How to File a Consumer Complaint in Portugal: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Livro de Reclamações

Portugal has one of the most consumer-friendly complaint mechanisms in Europe, and most foreigners living here have never used it. The Livro de Reclamações — literally, the "book of complaints" — is a legally mandated system that gives every consumer the power to file a formal complaint against any business or public service, triggering an automatic review by the relevant regulator.

In 2025, the system processed 485,203 complaints and led to over five million euros in fines. Here is how to use it.

What Is the Livro de Reclamações?

Created by Decreto-Lei 156/2005 and significantly updated in 2017 and 2020, the complaints book is a dual-format system: a physical book that must be available at every customer-facing establishment, and an electronic portal at livroreclamacoes.pt that allows online submissions.

Every business operating in Portugal with public-facing activity is legally required to have the physical book. This includes restaurants, cafés, shops, supermarkets, petrol stations, gyms, private clinics, pharmacies, real estate agencies, telecoms shops, insurance offices, banks, and all public services (including hospitals, municipal offices, and government agencies).

Refusing to provide the complaints book when requested is itself a fineable offence — businesses face penalties of up to 30,000 euros for obstruction.

How to File a Complaint in Person

Step 1: Ask the staff for the Livro de Reclamações. Use the phrase: "Quero o livro de reclamações, por favor" (I want the complaints book, please). They are legally required to provide it immediately.

Step 2: Fill out the triplicate form. You will need to provide your name, tax identification number (NIF), address, and a description of the complaint. The form is in Portuguese — if your Portuguese is limited, write the factual details as clearly as possible. There is no legal requirement for the complaint to be in Portuguese, though it helps processing.

Step 3: Keep your copy. The form has three sheets: one stays in the book (the business's copy), one goes to you, and one the business must send to the relevant regulator within 15 working days.

Step 4: If the business fails to forward your complaint, they face additional fines. You can also send your copy directly to the regulator as a safeguard.

How to File Online

The electronic version at livroreclamacoes.pt has several advantages: it reaches the regulator instantly (no 15-day delay), creates a digital trail, and allows you to upload supporting documents such as receipts, photos, or contracts.

Step 1: Register at livroreclamacoes.pt using your NIF and personal details. Authentication via Chave Móvel Digital (CMD) or Cartão de Cidadão speeds things up but is not strictly required for foreigners — NIF-based registration works.

Step 2: Select the business sector and, if possible, the specific establishment. The platform has a searchable directory.

Step 3: Describe the complaint. Be specific: dates, amounts, what was promised versus what was delivered. Attach supporting files.

Step 4: Submit. The complaint goes directly to the sector regulator and the business is notified simultaneously.

Which Regulator Handles What?

Understanding which body reviews your complaint can set expectations for response times:

• ASAE (food safety, retail, restaurants): Covers the broadest range of consumer-facing businesses. Response times vary but expect 30 to 90 days for a formal reply.
• ANACOM (telecoms, internet, postal services): Particularly relevant for expats dealing with mobile contracts, fibre installation delays, or postal losses.
• Bank of Portugal (banking, credit, payment services): Handles disputes about fees, mortgage terms, and account closures.
• ENSE (electricity, gas): For billing disputes with EDP, Galp Energia, Endesa, or other providers.
• AMT (transport): Covers complaints about public transport, ride-hailing, and freight.
• ANAC (aviation): Flight delays, cancellations, and airline service. Note that EU Regulation 261/2004 rights apply separately.
• IRAE / ARS (health services): Complaints about public or private healthcare providers.
• AIMA (immigration): While not traditionally covered under the complaints book, immigration services do fall under the system for certain administrative failings.

What Happens After You File

The regulator is required to acknowledge receipt and investigate. Outcomes can include:

• Mediation: The regulator contacts the business and seeks a resolution.
• Inspection: ASAE or other bodies may conduct an on-site inspection.
• Fine: If a regulatory violation is confirmed, the business can be fined. In 2025, fines totalled over five million euros.
• Archival: Not all complaints result in action, particularly if the matter is contractual rather than regulatory.

For contractual disputes (refunds, warranty claims, service agreements), the complaints book creates a paper trail but may not resolve the issue directly. In those cases, consider escalating to a Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo (consumer arbitration centre) or a Julgado de Paz (small claims court).

Practical Tips for Expats

Always get a NIF first. You need a Portuguese tax number to file complaints, open contracts, and do almost anything official. If you do not have one yet, that should be your first administrative step after arriving.

Document everything. Keep receipts, screenshots of online orders, email correspondence, and photos. The more evidence you attach, the stronger your case.

Do not be intimidated. Some businesses will try to dissuade you from filing or suggest it "won't do anything." The 2025 enforcement data says otherwise — fines rose 86 percent year-on-year.

Use the online portal for telecoms and utility complaints. These go directly to ANACOM or ENSE and bypass the business entirely, removing the risk of delayed forwarding.

Consider insurance-related complaints carefully. The ASF (insurance regulator) handles complaints about health, auto, and home insurance. If your insurer denies a claim or changes terms unilaterally, the complaints book is a legitimate escalation path.

For broader context on navigating Portuguese bureaucracy, our guides on visa applications, property purchases, and choosing where to live cover related ground.