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How to Request a Certidão de Não Dívida in Portugal - Tax & Social Security

Step-by-step guide to obtaining the certidão de não dívida (proof of no tax debt) from AT and SS. Required for visas, leases, contracts. Free and online.

By Andrew Kovalenko · · 5 min read
Contents
  1. When you’ll need each
  2. Path A - AT certidão (Finanças)
  3. Path B - Segurança Social certidão
  4. Edge cases
  5. When the certidão has issues
  6. Sources

The certidão de não dívida (literally “non-debt certificate”) is a one-page PDF proving you owe nothing to Portuguese tax authorities or Social Security. You’ll be asked for it whenever you sign anything significant: applying for a residency permit renewal, signing a long-term rental, bidding on a public tender, taking out certain loans, or formally applying for citizenship.

Two separate certidões exist - one from Finanças (AT) and one from Segurança Social. Most contexts ask for both. Both are free, generated online, and valid for 3 months from issuance.

Cost

€0

Both certidões are free

Issue time

Instant

PDF generated on demand

Validity

3 months

From the date of issue

When you’ll need each

ContextAT certidãoSS certidão
Residency permit renewal (AIMA)✅✅
Citizenship application✅✅
Long-term rental contract✅ (often)Sometimes
Bank loan / mortgage✅✅
Public sector tender / contract✅✅
Hiring employees as a freelancer✅✅
University enrollment for adult educationSometimesRare

When in doubt, request both - they’re free and only take a few minutes.

Path A - AT certidão (Finanças)

Log in at Portal das Finanças ↗

Login with NIF + senha or Cartão de Cidadão / Chave Móvel Digital.

Navigate to 'Certidões'

Path: Os seus serviços → Pedir → Pedidos de Certidão

Or search “Certidão” in the top search bar. Click “Pedir”.

portaldasfinancas.gov.pt
Portal das Finanças NIF · 123 456 789

Cidadãos › Pedir › Certidões

Pedir certidão

Tipo de certidão

Não dívida (Inexistência de dívidas) ▾

Finalidade

Renovação de autorização de residência ▾

Endereço de envio

Disponibilizar online (PDF)

Voltar Confirmar pedido

Schematic - actual UI may differ. Illustrates layout, not exact pixels.

Certidão request form. The 'finalidade' (purpose) field is required - pick the closest match to your need.

Choose 'Não dívida' (no debt)

AT offers several certidão types - non-debt, fiscal residence, tax position. Non-debt is what you want for most cases.

In the dropdown:

  • Inexistência de dívidas = no debts → this one
  • Situação tributária regularizada = “tax situation regularized” → similar, often interchangeable
  • Residência fiscal = fiscal residency confirmation → different document

Pick the one explicitly required by whoever asked you for it.

Fill the 'finalidade' (purpose)

Mandatory field. AT wants to know why you need it. Common purposes:

  • “Renovação de autorização de residência”
  • “Concurso público” (public tender)
  • “Crédito bancário” (bank loan)
  • “Outros - [specify]” (free text)

AT just records this for tracking. No need to be precise - pick the closest match.

Choose delivery method: 'Disponibilizar online'

Three options:

  • Online (PDF) - instant. PDF appears in your Pedidos section. Pick this.
  • Correio - mailed to your fiscal address. ~3-5 days.
  • Notário / outras entidades - sent to a specific notary or government office. Used for property transactions.

Online is right 95% of the time.

Submit and download the PDF

Click “Confirmar pedido”. AT generates the PDF immediately. Download from Pedidos → Certidões → Disponíveis.

The PDF has:

  • Your NIF, name, fiscal address
  • Statement that you have no outstanding debts (or, if you do, a list of them)
  • QR code for verification by anyone you send it to
  • Validity period (3 months from issue)

Path B - Segurança Social certidão

Log in at Segurança Social Direta ↗

Same login as for the quarterly declaration.

Navigate to 'Pedir certidões'

Path: Menu → Conta-corrente → Pedir certidão de situação contributiva

Click “Pedir nova certidão”.

seg-social.pt/SSDireta
Segurança Social Direta NIF · 123 456 789

Conta-corrente › Pedir certidões

Pedir certidão de situação contributiva

Tipo de certidão

Situação contributiva regularizada ▾

Finalidade

Renovação de autorização de residência ▾

Endereço de envio

Disponibilizar online (PDF)

Cancelar Confirmar pedido

Schematic - actual UI may differ. Illustrates layout, not exact pixels.

SS certidão request. The form is structurally identical to AT's, so the experience is consistent across both portals.

Choose 'Situação Contributiva Regularizada'

SS offers two non-debt certidão types:

  • Situação contributiva regularizada - confirms you have no overdue contributions. Most common request.
  • Tempo de descontos - list of all SS contributions you’ve made over your career. Used for retirement / pension calculations, not for compliance proofs.

Pick the first one for any “prove you don’t owe SS” need.

Submit and download

Click “Confirmar pedido”. The PDF generates instantly. Available in Conta-corrente → Pedidos → Certidões disponíveis.

Same QR-code verification flow as the AT certidão. Valid for 3 months.

Edge cases

You owe a small amount but want a clean certidão. Pay it first via the conta-corrente. Once paid, regenerate the certidão - usually clears within 24-48 hours.

Pending dispute / contestação. If you have an open dispute with AT or SS, the certidão might still show “regularizada” if AT considers the amount in suspension. Or it might list the disputed amount. Outcomes depend on each agency’s internal status.

Multiple addresses on file. If you have an old address from before moving, the certidão might show your old fiscal address. Update your fiscal address before requesting if visual cleanness matters (e.g., for a rental contract).

Joint requests for couples. Each spouse generates their own certidão. There’s no joint-couple version.

Fictitious income discrepancies. Sometimes AT shows a “presumed” amount owed even when you’ve paid - usually because of pending declarations or a delayed reconciliation. If your certidão says you owe something you’ve already paid, contact your local Repartição de Finanças or use the Esclarecimentos function on the portal.

When the certidão has issues

If the certidão lists outstanding debts you didn’t expect:

  1. Click into the listed debt in the conta-corrente
  2. Verify the amount and origin - sometimes it’s an old declaration that wasn’t fully reconciled
  3. Pay or set up direct debit within the prescribed window (usually 30 days from the original notice)
  4. Re-request the certidão once cleared

Most “phantom debts” resolve within a few days of payment or dispute resolution.

Sources

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