Comprovativo de Início de Atividade
Proof of Activity Registration
The official document from the Portuguese tax authority confirming that a person or entity has registered as a self-employed worker. Downloadable in about 30 seconds from Portal das Finanças.
The comprovativo de início de atividade (proof of activity opening) is the document the Portuguese tax authority generates when you register as a self-employed worker. It records your registration date, your economic activity code (CAE), and the tax regimes you selected when you opened activity.
Any registered trabalhador independente has one. It lives in their Portal das Finanças account, available to download any time. It takes about 30 seconds to get.
What it contains
The document shows:
- The date you registered your activity with the AT
- Your CAE code (the economic classification of your work)
- Your VAT regime (usually exempt under Article 53, or standard VAT)
- Your IRS regime (simplified or organized accounting)
- Your NIF and the taxpayer details on record at the time
It's a snapshot of the registration, not a live status report. If you later changed your activity code or VAT regime, those changes appear in separate declarations, accessible from the same section.
Who needs to see it
The document matters most to whoever is verifying you. Portugal has no public database where a third party can check whether an individual freelancer is registered with AT. Unlike companies (which appear in VIES and the commercial registry), individual sole traders don't have an equivalent public lookup.
The NIF check tool checks a number against official EU and Portuguese business registries (including the EU VIES VAT system) to confirm a registered business and show its registered details. That check is separate from the AT validation that certified invoicing software runs at invoice time. But it only covers VAT-registered entities, so freelancers earning under €15,000/year and operating under the Article 53 VAT exemption don't appear there at all.
When the VIES result comes back empty for an individual, the comprovativo is the practical alternative. A client hiring a freelancer for the first time, a bank reviewing a business account application, or a procurement department requiring proof of self-employment status can all ask for it. Any registered freelancer can provide it instantly.
How to get it
Log in to Portal das Finanças with your NIF and credentials. Then:
- Go to Todos os Serviços
- Select Atividade
- Click Consultar declarações de início, alteração e cessação
- Find your opening declaration and open it
- Save or print
The document is generated on the spot. You can share it as a PDF or print it. There's no expiry date, though if your registration details have changed significantly since opening, showing the most recent alteration declaration as well gives a more complete picture.
What it doesn't prove
The comprovativo confirms the activity was registered. It doesn't show:
- Whether you're currently issuing invoices
- Your income or whether you've filed recent tax returns
- That you haven't since closed your activity (a separate cessation declaration covers that)
For stronger evidence of ongoing commercial activity, a recent recibo verde issued through Portal das Finanças is more direct. Issuing one requires an active, open registration, so its existence proves current operating status. For a comprehensive check on a contractor, the comprovativo plus a recent recibo verde together answer most due-diligence questions.
For companies
Companies (with a NIPC starting with 5) are handled differently. They appear in VIES once VAT-registered, and in the Registo Comercial (commercial registry) where their registration details are public. You can verify a company's status directly without asking them for a document. The comprovativo approach is specific to individual sole traders, where there is no equivalent public source.
For the cornerstone guide on checking a number before you hire, see Before you hire anyone in Portugal, check their NIF.
Frequently asked questions
What is a comprovativo de início de atividade?
It's the official document the Portuguese tax authority (AT) generates when you register as a self-employed worker (trabalhador independente). It records the date your activity started, your registered economic activity code (CAE), your VAT regime, and your tax regime. Any registered freelancer can download it at any time from Portal das Finanças.
Who needs a comprovativo de início de atividade?
Mostly the person verifying you. Because there is no public tool where a third party can check whether an individual freelancer is registered with AT, the comprovativo is the practical proof they can show: a client asking to confirm you're legitimately registered, a bank opening a business account, or a landlord accepting a business address. If you're the one hiring, you can ask a freelancer for it before your first payment.
How do I get my comprovativo de início de atividade?
Log in to Portal das Finanças, go to Todos os Serviços, then Atividade, then 'Consultar declarações de início, alteração e cessação.' Find your opening declaration, open it, and save or print. The whole thing takes about 30 seconds. You don't need to request it or wait; it's always there once your activity is registered.
Does the comprovativo confirm that the freelancer is currently active?
Not exactly. It confirms that an activity was registered on a specific date with specific parameters. It doesn't show income, tax filings, whether the person is currently issuing invoices, or whether they've changed or closed their activity since. It's proof the paperwork was done, not proof of ongoing commercial activity. For that, a recent recibo verde or fatura issued through Portal das Finanças is stronger evidence.
Is there a public database to check whether a freelancer is registered with AT?
No. Unlike companies, which appear in VIES and the commercial registry, individual freelancers (trabalhadores independentes) have no equivalent public lookup for their AT registration status. VIES only covers VAT-registered entities, so any freelancer earning below EUR 15,000 per year and operating under the Article 53 VAT exemption won't appear there. The comprovativo is the standard alternative: the freelancer downloads it themselves and shares it.
Related terms
The process of registering as a self-employed worker (trabalhador independente) with the Portuguese tax authority, officially starting your freelance activity.
Trabalhador IndependenteSelf-Employed WorkerThe Portuguese term for an independent worker or sole entrepreneur, the equivalent of a freelancer or sole trader in other countries.
NIFNúmero de Identificação Fiscal · Tax NumberPortugal's 9-digit tax identification number, required for every tax-related interaction from opening a bank account to issuing an invoice.
NIPCNúmero de Identificação de Pessoa Coletiva · Company Tax NumberPortugal's 9-digit tax identification number for companies and legal entities, the corporate equivalent of a personal NIF.
VIESVAT Information Exchange SystemThe EU's free online tool for verifying VAT numbers. Confirms whether a business is VAT-registered and, in Portugal's case, reveals the name and address behind the number.
Recibo VerdeGreen ReceiptA combined invoice-receipt (fatura-recibo) issued by solo entrepreneurs in Portugal through the Portal das Finanças when they receive payment for services.