Many landlords with property in Portugal, especially those living abroad, ask the same thing: "Isn't an email enough? A WhatsApp message? Can't I just tell the tenant in person?" The short answer is: no, it is not enough. For certain communications under Portuguese tenancy law, the law expressly requires a registered letter with aviso de receção (AR, the signed proof-of-delivery slip). Without it, the communication can be deemed invalid. For readers used to US terminology, a Portuguese registered letter with aviso de receção is the equivalent of certified mail with a return receipt.
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Send a registered letter, €14.99What the law says
The NRAU (Novo Regime do Arrendamento Urbano, the Portuguese urban lease law) and the Código Civil lay down specific channels for formal communications between landlord and tenant. The most relevant ones:
Rent update, article 1077.º of the Código Civil and article 24.º of the NRAU
Termination for unpaid rent, article 1083.º of the Código Civil
Email, WhatsApp or in person: is it enough?
Email, SMS, WhatsApp, verbal communication, or an ordinary letter without registration do not prove that the tenant received the communication, nor when they received it.
A registered letter with aviso de receção through CTT is a tracked letter with proof of delivery: it proves the sending date, the receipt date, and that the tenant (or their representative) personally received it.
The difference is decisive in court: without proof of receipt, the judge cannot confirm the tenant was actually notified, and the case can be dismissed or rejected.
What happens if the tenant does not collect the letter?
If the tenant does not collect the letter from CTT within the deadline, the aviso de receção comes back to the sender marked "não levantado" (not collected) or "ausente" (absent). That return also has evidentiary value: the landlord has fulfilled the notification duty, and the tenant cannot claim they were never informed.
Which situations require it?
- Annual rent update: must be sent by registered letter with AR, with 30 days' notice. see the free template →
- Notice for unpaid rent: to formally demand payment from the tenant and document the communication. see the free templates →
- Termination by the landlord: for fixed-term leases, or where the landlord needs the property as their own home
- Notice of renovation works: where they require the tenant to vacate temporarily
- Lease termination (resolução): the formal communication ending the contract
Cases where it is recommended, but not required
There are situations where the law does not expressly impose the registered letter with AR, but where using it is strongly recommended for practical reasons:
- Cancelling telecoms or subscription contracts: standard contracts accept written notice, but the registered letter with AR is the safest way to prove the exact cancellation date
- Reporting defects in building work or services: to trigger warranties or civil liability, you want proof that the supplier was notified
- Rescinding purchase contracts over defective goods: when the seller does not respond, the registered letter with AR starts the legal clock
- Communications to public bodies where deadlines are running: whenever a legal deadline is at stake, the registered letter with AR fixes the sending date beyond dispute
- Agreements between heirs or co-owners of assets: formal demands that may later matter in estate divisions or disputes
Registered letter vs registered letter with AR
CTT, the Portuguese post office, offers two kinds of registered mail (roughly what UK readers would call recorded delivery or a signed for letter):
- Simple registered letter: proves the letter was sent, but carries no confirmation of who received it
- Registered letter with aviso de receção (AR): the recipient signs on delivery, and that document (the AR) is returned to the sender as proof
For formal tenancy communications in Portugal, the law requires the registered letter with aviso de receção. The simple registered version is not enough.
How much does it cost through CTT?
A registered letter with aviso de receção at a CTT counter costs roughly €3 to €4 depending on weight. It requires travelling to a CTT post office in Portugal with the letter already printed and signed.
Alternatively, cartaregistada.pt handles the whole process for €14.99: we generate the letter, you sign it (digitally, for example with the Chave Móvel Digital, the Portuguese government digital signature, or by photo), and we send it through CTT within 2 business days. No queues, no travel, no need to be in Portugal.
Whenever one of these situations applies, you can send a letter online in Portugal: upload the document and it is posted as a registered letter with AR.
Send your registered letter online
Already have the letter? Upload the PDF and we print it and send it through CTT with aviso de receção, no post office visit needed. €14.99 all included.
Send my letter →Need help writing it? We generate Portuguese tenancy letters for you, free →