The certidão permanente is Portugal's official company registration extract, issued by the commercial registry through a paid subscription.
What it is
The certidão permanente (the permanent certificate) is an online extract from Portugal's commercial registry. It shows a company's official details, such as its name, registered address, share capital, and legal representatives. It is issued by the IRN (the institute of registries and notaries).
What it is for
The certidão permanente proves that a company is properly registered in Portugal and shows its current legal status. It also shows whether a company is going through insolvency proceedings. Anyone who needs to check that a company legally exists, and who represents it, can use this document to do so.
Where to get it
A company, or someone acting on its behalf, requests the certidão permanente through the commercial registry. It is issued as an access code that lets anyone look up the same information online at any time. A company registered outside Portugal does not have a certidão permanente. It instead has an equivalent registration extract from its own country's company register.
How long it is valid
The certidão permanente is not a one-off document. It is bought as a subscription, for one, two, three, or four years at a time. During that period, the online extract stays available and reflects the company's current registered details. Once the subscription ends, it has to be renewed for the extract to stay accessible.
What to watch out for
Because the certidão permanente is a live online record, checking it only shows the situation on the day it is viewed. A company's details can change after that day. It is worth checking the extract again if some time has passed since it was last viewed, rather than relying on an old printout.
The certidão permanente is not a single certificate kept forever. It is a subscription, so it needs to be renewed once the period ends.