deferimento tácito
Published 4 November 2026, 18:37
deferimento tácito (tacit approval)
The "no reply means yes" rule. Since 3 August 2026 it has also applied to building permits: if the câmara does not reply in time, the application is deemed approved, and the electronic receipt of submission serves as confirmation. The deadline is 20 days for a house and 45 for dividing up land.
Where you come across it. Waiting for the câmara's reply on a house project or a request for prior information.
Tacit approval does not cancel everything else: the fees still have to be paid, the works still have to start on time, and in this case the deadline for completing construction is the one you stated in the application yourself. Residence permit cases no longer have such a rule: Article 82(7) of the Foreigners Act, under which an overdue application was deemed approved and the card issued immediately, was repealed with effect from 11 September 2026 by Lei n.º 62/2026.
Official website: diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/1999-34567875