Building a boundary wall or fence in Portugal

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You may wall or fence your plot at any time (Código Civil, art. 1356.º), and a wall up to 1.8 metres high that does not face a public road is exempt from a building licence (RJUE, art. 6.º-A, n.º 1, b)).

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Law

Código Civil (Decreto-Lei n.º 47344/66) and Regime Jurídico da Urbanização e Edificação (RJUE, Decreto-Lei n.º 555/99)

Articles

Código Civil 1356.º and 1357.º; RJUE 6.º, 6.º-A and 80.º-A

Right to enclose

An owner may wall, ditch, hedge or close the plot in any other way, at any time (art. 1356.º)

Ditches

Leave an outer bank as wide as the ditch is deep, unless local custom says otherwise (art. 1357.º)

Exempt walls

Boundary walls up to 1.8 metres that do not face a public road, and retaining walls up to 2 metres or that do not significantly change ground levels (RJUE, art. 6.º-A, n.º 1, b)

Notice to the council

The council must be told at least five days before work starts, including exempt works (RJUE, art. 80.º-A, n.º 1)

Official text

pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=775&tabel...

Sources

pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=775&tabel...
pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=775&tabel...
pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=625&tabel...
pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=625&tabel...

Checked

2026-11-05