{"id":5221,"date":"2026-06-08T11:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T11:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/tmp-en-4656\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T18:17:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T18:17:28","slug":"new-rjue-dl-108-2026-five-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/new-rjue-dl-108-2026-five-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"The new RJUE (DL 108\/2026): five changes with impact on real estate development"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"trc-art-meta\"><span><strong>Legislation<\/strong><\/span><span>6 min read<\/span><span>Updated June 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<p>The revision of the Legal Regime for Urbanisation and Building (RJUE) is no longer a proposal: <strong>Decreto-Lei n.\u00ba 108\/2026<\/strong> was published on 29 May and enters into force on <strong>3 August 2026<\/strong>, applying to new applications and to pending ones still at the preliminary-check stage. For developers and investment funds, it redefines the rules of risk management \u2014 and the final version corrects figures that circulated during the discussion of the draft.<\/p>\n<div class=\"trc-art-summary\"><span class=\"trc-art-label\">The 5 changes with impact on your next project<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"list\">\n<li><strong>Prior notification without preliminary check<\/strong> \u2014 fees paid, works starting; error becomes the developer\u2019s risk.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Shortened decision deadlines<\/strong> \u2014 20 days for the preliminary check, 30 for the architecture, 45 for subdivisions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nullity reduced to 3 years<\/strong> \u2014 not 1 year, as was read during the draft stage.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Standardised planning title<\/strong> \u2014 with mandatory mention in deeds.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reinforced accountability<\/strong> \u2014 of those involved in the works and of the municipality itself.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>1. Prior notification: full self-responsibility<\/h2>\n<p>Prior notification loses the preliminary-check phase \u2014 the initial administrative screening of the application \u2014 and formally ceases to be prior control. Once the notification is submitted, the fees paid and the start date notified, the operation moves forward \u2014 the municipality can no longer request additional elements before execution, and has <strong>one year<\/strong> for the successive control of conformity.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Investment impact:<\/strong> the start is faster, but municipal powers shift to inspection during and after the works. A design with regulatory flaws exposes the asset to embargo and costly corrections \u2014 which reinforces the importance of the design team\u2019s technical rigour.<\/p>\n<h2>2. Shortened decision deadlines \u2014 and silence with consequences<\/h2>\n<div class=\"trc-art-table\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Procedure phase<\/th>\n<th>Deadline (DL 108\/2026)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Preliminary check and screening<\/td>\n<td><strong>20 days<\/strong> (10 for corrections)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Assessment of the architectural design<\/td>\n<td><strong>30 days<\/strong> (+30 by extension)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Final deliberation \u2014 building and demolition<\/td>\n<td><strong>20 days<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Subdivision<\/td>\n<td><strong>45 days<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Urbanisation works<\/td>\n<td><strong>30 days<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p class=\"trc-src\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/adcecija.pt\/alteracao-ao-regime-juridico-da-urbanizacao-e-edificacao-rjue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Antas da Cunha Ecija \u2014 amendment to the RJUE (DL 108\/2026)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Investment impact:<\/strong> tacit approval gains operational force \u2014 the proof of submission now counts as an element of the planning title. Every month of permitting saved is financing cost out of the model; we covered that arithmetic in the article on <a href=\"\/en\/irr-roi-real-estate-development\/\">IRR and ROI in real estate development<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"blog-details__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-lg-8\">\n<div class=\"media\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/trc-novo-rjue-dl-108-2026.webp\" alt=\"Residential building under construction with a crane in the late afternoon\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-4\">\n<div class=\"media\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/trc-rjue-estrutura.webp\" alt=\"Detail of concrete structure with formwork on site\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>3. Nullity: 3 years \u2014 the correction worth knowing<\/h2>\n<p>During the discussion of the draft law there was talk of reducing the nullity period \u00abfrom 10 years to 1 year\u00bb. The final version is different \u2014 and it pays to be rigorous:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"archidex-blog-details-quote\">\n<p>The administrative declaration of nullity of permits and prior information decisions now has a 3-year period; what lapses in 1 year is the successive control of the conformity of prior notifications.<\/p>\n<p><cite class=\"trc-art-cite\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/diariodarepublica.pt\/dr\/detalhe\/decreto-lei\/108-2026-1128002421\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Decreto-Lei n.\u00ba 108\/2026, of 29 May \u2014 Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica<\/a><\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Investment impact:<\/strong> even so, it is a huge gain in legal certainty compared with the previous 10 years. After 3 years, the asset\u2019s permitting consolidates \u2014 which eases fund structuring and access to financing on better terms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"trc-diagram\">\n<p>29 MAY 2026<br \/>\npublication of DL 108\/2026<\/p>\n<p>3 AUG 2026<br \/>\nentry into force<\/p>\n<p>+ 1 YEAR<br \/>\nsuccessive control of the PN lapses<\/p>\n<p>+ 3 YEARS<br \/>\nnullity consolidated\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"trc-art-caption\">The calendar worth fixing \u2014 from publication to the asset\u2019s legal consolidation.<\/p>\n<h2>4. Planning title: liquidity and transparency<\/h2>\n<p>The \u00abalvar\u00e1\u00bb returns in the form of a standardised <strong>planning title<\/strong> \u2014 composed of the summary application, the proof of payment of the fees and the notification or proof of submission. Deeds and transfer contracts must now expressly state whether the property holds a title.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Investment impact:<\/strong> faster due diligence and less post-sale litigation. The asset\u2019s planning status becomes readable at the moment of the transaction \u2014 which distinguishes, in the price, assets with well-prepared processes.<\/p>\n<h2>5. Accountability: the risk changes hands<\/h2>\n<p>The decree reinforces the accountability of those involved in the planning operation and provides for the civil liability of municipalities for illegal acts in the procedures. Less prior control does not mean fewer consequences \u2014 it means later consequences, for whoever errs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Investment impact:<\/strong> the choice of the design team becomes, above all, a risk-management decision, not merely a cost decision.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"title\">\u201cWith less prior control, design quality stopped being an aesthetic matter \u2014 it became the investment\u2019s insurance policy.\u201d<\/h2>\n<h3>Tiago R. Correia<\/h3>\n<p>Architect<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>The right calendar for your next investment<\/h2>\n<p>Between today and 3 August there is a relevant decision window: pending applications still at the preliminary-check stage on the date of entry into force transition to the new regime. It pays to plan the submission \u2014 and, before buying any asset, to validate feasibility rigorously.<\/p>\n<p>Three practical moves for this window: close the coordination of engineering disciplines early (under the new framework, a favourable qualified PIP requires their delivery at the start of the works); anticipate the external consultations that do not depend on the municipality; and organise now the planning-title dossier of each asset in the portfolio \u2014 it will define liquidity at the next transaction.<\/p>\n<div class=\"trc-art-cta-inline\">\n<p>Evaluating an asset? <a href=\"\/en\/landscope-feasibility-analysis-real-estate\/\">LANDSCOPE<\/a> delivers the planning reading and the building potential from 48 hours \u2014 before the promissory contract (CPCV).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"trc-art-faq\"><span class=\"trc-art-label\">Frequently asked questions<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Does the new regime apply to my ongoing application?<\/h3>\n<p>It applies to procedures started after 3 August 2026 and to those which, on that date, are still at the preliminary-check and screening stage.<\/p>\n<h3>Is the PIP still worth it?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes. It remains the planning due-diligence instrument par excellence before an acquisition \u2014 and a favourable qualified PIP allows starting with the engineering designs delivered at the beginning of the works.<\/p>\n<h3>When does everything come into force?<\/h3>\n<p>The decree was published on 29 May 2026 and the amendments to the RJUE take effect on 3 August 2026, the first working day of the third month after publication.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"trc-art-cta\"><span class=\"trc-art-cta-title\">Do you have a portfolio asset to assess under the new rules?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>We integrate the planning analysis, the design and the procedural coordination from day one \u2014 so that the new RJUE\u2019s greater speed comes with the rigour that sustains it. Also see the <a href=\"\/en\/building-permitting-portugal-2026-guide\/\" style=\"color:inherit;border-bottom:1px solid\">complete 2026 permitting guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"trc-art-btn\" href=\"\/en\/contact\/\">Book a consultancy meeting<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Legislation6 min readUpdated June 2026 The revision of the Legal Regime for Urbanisation and Building (RJUE) is no longer a proposal: Decreto-Lei n.\u00ba 108\/2026 was published on 29 May and enters into force on 3 August 2026, applying to new applications and to pending ones still at the preliminary-check stage. For developers and investment funds, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4840,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[126],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legislation-permitting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5221"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5221\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5351,"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5221\/revisions\/5351"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiagorcorreia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}