Minimum distance between facing facades in Portugal

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Facades with windows of habitable rooms must be at least 10 metres apart (Regulamento Geral das Edificações Urbanas, art. 60.º).

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Law

Regulamento Geral das Edificações Urbanas (RGEU, Decreto-Lei n.º 38382/51)

Article

60.º

Minimum distance

10 metres between facades of buildings that have windows of habitable rooms (compartimentos de habitação)

Applies

In addition to the 45 degree height rule in art. 59.º

Streets already built up

Where a street is mostly lined with buildings, the council may allow a smaller gap, but not less than the existing buildings give, and subject to the approved urban plan (§ único)

Setbacks

Councils may also require buildings to be set back from the street (art. 61.º)

Where it applies

Inside urban perimeters and the protection zones of towns; elsewhere only where the council has extended it (art. 1.º)

Official text

pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=1217&tabe...

Sources

pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=1217&tabe...
pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=1217&tabe...
pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=1217&tabe...
pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=4024&tabe...

Checked

2026-11-05