Finanças / Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (AT) letter explained in English
Tax office. The tax office. It handles income tax (IRS), property tax (IMI), car tax (IUC), VAT and tax debts.
Letters you may get
- Nota de liquidação / demonstração de liquidação — the result of your income tax: a refund or tax to pay
- Nota de cobrança — a bill for IMI, IUC or other tax, with a payment reference
- Citação em execução fiscal — unpaid tax is now being collected by force
- Coima — a fine, often for a late tax return
What to do
- Check every letter in the Portal das Finanças. Many messages only arrive in your online mailbox (caixa postal eletrónica).
- If you can’t pay at once, you can often ask to pay in instalments (pagamento em prestações) online.
- Find the deadline. Look for “prazo”, “até”, “data limite”.
- Write the reference number from the letter on everything you send back, and keep copies.
- If you disagree with a decision, object in writing before the deadline (“reclamação graciosa”, “audiência prévia”, “defesa”, “oposição”, “impugnação”, “recurso”, “reclamação”). See the template.
Words you may see
- Finanças
- The tax office (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, AT).
- Portal das Finanças
- The tax office website. You can see letters, pay and object there.
- IRS
- Personal income tax (imposto sobre o rendimento das pessoas singulares).
- IMI
- Yearly property tax for the owner of a house or flat.
- IUC
- Yearly car tax, paid in the month the car was first registered.
- nota de liquidação
- The tax office’s calculation of your tax: a refund or tax to pay.
- nota de cobrança
- A tax bill with the amount, the deadline and a payment reference.
- execução fiscal
- Forced collection of unpaid tax by the tax office, for example by seizing salary or bank money.
Questions
What is the Finanças / Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (AT)?
Tax office. The tax office. It handles income tax (IRS), property tax (IMI), car tax (IUC), VAT and tax debts.
How long do I have to answer a letter from the Finanças / Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (AT)?
It depends on the letter. Look for words like “prazo”, “até”, “data limite” — they mark the deadline. In Portugal, a letter sent by registered post is usually treated as received on the third day after it was posted. Check if the deadline is in working days (dias úteis) or in calendar days. To object, the letter usually names the way to do it (“reclamação graciosa”, “audiência prévia”, “defesa”, “oposição”, “impugnação”, “recurso”, “reclamação”).
Can I read a Finanças / Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (AT) letter in English?
Yes. Take a photo of the letter with Briefly. It explains the letter in plain English, finds the deadline and the amount, and gives you ready-made replies in Portuguese. Your letter never leaves your device.
Other offices in Portugal
Segurança Social · IEFP (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional) · AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) · Câmara Municipal / Junta de Freguesia · Tribunal · Agente de execução · ANSR / PSP / GNR · Portagens (Via Verde / Infraestruturas de Portugal)