Portugal extends deadline for municipalities to set short‑term rental rules

A decree‑law (No 151/2026) was published on 31 July 2026, creating an exceptional regime that prolongs the period for Portuguese municipalities with more than 1,000 short‑term rental establishments to adopt or amend a local regulation. The new deadline is 31 December 2026, and municipalities may also grant a one‑time extension of the suspension on new registrations, limited to the time strictly needed for drafting the rules and never beyond the same date.

The suspension on new short‑term rental permits, already in force in many areas, especially central districts of Lisbon and Porto, will cease automatically when a municipal regulation is approved, when the municipal assembly decides to end the suspension, or when the 31 December 2026 deadline passes. The measure aims to overcome administrative delays caused by the 2025 local‑election transition.