Neighbour rules when building in Portugal
Each page gives the rule, the number and the article of the Portuguese law that sets it. The pages are summaries, and a court or a lawyer decides any dispute.
All neighbour and building rules
Windows and views
- Window distance from the boundary
- Balcony overlooking the neighbour
- Windows facing a public road
- View rights acquired over time
- Small light openings in a wall
Boundaries and walls
All pages: Boundaries and walls
- Marking the boundary between plots
- Building a boundary wall or fence
- Boundary wall ownership (parede meeira)
- Building onto a shared party wall
- Who pays to repair a shared wall
Trees and hedges
- Planting trees near the boundary
- Overhanging branches and roots
- Picking fruit over the boundary
- Tree growing on the boundary line
- Live hedges on the boundary
Water and drainage
- Rainwater dripping from your roof
- Natural water flow between plots
- Flood defence works on a boundary
- Drainage across a neighbour's land
- Rainwater drainage in new buildings
Access, digging and danger
All pages: Access, digging and danger
- Access to a neighbour's land for works
- Right of way to a landlocked plot
- Excavation near a neighbour's land
- Dangerous installations next door
- Neighbouring building at risk of collapse
Noise and working hours
All pages: Noise and working hours
- Hours for noisy building works
- Hours for renovation inside a building
- Special noise licence for works
- Urgent works outside permitted hours
- Noise, smoke and vibration from next door
Building rules and permits
Free check
Send your question about a neighbour issue when building in Portugal and we will answer it by email.