A practical guide to company formation: legal structure, tax ID, registration, banking, payroll and licensing. Timelines vary, but a clear document pack and trusted local counsel will make the process smoother.

1. Choose the structure — Lda (limited) or SA (corporation).
2. Reserve the company name and draft incorporation documents.
3. Tax ID (NIF) for shareholders/directors if applicable.
4. Guiché Único da Empresa (GUE) — file registration, publish articles, obtain certificates.
5. Open a corporate bank account and prepare source-of-funds documentation.
6. Register for Tax & Social Security — with Finanças and Segurança Social.
7. Licensing — sector-specific approvals (health, energy, mining, tourism, etc.).
8. Payroll & HR — draft contracts, set up payroll, comply with HSE standards.

Tip: keep scanned PDFs and a document index to speed up review.

• Company registration — usually several weeks; faster with complete documents.
• Bank account & capital deposit — variable; expect compliance checks.
• Licensing — months for regulated sectors (energy, mining, telecoms).
• Costs — registration fees are moderate; legal and advisory costs vary widely.