Thinking of selling your home? Between paperwork, valuations, viewings and negotiations, there is one document you should not leave until the last minute: the Energy Certificate.
It is a legal requirement, and the property's energy rating must also appear in its listing. That is why you should arrange the certificate before you put your home on the market.

What is the Energy Certificate?
The Energy Certificate (Certificado Energético, or CE) is a document that assesses a property's energy performance.
The certification gives the home an energy rating on a scale from A+ (most efficient) to F (least efficient). This makes it easy to see how energy efficient the property is. The certificate also includes information about the property's characteristics and suggests measures that could improve its energy performance.
The certification is carried out by a Qualified Expert (Perito Qualificado) under the Energy Certification System for Buildings (SCE), regulated by Decree-Law no. 101-D/2020.

Is an Energy Certificate mandatory to sell a home?
As a general rule, yes.
The law requires buildings covered by the SCE to be certified when they are sold. There are some exceptions, which we explain further below.
The requirement starts before the sale: you should not advertise the property without a valid energy rating. If you are getting ready to sell, check early on whether your property needs a certificate and whether the one you have is still valid.

What if the property already has an Energy Certificate?
In that case, you may not need a new one.
For residential properties, the Energy Certificate is valid for 10 years. To check whether it is still valid, you can look it up on ADENE's SCE portal using the certificate number. You should also check that the certificate reflects the property as it is today.
If the certificate has expired, you will need to renew it before advertising the property.

How do you get an Energy Certificate?
The process is simple. The Qualified Expert visits the property and assesses its characteristics. They then issue the certificate, which is registered with the SCE.
To speed things up, it helps to have a few documents ready, such as the property tax record (caderneta predial), the land registry certificate (certidão permanente) and the property's floor plans.
The certificate is usually ready within a few days, although this depends on the expert's availability and on the paperwork.

Who pays for the Energy Certificate?
Obtaining the Energy Certificate is the property owner's responsibility.
There is no fixed cost. It depends on the type and size of the property and on the Qualified Expert's fees. For a home, the cost is usually around 250€ to 500€. If you are preparing a home for sale, include this cost in your planning.

Are there any exceptions?
Yes. Although certification is generally mandatory when a property is sold, the law provides for some exceptions. These include buildings in ruins, properties sold for demolition and certain sales carried out as part of enforcement or insolvency proceedings.
If you are unsure about a specific property, check on a case-by-case basis whether any of these exceptions applies.

Selling your property?
At Homaze, we support owners through every stage of the sale. We work with a network of specialist partners who help prepare the documentation and handle the necessary procedures, including the Energy Certificate.
This means you can go through the whole process with more convenience, security and support.

Thinking of selling your home? Get in touch and find out how we can help.







 
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