluation coefficient published annually in the Diário da República to the value registered in the Caderneta Predial. In the last decade this coefficient has remained almost unchanged (since 2018 this coefficient is 1.00). But the asset value may suffer devaluation over time, making you pay an outdated amount of IMI tax every year, and this update is not automatic . If the VPT value is higher than it was supposed to be, then here's an opportunity to save money and ask for it to be reassessed.

1. The first step to find out if this is your case will be to consult the VPT of your property in the Land Registry.
2. Then access the simulator on the Finance Portal and look for the location of your property on the map until you find the coefficients needed to calculate the IMI
3. Finally, use this simulator to determine the correct valuation of your property and which property tax you should be paying.
4. If the current amount you are paying in IMI is higher than that indicated by the simulator, then it is time to request a reassessment of the Property Value of your property. To do so, fill in Form 1 of the IMI and hand it in at the Finance counter.
5. You can optionally accesshere to the Deco simulator ;

If you ask the Tax Authority for a new assessment of your property, this will only have an effect on the assessment of IMI in the following year, for which you will have to submit the request for reassessment by December 31 of the current year

The taxable value of real estate is automatically updated by Finance every three years , based on currency devaluation coefficients, translating into an increase in the real estate value. However, unfortunately, this review does not cover other variables used in VPT calculation, eg. the antiquity coefficients (the age of the property), or the location coefficients. Thus, asking for a new assessment of the property is the only way to lower the tax to be paid . The request is free, but it can only be done if at least three years have passed since the last evaluation. Thus, if you have already submitted this request in 2020 or 2021, you will still not be able to submit it in 2022.

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Are you going to sell your house? Learn how to value the sale value

If you want to sell your house, one of the first tasks is to determine the right price to put it up for sale . To determine the most market-adjusted price, the areas in the Building Booklet are essential. Not only because this is the first piece of information that interested customers will want to know, but also because real estate agents use the value of the areas contained in this document to promote their sale.

Often the areas that appear in the booklet are not correct in the face of reality. If the difference is large, it can impact choosing the right price to sell your home. If the areas referred to in the Booklet are smaller than the actual areas, then consider requesting an update of the Booklet Building, going to the finance counter. Although this change may have a negative impact on the future settlement of taxes (IMI or IMT), the increase in the sale price fully justifies it.