Certidão Permanente

What is the Certidão Permanente?

The Certidão Permanente (Permanent Certificate) is an official electronic document issued by the Portuguese Commercial Registry ("Registo Comercial"). It serves as a certified extract from the company registry that attests to the current legal status of a commercial entity registered in Portugal.

Unlike traditional paper extracts, the Permanent Certificate offers continuous access to information during its validity period (typically one year). This digital innovation, implemented as part of Portugal's administrative modernization, allows users to verify a company's legal information in real-time through a unique access code.

Key Elements

1. Official validation mark with Portuguese Republic emblem and a green status
2. Validity date showing when the certificate expires
3. Access code (Código de acesso) - a unique identifier for verification
4. Purchase date showing when the certificate has been purchased
5. Company registration details including tax identification number, legal form, activities, address, legal representative

Other features

• Official certification: Contains digital validation elements verifiable on the registry portal
• Secure digital format: Electronic document accessible online via a unique access code
• Temporary validity: Generally valid for one year from the date of issue

Limitations and Considerations

While the Permanent Certificate is comprehensive, compliance professionals should be aware of certain limitations:

• Beneficial ownership: While the certificate contains management information, additional UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner) documentation may be required
• Language barrier: The certificate is issued in Portuguese, potentially requiring translation for international compliance teams

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