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BUPi: land boundaries and costs from October
A plot's boundaries marked in BUPi may overlap those of a neighbouring property. Decreto Regulamentar n.º 8/2026, published on 21 September and effective from 22 September, updated the rules for handling these situations. From 1 October, the statutory charges for certain georeferenced graphical representations (RGG) also became applicable.
When boundaries overlap
Where an overlap is not subject to automatic adjustment, an administrative conciliation procedure may be opened. It may be initiated by the Centro de Coordenação Técnica or the conciliator, or requested by any interested party. When initiated by those authorities, interested parties and promoters are notified and have 20 working days to make the necessary corrections through a qualified technician.
If the overlap persists, the RGG may remain validated with a geometry reservation (reserva de geometria). This records the conflict; it does not mean the boundaries have been agreed. Under Article 16 of Decreto Regulamentar n.º 9-A/2017, as amended, agreements are recorded in writing and signed by the conciliator and the participating interested parties. If overlaps remain after the procedure closes, the parties concerned may apply to the territorially competent julgado de paz, use the arbitration provided for in Article 20 of Lei n.º 78/2017, or pursue other legally admissible judicial remedies.
If you receive a notice, check which properties it identifies, compare the proposed boundary with the available documents and contact a qualified technician to review the corrections requested and the stated deadline.
RGG, registration and professional work are separate costs
The free period provided for in Article 14 of Lei n.º 65/2019 ended on 30 September 2026. It covered the acts and procedures under that law concerning rural or mixed properties of up to 50 hectares, as well as the other cases specified in the provision.
Since 1 October, paragraph 7 requires the applicant to pay €15 per RGG up to the ninth and €10 per RGG from the tenth onwards. These amounts apply to RGG prepared by qualified technicians who are employees of municipalities or intermunicipal bodies, or provide services to them, and are registered in BUPi to assist citizens. This wording was introduced by Decreto-Lei n.º 87/2026 of 15 April.
The RGG charge does not include any applicable land registration fees or the fees of a technician appointed directly by the owner. Before proceeding, confirm which acts the quotation covers and which expenses you must pay.
If you are considering buying land, check whether it already has an RGG in BUPi and whether a geometry reservation or unresolved overlap exists. Compare the property identification with the tax record and land registry certificate, and clarify discrepancies before signing. See our checklist for buying land to build on.
How CertiAmb can help
Before buying land, our Safe Purchase service provides a preliminary review of documentary and planning issues that need attention. If you intend to build, our Planning feasibility service assesses the rules and constraints applicable to your proposed development.
