Laws in Portugal
How Portugal is classified on 36 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal on request Abortion is available on request, subject to a gestational limit.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- Specifically banned FGM is banned by a dedicated law or an explicit criminal provision.
- Surrogacy
- Banned Surrogacy is effectively banned as the 2016 law allowing it was suspended after being found unconstitutional in 2018.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 18 Minimum age to gamble: 18.
- Cryptocurrency
- Legal Cryptocurrency is legal to own and trade.
Daily Life
- Jaywalking
- Offense / fined Crossing is illegal if a zebra crossing is within 50m.
- Public Smoking Bans
- Partial ban Smoking is banned in most enclosed spaces, but restaurants and bars may have designated smoking areas.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 18.
- Homeschooling
- Legal Homeschooling is legal.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal Fur farming is not banned; there is no fur-farming industry.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- Banned Portugal bans cosmetic animal testing and imports of tested products under EU law.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Taxed / charged Plastic bags are legal but carry a mandatory charge or tax.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Voluntary Voting is voluntary.
- Minimum Working Age
- 16+ Minimum working age: 16.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Marriage legal Same-sex marriage is legally performed and recognized.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 14–15 The age of consent is 14.
- Sex Work
- Decriminalized / unregulated Selling sex is legal, but third-party profit and organized prostitution are illegal.
- Divorce
- Legal Divorce is legal and generally available by mutual consent without fault.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Joint adoption legal Same-sex couples can jointly petition to adopt.
- Incest Laws
- Legal between adults
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 18.
Speech & Belief
- Holocaust Denial
- Criminal offense Holocaust denial is a criminal offence.
- Flag Desecration
- Criminal offense Desecrating the national flag is a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment or a fine.
- Conversion Therapy
- Banned Portugal enacted a nationwide criminal ban on conversion therapy in December 2023.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Gun Laws
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
Substances
- Cannabis
- Decriminalized Recreational possession is decriminalized — a fine at most, not a criminal offence.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 18.
- Smoking Age
- 18 Minimum age to buy tobacco: 18.
- Psilocybin Mushrooms
- Decriminalized / tolerated Psilocybin possession is decriminalised.
- Salvia Divinorum
- Illegal Possession of salvia divinorum is a criminal offence.
- E-Cigarettes
- Regulated E-cigarettes are legal but nicotine strength is capped by law.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.