Which construction licence a foreign company needs from the IMPIC in Portugal depends on where it is established, what kind of work it does and who the client is.
What it means
Any company that works as a construction subcontractor in Portugal needs some form of authorisation from the IMPIC (the body that licenses construction companies). Which authorisation applies is not the same for every company. It depends on where the company is legally established and on whether the work is for a public body or a private client. Getting this classification right, before starting work, avoids delays later.
How it works
There are several situations, and each can lead to a different document.
A company established in Portugal needs the full construction licence, the same as any Portuguese company, when it acts as a subcontractor. This includes a Portuguese company, and also a company from the European Economic Area (EEA, the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) or from a World Trade Organization member that has set up an establishment in Portugal.
A company from the EEA or from a World Trade Organization member that is not established in Portugal, and that works on a public-sector project, may need a specific declaration issued for that one project. This declaration is separate from the full licence and does not replace it for other kinds of work. Confirm with the IMPIC which route applies to the actual project.
A company established in the EEA, but not in Portugal, that does only occasional work for private clients can use a simplified route instead of the full licence. This route is explained in a separate article on the simplified regime.
For private-client work, a company from outside the EEA cannot use that simplified route. It has to establish itself in Portugal and obtain the full construction licence, like any company based in Portugal.
What to watch out for
The right path depends on where a company is established, who the client is and what kind of work it is, not on the company's nationality alone. Getting this wrong can mean applying for the wrong document, or missing one entirely. The IMPIC publishes the current routes on its website, and they can change.
Being registered somewhere in the EEA does not by itself remove the need for a licence. What matters is where the company is established, whether the client is public or private, and which route the IMPIC applies to that work.