Under Law/Decreto - Lei 211/2004 de 20.08 all Government Licensed Estate Agents are required to obtain copies of the documents listed below from the Vendor. This enables them to establish that the property has full legal status.
No Agent can officially list a property without receiving the necessary documents, as all Licensed Estate Agents are liable to periodic inspection by their Governing body INCI, they must ensure copies of these documents are in place

The required documents are as follows:

1. DEEDS / ESCRITURA NOTARIAL DE COMPRA E VENDA:
This document indicates the title of acquisition of a property. The originals are held by the Notary Office where they were signed. 

2. FINANCE DEPARTMENT REGISTRATION / CADERNETA PREDIAL:
This document shows the description of the property in the Finance Department and its fiscal value on which rates are charged. 

3. REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE / CERTIDAO DE TEOR REGISTRAL:
This document confirms to whom the property is registered to, and also gives a description of the property with the size of both the land and the house, and will show any existing charges on the property. The description on this certificate must match the description on the "Caderneta Predial". Failing to do so leaves one of the two documents inaccurate, and it must then be rectified

4. HABITATION LICENCE / LICENÇA DE UTILIZAÇÃO:
This document is usually preceded by an inspection and it confirms that the property was built according to the plans and specifications approved by the Local Council/Camara. Alternatively, the licence can also be issued based on a formal declaration signed by the architect in charge of the project, confirming that the building is as per the plans.

5. PLANS / PROJECTOS DE ARQUITECTURA: 
It is worthwhile obtaining a set of approved plans from the Local Council/Camara to check that what has been built is in accordance with the originally approved plans. It would have been easy for a previous owner to add on a bedroom or garage without permission after the Habitation Licence/Licença de Utilizaçao was granted!

6. BOREHOLE LICENCE / LICENÇA PARA CAPTAÇAO DE AGUA:
This document confirms the borehole is registered with the relevant authority.

7. PERSONAL PAPERS:
Agents will require copies of your Passport or Residency Card and Fiscal Number.