01
Design on your terms
Layout, orientation, energy standard and garden are yours to decide, within the parameters the Câmara approves for that plot.
Land & plots in Cascais
What a plot in Cascais lets you build, what it costs to buy and connect, and which rules decide the answer — one plot at a time.
In short. Land in Cascais is listed at a median asking price of €574,000, or €909/m², across 232 portal listings (rankingimobiliario.com, 28 September 2026). Urban plots pay a flat 6.5% IMT, rustic land 5%. A plot suits buyers who want to design their own house and can wait for a PIP and a permit; inside the Natural Park only an owner's own home is possible, on at least 2,000 or 5,000 m².
€574,000Median asking price, land
6.5%IMT on urban land
5%IMT on rustic land
20 daysLegal deadline for a PIP
Median asking price of 232 land listings in Cascais municipality (rankingimobiliario.com, 28 September 2026) — asking prices, not sales, mixing urban and rustic land. IMT per CIMT art. 17; PIP deadline per RJUE art. 16 as in force until 30 September 2026 (the new regime of DL 108/2026 applies from 1 October 2026).
Why land
Why buyers look at plots in Cascais
Most homes for sale in Cascais are finished apartments and villas; a plot is the route for buyers who want to design the house themselves. It is also the purchase where paperwork matters most. Two neighbouring plots can carry very different rights, because the PDM, the Natural Park plan, REN, RAN and the coastal programme each draw their own lines.
02
Documented rules
The PDM has been in force since 2015, amended in 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2023, and the Natural Park rules date from 2004. The framework is public; the work lies in applying it to one plot.
03
A price you can test
Median asking prices for land range from €676/m² in Alcabideche to €2,675/m² in Cascais e Estoril (portal data, September 2026). A PIP shows whether the price matches what can be built.
Prices
Asking prices for land by parish
Portal medians for land listings in each parish. They mix urban and rustic land, so the figure per m² drops where large rural parcels dominate. Read them as a range, not as a valuation.
| Parish | Includes | Avg plot (m²) | Median asking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cascais e Estoril | Cascais, Estoril, Birre, Quinta da Marinha | 1,737 m² | €1,800,000 · €2,675/m² |
| Carcavelos e Parede | Carcavelos, Parede (4 listings only) | 289 m² | €600,000 · €1,902/m² |
| Alcabideche | Alcabideche, Alvide, Manique, Malveira da Serra | 3,981 m² | €550,000 · €676/m² |
| São Domingos de Rana | Tires, Abóboda, Trajouce, Matarraque | 2,042 m² | €344,500 · €816/m² |
| Cascais municipality | All four parishes, 232 listings | 2,669 m² | €574,000 · €909/m² |
Read the advert twice: “viabilidade de construção” in a listing is the seller's view. What counts is the PDM category of the plot and a written PIP answer from the Câmara Municipal de Cascais.
rankingimobiliario.com aggregates listings from RE/MAX, ERA, Century 21, KW and Zome; parish pages dated 27–28 September 2026, Carcavelos e Parede 4 September 2026. These are asking prices, not transaction prices; INE's price statistics cover dwellings, not land.
A plot is worth what the Câmara will let you build on it.Send us the plot or your brief — area, size, budget — and we will check its class, PDM category and overlays before you make an offer.
Ask about a plotLand analytics
Plots in Cascais: class, overlays and what they allow
A “terreno” listing in Cascais can mean a serviced plot in a loteamento, bare building land, a plot under Natural Park rules or rustic land where no house is allowed. The registry class and the PDM category decide what you may build and which tax rate applies. Below: the classes, a worked cost example and the legal deadlines that shape a timetable.
Land classes, building rights and taxes (Cascais, 2026)
IMT from the Portal das Finanças (CIMT art. 17); IMI for tax year 2025 per Edital 19/2026; Natural Park rules from the POPNSC (RCM 1-A/2004, arts. 22 and 24). Building rights are confirmed per plot by the Câmara, never by a listing.
| Class | Can you build a home? | IMT | IMI (Cascais) | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lote urbano — plot in an approved loteamento | Yes, within the parameters of the loteamento permit (alvará): footprint, height and use | 6.5% | 0.35% of VPT | Subdivisions in all four parishes; check the alvará and which infrastructure is already built |
| Terreno urbano — building land, not subdivided | Depends on the PDM category and building index; confirm with a PIP before you buy | 6.5% | 0.35% of VPT | Urban land under the PDM: the coastal towns and the inland centres of Alcabideche and São Domingos de Rana |
| Plot inside the Natural Park (PNSC) | Only in complementary protection II or III: the owner's own home on at least 5,000 m² (II) or 2,000 m² (III), max. 250 m² gross, 6.5 m, two floors | 6.5% / 5% | 0.35% / 0.8% | Western and northern Cascais: Malveira da Serra, Areia, the Guincho coast, Quinta do Pisão |
| Rústico — farm or forest land | As a rule no; REN and RAN prohibit building as a general rule | 5% | 0.8% of VPT | Land the PDM classifies as rural; check the planta de ordenamento |
| Rústico under the reclassification regime (DL 117/2024) | Only via the special regime: at least 70% of above-ground floor area for public, affordable-rent or controlled-cost housing | 5% | 0.8% of VPT | No use of this regime in Cascais found as of September 2026 |
What a plot costs before the first brick — worked example
A plot at the municipal median asking price for land, €574,000 (rankingimobiliario.com, 28 September 2026), with the shortest water and sewer branches. Lawyer at the mid-point of the usual 1–2%; notary and registry at the top of €500–1,200.
| Item | € | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Plot at the municipal median asking price | €574,000 | Median of 232 land listings in Cascais, 28 September 2026 (asking, not sale) |
| IMT 6.5% | €37,310 | Flat rate for urban land, no bands (CIMT art. 17) |
| Stamp duty 0.8% | €4,592 | Paid together with the IMT, before the deed |
| Lawyer, about 1.5% | €8,610 | Mid-point of the usual 1–2%; includes registry and planning checks |
| Notary and land registry | €1,200 | Upper end of the usual €500–1,200 |
| Águas de Cascais: water and sewer connection | €2,264 | Shortest branches (up to 4 m) plus viability analysis, inspection and meter; tariff from 1 July 2026, excl. IVA |
| Total before design and construction | ≈ €630,000 |
Design and construction are not in this table: we found no reliable 2026 source for build costs per m² in the Lisbon region. What is published is the trend — INE's construction cost index for new housing rose 6.8% in the year to July 2026, with materials up 6.3% and labour up 7.3% (INE via idealista/news, 8 September 2026). Ask for fixed-price quotes before you commit to a plot.
Legal deadlines and the order of steps
Deadlines from the RJUE (arts. 16–17) and, for applications from 1 October 2026, from the new regime in Decreto-Lei 108/2026. The Câmara de Cascais publishes no actual processing times.
| Stage | Deadline | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Registry, PDM and overlay check | No legal deadline | Certidão permanente and caderneta; PDM category on the planta de ordenamento; REN, RAN, PNSC and POC-ACE on the planta de condicionantes |
| PIP — prior information request | 20 days (30 if detailed) | RJUE art. 16; a favourable answer binds the Câmara in the later licensing (art. 17) |
| Purchase | Set in the CPCV | CPCV conditional on the PIP, then the deed; IMT and stamp duty are paid before it |
| Architecture project | Your architect's schedule | Documents under the RUEM, filed via Loja Cascais Online or at Loja Cascais (Cascais or Tires); fees paid on filing |
| Licensing or comunicação prévia | 20-day initial review from 1 Oct 2026 | New RJUE (DL 108/2026): 10 days to complete missing documents; less prior control, more responsibility on applicants |
| Specialty projects | 6 months (+3) | Submission deadline under DL 108/2026: structure, water, sewer, electrics and the other engineering projects |
| Construction and completion | Per building contract | Works, then the autorização de utilização and supply contracts with Águas de Cascais and an electricity supplier |
With no published processing times, any overall timetable is an estimate. We build it per plot with your architect and re-check which licensing regime applies on the day you file.
Connections and access: what to price before you sign
WaterÁguas de Cascais charges €791.56–1,478.28 for a water branch of up to 4 m, depending on diameter, plus €60.99–234.65 for each extra metre (tariff from 1 July 2026, excl. IVA).
SewerA sewer connection of up to 4 m costs €1,220.16, plus €109.51–156.44 per extra metre under the same tariff. Ask early whether a public sewer reaches the boundary.
PaperworkÁguas de Cascais also bills a viability analysis (€125.12–156.39), the inspection of internal plumbing (€74.52–91.99) and the meter (€52.44), all excl. IVA.
ElectricityE-Redes quotes each new connection individually and we found no published standard price. Get a written budget before the CPCV, especially on plots far from the network.
AccessYou need frontage on a public road or a right of way (servidão) registered at the land registry. Access that exists only by custom is a risk for licensing and for a bank.
CoastPlots near the shore can fall inside the coastal protection and risk-safeguard bands of the POC-ACE (RCM 66/2019). Check the planta de condicionantes before paying for a sea view.
Sources: Portal das Finanças, CIMT art. 17 (IMT) and CIMI art. 135-B (AIMI); Câmara Municipal de Cascais — Edital 19/2026 (IMI), PIP and licensing service pages (cascais.pt); PDM Cascais, 2015 revision (Aviso 7212-B/2015) and amendments; POPNSC, RCM 1-A/2004; POC-ACE, RCM 66/2019; RJUE (DL 555/99) arts. 16–17; DL 108/2026 via idealista/news, 10 September 2026; DL 117/2024 and Lei 53-A/2025; Águas de Cascais tariff from 1 July 2026; rankingimobiliario.com land aggregates, 4–28 September 2026 (asking prices); INE construction cost index via idealista/news, 8 September 2026.
Step by step
From plot to building permit
- Identify the class — certidão permanente and caderneta predial (urbano or rústico, area, owners, charges), then the PDM category on the planta de ordenamento.
- Map the overlays — REN, RAN, the Natural Park protection level under the POPNSC, the POC-ACE coastal bands and any easements on the planta de condicionantes.
- Ask the Câmara (PIP) — file a pedido de informação prévia through Loja Cascais Online or at Loja Cascais in Cascais or Tires, paying the fee on filing. The legal deadline for a decision is 20 days, or 30 for a detailed PIP.
- Sign subject to the answer — make the CPCV conditional on a favourable PIP; IMT and stamp duty are paid before the deed.
- Design and file — architecture project under the RUEM, then licensing or comunicação prévia. From 1 October 2026 the new RJUE (DL 108/2026) applies, with a 20-day initial review and 10 days to complete missing documents.
- Connect and complete — water and sewer with Águas de Cascais, electricity via E-Redes, construction, then the autorização de utilização.
Financing
Paying for a plot and a build
Plan the whole budget before you sign: plot, IMT and stamp duty, fees, design, construction, connections and a reserve. Each bank decides case by case whether it lends on bare land or on a construction project, so ask lenders early and make the CPCV conditional on financing if you need it. For the general picture, see how Portuguese banks lend to non-residents.
Taxes
Taxes on land in Cascais
IMT is a flat 6.5% on urban land and 5% on rustic land, with no bands (Portal das Finanças, CIMT art. 17); stamp duty adds 0.8%. Every year you pay IMI on the tax value (VPT): 0.35% for urban property in Cascais (IMI for 2025, paid in 2026, Edital 19/2026) and 0.8% for rustic land. Building land counts towards AIMI, which excludes only commercial, industrial, services and “other” urban property (CIMI art. 135-B). Construction work carries IVA at 23%, or 6% for housing construction that meets the conditions of DL 97/2026 — ask your accountant whether your contract qualifies. More in the cost of buying in Cascais.
Location
Where building is possible in Cascais
The western and northern parts of the municipality — Malveira da Serra, Areia, the Guincho coast and Quinta do Pisão — lie inside the Parque Natural Sintra-Cascais. There the POPNSC (RCM 1-A/2004) forbids new housing in total, partial and complementary-I protection areas and allows an owner's own home only in complementary II and III. Elsewhere the PDM decides, while REN and RAN prohibit building as a general rule. Of 232 land listings, 88 are in Alcabideche and 76 in São Domingos de Rana (rankingimobiliario.com, 27–28 September 2026). See Guincho, Areia and Malveira, Alcabideche and São Domingos de Rana.
Before you sign
Our checks on every plot: registry and caderneta (class, area, owners, charges); PDM category and building index; overlays — REN, RAN, POPNSC protection level, POC-ACE bands; a written PIP or a licence still in force; legal access; written connection budgets from Águas de Cascais and E-Redes; loteamento obligations where the plot sits in one; and any pending court case. For the full checklist, see due diligence when buying in Portugal.
Checked plots
Looking for a plot in Cascais?
Tell us the area, plot size and budget. We reply with plots whose class, PDM category and overlays we have already checked.
FAQ
Land & plots in Cascais — FAQ
Portal listings put the median asking price for land at €574,000, or €909/m², across 232 listings in Cascais municipality (rankingimobiliario.com, 28 September 2026). These are asking prices that mix urban and rustic land; INE publishes no land price series.
As a rule, no. Rustic land is for farming or forestry, and REN and RAN prohibit building as a general rule. The special reclassification regime of DL 117/2024 requires at least 70% of the floor area to be public, affordable-rent or controlled-cost housing, and we found no use of it in Cascais as of September 2026.
Only in complementary protection areas II and III, and only the owner's own home: a plot of at least 5,000 m² (II) or 2,000 m² (III), up to 250 m² gross construction, 6.5 m in height and two floors (POPNSC, RCM 1-A/2004, arts. 22 and 24). In the park's other protection levels new housing is forbidden.
A pedido de informação prévia asks the Câmara what may be built on a plot. The legal deadline for a decision is 20 days, or 30 for a detailed PIP (RJUE art. 16), and a favourable answer binds the Câmara in the later licensing (art. 17). These are the rules in force until 30 September 2026; check what DL 108/2026 changes for requests filed from 1 October. Actual processing times in Cascais are not published.
IMT is a flat 6.5% on urban land and 5% on rustic land, plus 0.8% stamp duty (CIMT art. 17). After the purchase, IMI in Cascais is 0.35% of the tax value for urban property (IMI for 2025, paid in 2026) and 0.8% for rustic land.
Decreto-Lei 108/2026 reshapes the RJUE procedure: less prior control, more responsibility for applicants and their technical team, a 20-day initial review and 10 days to complete missing documents (idealista/news, 10 September 2026). Check which regime applies to your application on the filing date.
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Region
Cascais & Greater Lisbon, Portugal
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General information, not legal, tax, financial or mortgage advice. Rules, rates and prices change: check the date on this page and confirm your case with a Portuguese lawyer, tax adviser or bank before you decide. Legal notice and disclaimer.